V 3.57 Build 00103 One machine continuously drops connection

three machines but one drops, seems much worse since latest version

from Stardock Forums

While there were odd poor / lost connection issues I don't remember this being anything close to as persistent to this!

It seems to get fixed if I restart the Primary "processes", but that does not explain why it is always the same machine that is lost, and that restart the processes or even the machine do not help, the problem continues that it will get dropped, not straight away but after 5mins to 10hours.

The primary and other secondary both work, the dropped secondary is shown in solid colour in configuration and can be KVM'd to just is missing from seamless.

I've been a user for 10years probably longer, so not unaware of occasional issues, but this is repeatable but without any seeming related cause.

Anydesk can connect from primary to secondary (and KVM can) so it's not a network loss, all are on Wifi, the primary has wifi and RJ45.

Resetting the adaptors on the primary sometimes works to solve it but not always. "restart Multiplicity processes" seems to be more successful in resolving it.

Is this a known bug, or any tips or logging that can be enabled to find the source of the issue?

Thanks

Richard

multiplicity
35,934 views 8 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. I have forward your problem/question to Stardock Support Team for their assistance. Please keep an eye on this thread for any updates. We appreciate your feedback and patience.

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top


While there were odd poor / lost connection issues I don't remember this being anything close to as persistent to this!
End of quote

If the Multiplicity version is consistent from a reliable state to not, what else has changed (PC, network, etc)?

all are on Wifi,
End of quote

If possible, the 1st and best test is to have them all connected via ethernet.

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

 

 

Galactic Civilizations III
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting sdRohan, reply 2

While there were odd poor / lost connection issues I don't remember this being anything close to as persistent to this!
If the Multiplicity version is consistent from a reliable state to not, what else has changed (PC, network, etc)?

End of sdRohan's quote

Nothing has changed, always have had odd issues and dropped connections, even on ethernet cables, but since last upgrade of this package things routinely bad. 


Quoting sdRohan, reply 2

all are on Wifi,
If possible, the 1st and best test is to have them all connected via ethernet.

End of sdRohan's quote

AS the config screen IS seeing the PC (not grey) and can KVM via this Multiplicity and Anydesk to it, the network would appear to be fine, and ...

"restart Multiplicity processes" seems to be successful in resolving it ... this will not affect the network adaptors (other than the DNS cache of Multiplicity itself possibly) ... so leads to thinking less network related ?

The network itself is stable and file sharing is not affected either, and it would not be quick to add network cables to the laptops, one of which (not the problem machine though) does not have an RJ45.

If the error persists I will uninstall Multiplicity completely on all machines and re-install after a reboot and manual file clean up

If you have any other suggestions please let me know

 

thanks

Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

Overnight the issue happened, a couple of other things to note:

While KVM worked fine and icon remained solid in config, the seamless desktop was broken.

1. they have Virtual Box Host only adaptors, now disabled but were active (on all 3 machines - so hard to see this was the issue, but disabled to rule them out). The RJ45 is disabled now too on the primary, so only wifi on all machines.

2. flushed DNS on both pri and problem sec, problem remained

3. restart Multiplicity processes on problem sec, problem remained

4. in pri config screen moved the machine positions and then moved them back (all in one session, not exit/save or anything) and while still in that screen the seamless returned. The primary process stack was NOT restarted.

I will try and reduce the actions to narrow the bit that fixes it, and will drag icons on pri config between/before each action to see if that is part of the seamless restore.

Hopefully by identifying the action that fixes the issue it might help show the route to a solution.

I will then start to restore virtual machine interfaces and then finally ethernet to see if one of these is causing greater frequency of failure.

Any comments appreciated

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting richard39, reply 4

While KVM worked fine and icon remained solid in config, the seamless desktop was broken.
End of richard39's quote

One thing needs to be clear and I am not certain it is... If you are KVM'd to PC A, you know you cannot Seamless transition to it at the same time, yes - that you must 1st disconnect the KVM connection to it before you can seamless to it, yes?

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top

Hi thanks for that, we don't use KVM normally, I did only to test if that would connect when seamless was not working (trying to rule out network).

Testing it right now, invoking and releasing the KVM first time caused the seamless to not resume straight away, it needed the tiles shuffling on the config layout screen to get seamless to come back.

The second time, it resumed seamless without intervention or delay.

As KVM is not a feature we use much, if at all, I will not invoke this again during testing, as it has not helped to differential the problem.

I will play with shuffling icons in the layout and if if that "always, reliably" resumes seamless when it "breaks" ...

Will let you know!

 

Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top

This morning I had the same issue of seamless dropping the same PC, the only thing I did to restore good operation was drag the icons in the config screen. They were not greyed out before or after, but re-arranging them away from then back to the same layout fixed the issue.

I cannot see how it is a network issue, this appears to be a Multiplicity issue.

To rule out corrupt files, as they have had many "upgrades" over the years, I'll do a full uninstall and fresh install on the "lost" secondary and then if the issue continues on the Primary.

I'll let you know if either fixes the issue or it persists.

Is there any logging I can enable or log files that might help trace the root cause?

thanks

Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting richard39, reply 7

I cannot see how it is a network issue, this appears to be a Multiplicity issue.
End of richard39's quote

If it were, you would have issues with other PCs as well, Richard, but you indicate at the start:

One machine continuously drops connection
End of quote

Again, if at all possible, we would want to know if it works via Ethernet or you experience the same issues with that medium too.  When it does happen over WIFI, it may also be prudent to see what the network traffic looks like at the time of failure.  Also, if either PC (Primary \ Secondary) is getting crushed with CPU load, that too could affect any connection from any remote software.

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager