Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Doremi new software update 2.4.4

This is topic Doremi new software update 2.4.4 in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=16;t=001656

Posted by Alexander Tarakin (Member # 7140) on 10-05-2013, 02:20 PM:

Hi all,
Doremi released its new SW update.
Did anyone try it already?
in the release note it's written: "it's recommended to update all units with 2GB of memory" - do they refer to RAM Memory?
If so how should i know how much RAM Memory there is on the server? - "terminal: free -g" (?)

Posted by Dave Macaulay (Member # 813) on 10-05-2013, 03:51 PM:

I've installed it on a few servers. I have seen two issues: one with (incredibly) slow ingesting, resolved by rebooting (this was seen immediately after the software installation's post-ingest reboot), and one where the backup utility was coming up with a red blob error after each reboot - when I reported that, Doremi already had a hotfix so it's a known bug.
I don't have any reservations about installing this version. The main improvement for me is the holdoff on macro execution in the pre-roll: since scheduled shows pre-roll two minutes before showtime to do a firmware swap (if required for the dozens of HFR features we're seeing now </sarcasm>) and the security checks, we've had too many calls about the houselights going down and such two minutes before show time. Easily solved by not having macros at 0 sec from playlist start but that's a hard habit to break.
I assume the 2GB is for system memory, it could be for the flash drive. The software notes say 2.4.4 won't install with less than 2GB - if the packaage doesn't install successfully - reboots with the old version still running - then I'd have a look at how much memory there is. It hasn't been an issue for me at least, but I haven't tried 2.4.4 on an older DCP2000 with the Intel motherboard (yet); I expect those would be the ones with less memory.

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 10-05-2013, 05:36 PM:

Yes, it's the SSD drive where the OS is stored. You need a 2GB SSD.

Posted by Alexander Tarakin (Member # 7140) on 10-05-2013, 05:43 PM:

Thank you your posts were helpful.
BTW i found memory capacity in the BIOS - i do have 2GB on all servers so soon i'll update em' all

Posted by Dave Macaulay (Member # 813) on 10-06-2013, 09:14 AM:

I'll accept that this required 2G is for the size of the system disk. There are two types of the system "SSD" - an Innodisk flash card on a USB hub unit mounted inside the server on new Supermicro motherboard Doremi servers, or a compact flash card inserted in the motherboard on older Intel mother board models. The CF card is fairly rare now, most were converted to the USB hub and Innodisk card.
To find out what is in your server, there are probably better ways (I am not a Linux guru) but I would open a terminal and log in as root, then use the command
fdisk -l (this is a small L, not a 1)
which will list all drives in the system, showing capacity and the partition info.
Avoid doing anything else with the fdisk command!!!
If you have the smaller (1GB I think but it may be 512KB) compact flash drive and want to upgrade, Doremi has a conversion kit with the usb hub, preprogrammed SSD card, and all cables etc required.

Posted by Ioannis Syrogiannis (Member # 3235) on 01-31-2014, 10:08 AM:

I guess I 'm a bit late in the topic, yet, would someone care to share what the hot fix of the "update bug" would involve?

The integrator of the cinema I work on made the software update the other day and I stumble upon it once a day eversince, right after the boot.
I don't mind closing the pop-up, but since I am not the only one opening the server, I 'd prefer a solution.

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 01-31-2014, 11:24 AM:

WHAT popup? The maintenance reminder?

- Carsten

Posted by Stefan Vogels (Member # 5573) on 01-31-2014, 11:32 AM:

He's probably referring to the can't create backup popup. That comes up if you go from 2.5.5 to 2.4.4 while skipping 2.4.2 The hot-fix clears this issue. You could also go back to 2.4.2, create an backup and proceed to 2.4.4 again.

Posted by Ioannis Syrogiannis (Member # 3235) on 01-31-2014, 12:56 PM:

That's the pop-up window I am writing about. Yet, the previous SW version was rather a 2.3.something rather than 2.5.5

The bad news is that if a fallback has to be made, and since I don't have access to the update packages, that will have to be the inegrator's job to do. Too bad I didn't know about this issue/bug earlier.

Thank you, though.
:-)

Edit:
P.S. I should have read twice your post Stefan. You mean that the hot-fix and the fallback work around is not the same procedure? That leaves my question partialy unanswered then?

Posted by Stefan Vogels (Member # 5573) on 01-31-2014, 04:51 PM:

Indeed there are 2 ways out of this. Either the installer upload the hotfix. Or he downgrades the software, set an proper backup config and re-update the server.

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 01-31-2014, 07:02 PM:

go for the hotfix, which basically creates the missing folder for the backup! Takes only seconds.

Posted by Ioannis Syrogiannis (Member # 3235) on 02-01-2014, 08:03 AM:

So, the missing folder is the issue to be solved?
Does a proper mkdir command does the trick, then?

I mean, is the problem that the back up is to be made in a folder not yet created?
And, if that's so, would a creation of the folder make the difference?
Finally, do you know which folder that is, or is there publicly accessible infos about it?
I would like to try fix that, if I can, instead waiting for the integrator to visit.

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 02-01-2014, 09:08 AM:

yes.

Why don't you ask the integrator to send you the file, it's a few KB and it will take seconds to run (and a reboot).

Posted by Ioannis Syrogiannis (Member # 3235) on 02-01-2014, 12:26 PM:

Yes... to all the above?

I am going to ask for the pkg(?) file.
I have already made contact, but things run rather slow, given the low importance of the problem and, as I wrote above, if there is something I can do, why not do it?

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 02-01-2014, 01:10 PM:

problem? It's a warning when you boot the server up...

Posted by James Skinner (Member # 7385) on 02-10-2014, 09:00 PM:

Doing my first DCP server upgrade. We have a Doremi DCP-2K4 currently at 2.2.5. Can I just apply the dcp2000_patch-2.4.4-0.pkg file to go directly to 2.4.4? Should I upgrade the firmware as well? I assume these upgrades are non-destructive and will not affect any content loaded on the server?

Posted by Dave Macaulay (Member # 813) on 02-11-2014, 10:55 AM:

It's best to go to 2.4.2 then 2.4.4 because of the backup manager problem. It takes the same amount of time and reboots to add the hotfix so I just do the two stage upgrade.
I like the easily editable control tab, but adding "dummy" macros to have control of lighting and masking - assuming you don't use individual macros already - is a pain and it clogs up the playlist editor screen.