HLSW question (server crashing FIXED)

Bloodspitter · Post by **Bloodspitter** » Sun Nov 07, 2004 9:20 pm

My server keeps experiencing crashes/restarts. The Server Health message advises this:

If you have a Half-life server, you might consider running a program such as HLSW in the background on your client machine and examining its logging output after this happens the next time.

I sent emails asking for assistance. The response I got was to get this mysterious "HLSW" and try it. So, I found and installed HLSW so that I could view a more detailed server log and therefore find a clue to what is causing these very frustrating crashes.

Well, I installed HLSW and it appears to be working. However, I do not know how to access logs using this. I see no button or toolbar option that says anything about logs.

How do I use HLSW to view the "complete" server logs?

Nick|NFo · Post by **Nick|NFo** » Sun Nov 07, 2004 9:27 pm

you enter your server into the top, then click on your server in the server list.

you need to enter in your rcon in the rcon field, then click on get server logs internet.

if you cant see rcon field, you need to go to view and turn on rcon.

you then can go to console and see the logs going on as they come from your server.

if you want to see the logs in their text form on the server, you can download them from the logs folder off your FTP.

Bloodspitter · Post by **Bloodspitter** » Sun Nov 07, 2004 9:39 pm

I will try to figure that out, thanks. Might have to wait until morning though.

I have been using the text logs as my reference for trying to troubleshoot this problem. The email I received suggested that was not sufficient:

"I hope you're not just reading from the log files on disk. These will not show the actual lines that caused the crash -- just the last ones written to disk. Logd probably isn't your problem, it's probably something else that you're not seeing. You should watch the server logs in HLSW to get a better idea of the lines that immediately precede the crashing behavior."

I'm just trying to see the "something else I'm not seeing" so I can get this fixed.

Nick|NFo · Post by **Nick|NFo** » Sun Nov 07, 2004 9:41 pm

ya thats correct, you will see custom map errors in logs, but plugin errors of the sort, dont always show up in the text files on the server.

thus thats where hlsw comes in

Bloodspitter · Post by **Bloodspitter** » Mon Nov 08, 2004 9:09 am

The rcon section for HLSW was hidden at the bottom of my screen so I didn't see it!

HLSW is a useful tool I will keep, but so far the HLSW logs haven't pinpointed the problem. Or maybe I just don't know what to look for.

I got rcon running fine, was able to browse the logs in console. I experimented a bit and was able to reproduce the crashing problem, then I compared the log file from BOTH the HLSW and the text logs to try and find a clue. I compared these logs with the logs of a normal map change also to find discrepancies.

Certain maps are causing the crash. But they don't do it every time. Sometimes, they load perfectly and everything is fine. Other times, the map comes up and the server reboots.

There are no conclusive error messages to go on.

My only lead right now is that the logs identify that I have an older version of "LogD" installed. NFO told me that they do not endorse LogD and don't know why I installed it. Well, as it turns out, LogD is required by another AdminMod plugin to operate which I find very useful (Map Manager Plugin) and don't want to lose if I can help it.

I downloaded an updated version of LogD, but was unable to remove the old dll using FTP, so I can't install it yet. I've emailed NFO asking for help in removing the old dll.

What good are all these neat AdminMod plugins if the server can't run them? All I really wanted was a map manager that would change the map when one team scores x number of wins more than their opponents. I finally found one, so I hope this LogD update will fix the problem.

Thanks for all assistance. More help appreciated!

bOoya · Post by **bOoya** » Mon Nov 08, 2004 10:52 am

if you shut down the server first you should beable to remove it no problem. its that whole "you cant delete this file while its in use" thing

Bloodspitter · Post by **Bloodspitter** » Thu Nov 11, 2004 1:48 pm

As it turned out, the problem was not with the plugin at all, but with a missing model in a particular map. Since that map had been working perfectly before, and I had no reason to suspect it, I assumed it must be the plugin because that is what everyone seems to point at first. Once I compared the files to be sure that everything was there, I found a partial model file. Replaced it, and the map now runs fine again. I do not know what caused this file to become corrupt in the first place.

If you are experiencing server crashes, check the logs, but also check the files for the map that was playing or trying to load when the problem popped up. I wish someone had advised me of that before I spent so much time on a wild goose chase. A simple error message somewhere stating something like "mdl file corrupt" sure would have been nice.

HLSW is a good tool, however. Even though it never did produce any clues to what was causing the crash.

Learning as I go! Thanks for the assistance.

bOoya · Post by **bOoya** » Thu Nov 11, 2004 3:37 pm

well good to see you got it all fixed

Post by **Edge100x** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 1:07 am

Hmm, it should have popped up in HLSW. That's why I had you look at it, actually -- I thought you might have been having problems with a model file or map file that was corrupted or missing. As I said all along, I didn't think it was a logd problem.