XMBC4XBOX 3.5 flicker and crash

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Indecom
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XMBC4XBOX 3.5 flicker and crash

Post by Indecom »

Has anybody else had any issues with xbmc4xbox versions 3.5 having glitchy flickering of the display with sudden shut down? What's strange is this only happens when running xbmc, not unleashed x, or even if i launch a game using xbmc before it shuts down. Game's play fine, it appears as though all my installations of xbmc are corrupted or something like that.

Are there any data logs that I could access to see why it's crashing?
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Dan Dar3
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Re: XMBC4XBOX 3.5 flicker and crash

Post by Dan Dar3 »

Yes there are, good idea. Once it comes back up, you will find Q:\xbmc.log (log created for this session) and Q:\xbmc.old.log (log created for the session when it crashed).

Ideally you should turn on debugging to get more information in the logs and do what you need to do to have it shut down on you. Just to get a better idea, what exactly happens before it shuts down: does it work for a while, is it idle, is it playing movies, when did these problems started to happen, has worked fine for years etc?

Then take the "old" log and upload to one of the services noted below and give us a link here to read:
http://www.xbmc4xbox.org.uk/forum/viewt ... p?f=6&t=65
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Gandalph
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Re: XMBC4XBOX 3.5 flicker and crash

Post by Gandalph »

Hey out there,

I sadly have the same Issue actually with my xbox. :cry:

Same sutuation here for me. Xbox itself works fine - gaming, Unleash X or other things have no problem. But when Start into xbmc4xbox 3.5.3 the screen starts to flicker and without any further Warning the Box turns off.

This happened some weeks ago for the first time. I thought it could propably be an overheating problem because it happend when the Box was on for a while. But I am quite sure it was (and still is) no heat problem as It never comes over 60° C. Now I can not even really start xbmc4xbox as my Box turns off in seconds after opening xbmc. Sometimes it turns off after 3-5 seconds, sometimes it happens after 1 Minute oder 5. Then it flickers and then suddenly turns off. It happens when I am going through menus, when it idles or trying to watch a film.

I was trying to get these xbms-logs in order to get some clues future failed as it shuts down too fast.

I still love my box on the one hand but I can not use it anymore now. Is there anybody who can provide me with help?

Hopefully my English is not that bad as I come from Germany :lol:
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Dan Dar3
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Re: XMBC4XBOX 3.5 flicker and crash

Post by Dan Dar3 »

Try creating a Q:\UserData\advancedsettings.xml with the contents below:

Code: Select all

    <advancedsettings>
        <powersave>false</powersave>
    </advancedsettings>
You can search for powersave in the forums to see other discussions or look at this wiki thread for more details:
http://www.xbmc4xbox.org.uk/wiki/UserDa ... wersave.3E
<powersave>
Set to false to disable CPU idle task (HLT) to prevent some machines from randomly shutting down. (from 3.5, r32955).
You will notice this in your Q:\xbmc.log file if you made the change right:

Code: Select all

2:07:28 M: 56549376  NOTICE: Contents of special://profile/advancedsettings.xml are...
                                            <advancedsettings>
                                              <powersave>false</powersave>
                                            </advancedsettings>
[...]
12:07:29 M: 48840704 NOTICE: Not using idle thread with HLT (no power saving)
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Gandalph
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Re: XMBC4XBOX 3.5 flicker and crash

Post by Gandalph »

Hey Dan Dar3,

well, ...I must say creating this advancedsettings.xml solved at least the "sudden deaths" (turning off) of my box.
Thank you very much for that hint. ;)

But... as I have enabled debugging I can see that now the CPU is continuously at 100% from starting XBMC. :?

Before activating

Code: Select all

<powersave>false</powersave>
it was between 20% and max. 70% in peeks. This cannot be healthy for it, right?

So, do not mind me - I really thank you for this but may it be that it is in this case "only" a workaround instead of solution? :|

Any other ideas?
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Dan Dar3
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Re: XMBC4XBOX 3.5 flicker and crash

Post by Dan Dar3 »

You can read more on HLT CPU instruction here and you can Google more to see for any side effects on disabling it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HLT_(x86_instruction)

It is the only one we have at the moment unfortunatelly, I think if your box is properly cooled it will be fine. You should monitor temperatures over the next period and report back.
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Gandalph
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Re: XMBC4XBOX 3.5 flicker and crash

Post by Gandalph »

Thanks again, Dan Dar3. ;)

OK, I have been reading the article about HLT, but in my case the temperature is not that high.
Still it is between 59° C and 71° C while CPU is on 100% .

Nevertheless, I will continiou monitoring temperature for a while and report - if I do not forget it :lol:
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Dan Dar3
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Re: XMBC4XBOX 3.5 flicker and crash

Post by Dan Dar3 »

If you're into modding you could look around the forums into a fan modding, usually involving a case mod as well to externalize the fan so you can use a bigger but quieter fan: http://www.xbmc4xbox.org.uk/forum/viewt ... f=14&t=218

I've got one on my blog as well from a few years ago but I'm a bit ashamed to post it here because of the top case cutting with no proper tools, but its at the back and there isn't any duct tape that wouldn't solve the air leak properly :-)

If you live a country where summers are not that hot you're fine. I believe games might not employ HLT either so you should get pretty the same temperatures
when playing games.
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