Constant crashing, making recordings unusable

I am constantly, once a day at most, once every two days at best, getting a sudden crash. In event viewer it says that avformat-57.dll failed, which is to do with the ffmpeg encoder. It will render a 90GB file pointless. And that is just a 10 hour recording.

Is there any way this can be looked into? I was going to purchase when next I am paid, but this makes it no good. I have searched for anything to do with avformat-57, and nothing found works, and there is nothing related to it with NCS.

Also, is there any chance of adding a profile for the DCS-4701E D-Link camera to the list of IP-Cams ? I’m currently using the 1100 cam, but it is only when I am recording do I get intermittent crashing… I prefer the motion capture and recording option of this for my mother, who is in her 80’s, as it doesn’t require an in depth knowledge of much, and she enjoys watching through a days footage…

but the crashing is making it a futile effort. I’ve seen a similar problem unresolved. I’ve had to write an AutoHotkey Script just to restart NCS when it does crash… But then, the lost days video, I don’t want to pay if this is an unsolvable issue…

Hi,
For the camera. According to specification it support the ONVIF standard so when adding the camera use the tab for ONVIF Source.
For the crash. There has been a couple of problems when upgrading Windows to 1803 or 1809, but that was solved with new Windows updates. In your case I recommend a clean installation of NCS. Start NCS installation program and select Remove. After that go to C:\ProgramData\Moonware\Netcam Studio\Server and delete all. Also go to C:\Program Files\Netcam Studio - 64-bit and make sure that it is empty.
-Henrik

Hi wrecche, I have had the same problems with avformat-57.dll. Try to run NatCam as a service. After I did that, I never had a crash again.

I will try that, but I now think it might have been a dying HDD, as I noticed it was unable to recover any more bad sectors. SMART said it was fairly bad. So I have purchased a dedicated 4TB drive, and just have to keep an eye on it. If it continues I will do this ! thanks.

Ahh but that is the problem, this camera is a DCS-4701E, and that is not an entry in the ONVIF source list. And the camera is a few years old yet, so I don’t know why. However the DCS-1100 works, the url request is known to the camera and it responds with the feed. But I am wondering if it is not the best method for it, as there is no mention of it anywhere for this camera.

Do you know which updates helped with windows? I am currently on 1803, but windows has not insisted an update for a while.

Either way, thanks… I am still hopeful the problem was an encoding problem due to hardware. It was time to upgrade storage anyway !!

:slight_smile:

In the datasheet for the camera it clearly says it support ONVIF. Check that you have the latest firmware.
If you go into the configuration of the camera you might find what different url´s to use. D-link usually state that. A common url for d-link camera is /live1.sdp. So when adding the camera use the tab for Custom URL. Set stream type to rtsp_tcp ad for Address use
rtsp://username:password@cameraIP:554/live1.sdp
it can also be /live2.sdp or /live3.sdp if the camera have many several resolutions.
For the Win updates it was 1809, but I do not recommend that one since it was really bad. Better to go to 1903.
-Henrik

Using custom URL rtsp and /live1.sdp works… as does using the dcs-1100 profile under Network Camera… it’s just a pity that I have no ONVIF profile under that section, when as you say, it does support ONVIF.

The D-Link I have doesn’t have any real software config for it. Forced to use Internet Explorer as they still use activex controls, and the interface does not update any settings. Funny thing is, I downloaded the ONVIF Device Manager software, and it automatically detected the camera, and I could change many settings. I have to use the D-ViewCam software (yikes) to actually change others…

All of that is beside the point though, I guess everything else works as it should.

If I go to the ONVIF tab, and browse, it finds my camera, but the url is invalid, putting in the one that works, still returns no profiles, despite other software finding the 2 profiles…

Thanks Henrik, appreciate your helping !! :smile: All’s good. having used it this way without issue (apart from the crashing, but I’ve set up and AHK script to check for it, and reload it if it does, and a mouse macro to automatically start recording, as I couldn’t work out the scheduling, it just wouldn’t start) so all’s well that keeps working well :slight_smile:

1 Like

open settings, go to rule manager, disable both audio options per detect audio alert…It solved my same dll problem instantly, no more constant crashes

2 Likes

June 26, 2020
Brian_Woods,
I have been experiencing daily crashes. The .dll error is different for me (avformat-58.dll). I just took your recommendation from a year ago (“disable audio options”) and I will report the results in a day or so.
Henrick,
If you monitor this post, here are the W10 OS crash details:

Description
Faulting Application Path: C:\Program Files\Netcam Studio - 64-bit\NetcamStudioX.exe

Problem signature
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: NetcamStudioX.exe
Application Version: 1.9.1.0
Application Timestamp: 5e430f5f
Fault Module Name: avformat-58.dll
Fault Module Version: 58.29.100.0
Fault Module Timestamp: 5da94a2b
Exception Code: 40000015
Exception Offset: 00000000000b3687
OS Version: 10.0.19041.2.0.0.256.48
Locale ID: 1033
Additional Information 1: 0027
Additional Information 2: 00272f0f6969d51b50cbee7ff939fc87
Additional Information 3: 5f5f
Additional Information 4: 5f5f59d1414814a2b62280ef97c1d555

Extra information about the problem
Bucket ID: a65ed8bc3d512f8f72b0890fd0d2da5a (1346726989604772442)

Kindly,
Russ

Hi Russ,
These errors can sometimes be painfully tricky to solve. Has it been running ok before or when did this happen? I am asking because Windows updates can play some tricks on NCS.

First I would like you do to a clean installattion described here so we have a fresh NCS and dll file How to make a clean installation of Netcam Studio
Run NCS without cameras and do not license. Is it running now or does it crash. If it runs add cameras since it can also be a camera that send corrupt data.
If it still crashes reinstall .Net Framework 4.8. You find that on the download page of Netcam Studio.
Still crashes it is most likely something in the Windows OS that interfere with the dll file. Do you have another computer that you can test with?
-Henrik

Brian_Woods and Henrik,

Agreed. “These errors can sometimes be painfully tricky…”

I made the change that Brian recommended (i.e. “disable audio options” - see above). That seemed to solve the problem - but only for two days.

I am following Henrik’s procedure now and wanted to give a progress report.

I had been experiencing the daily crashes for a week. I had already done a “clean install” of NCS. I had also sent a crash log to Bitdefender staff because I had noticed one of their tasks consuming more and more CPU prior to the OS crash. They have not responded. I stopped Bitdefender using their “removal tool” (recommended, btw) and had a good run of two days with no problem but then NCS crashed again. In that circumstance, NCS just closed. There was no OS crash. That cycle repeated several times.

I initiated Henrik’s recommended procedure (above). First (out of order because I am a rebel), I ran MS’s .Net Framework “repair tool”. It made no changes because I am running the latest version. There are some procedures (on the web) for complete removal of .Net Framework but (out of an abundance of caution) I did not take that route.
I did a Clean NCS install, no license, no cameras = ran fine for 24 hours. Added an old, reliable D-Link camera, ran for 24 hours = no problems. Added a “questionable” onvif “Chinese” off-brand (Altop) = everything ran fine for 24 hours. I just added another reliable D-Link camera and I will wait-and-see what happens. This is the THIRD (of 10) cameras and because I am still running “unlicensed”, I have the NCS red banner.

Henrik (if you are still reading -lol), According to your procedures, WHEN should I go back to using the licensed version.

Re. your question, “Do you have another PC…?” Yes, but note that this PC is dedicated solely to NCS ops.

Finally, this problem came up (I think) after three June 22nd Windows updates:

  1. Feature Update v. 2004
  2. Quality Update v. 2020-05 (.NET Framework KB 4552925) <<< N.B.
  3. Quality Update v. 2020-06 (Adobe Flash Security KB 4561600)

Kindly,
Russ

Hi Russ,
Never give up … :slight_smile: When these Windows updates goes wrong … Some users have just reinstalled Windows to make it work again. Since it is a dedicated computer it might be a good idea.
Mist suspicious is the second update for .net framework. You can uninstall that one if it crashes again.
However, so far so good! If it works for two cameras with no crashes it usually works for all the others.
When NCS just close/crash go to Windows Event Viewer - Windows Logs - Application and look for error for NCS. There it will be a description what went wrong. Most likely it is .net framework and/or a dll file. So back to square one.
As for entering the license number you can do that whenever. But first send the license number to support@netcamstudio.com and I will reset it.

-Henrik

just my 2cents from the peanut gallery, as i’ve seen a few, less troubling, more spurious crashes/hangs personally…
Though it strikes me that Russ was on the right track wrt sharing the Win10 OS crashing reporting details. eg. users can find them via typing ‘privacy’ in the search box and then selecting, ‘Privacy settings’ and within that Settings applet selecting ‘Diagnostics & feedback’ and then scrolling down and selecting the ‘Open Diagnostic Data Viewer’ button which opens some WinUI which among other things highlights the diagnostic/crash reports sent to MS.
For example, here is one i recently saw:
Netcam Studio Service

Description
Faulting Application Path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Netcam Studio\NetcamStudio.Service.exe
Creation Time: 6/26/2020 5:58:14 PM
Problem: Stopped working
Status: Report sent

Problem signature
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: NetcamStudio.Service.exe
Application Version: 1.9.1.0
Application Timestamp: 5e430f49
Fault Module Name: avcodec-58.dll
Fault Module Version: 58.54.100.0
Fault Module Timestamp: 5da947ed
Exception Code: c0000005
Exception Offset: 0149e201

Extra information about the problem
Bucket ID: 4c6ad32c1e5985ea999c804fe0852fbf (1845491027872657343)


(fyi, the two other issues i experienced recently as client hangs, and in ability to in the client UI disable motion detection and thus could not turn off recording… resulting in my going to service manager and attempting to shut down the service which further failed/hung… resulting in my opening task manager and killing the service are seen in the screenshot, and live under Bucket ID: fe107f6baf6fa3a4948f134e34e1cdb5 (1481424029043772853) & Bucket ID: 418e112b8c177d930b04ce1e33ebe983 (1946907568046336387)

While monitoring/addressing these might not result in immediate ‘support’ for a given user, hopefully Henrik et al at NCS you ARE monitoring these buckets available to you with Windows Error Reporting (WER), and are appropriately prioritizing and addressing the crashes seen on a discrete, deterministic basis.

I did notice (per his crash report) Russ was running the 64bit version, whereas i am running the 32bit ver (more because initially i was running the ServerX/client and just figuring the 32bit client might be less problematic… eg. i run 32bit Office & Adobe Acrobat/Photoshop clients v. 64 as do most folks, despite running 64bit Win10). Is it your recommendation to run the 64bit v. 32bit NCS Service, based on where engineering is focusing? and if so can you clarify briefly the advantages we might expect to see running 64bit v32 or visa versa, depending on which you recommend in terms of stability, reliability, perf, testing & bug fix prioritization, etc?
(on further surfing i see this thread on 32v64 bit… though to extent you’ve had any further experience in the past 3 yrs since that thread was last updated on one v. the other, or to the extent either takes a priority for you wrt testing & bug fix investment and/or prioritization… i’d be interested in running whichever you believe is what you consider the ‘primary’ self-host platform which you develop/test on. In my case, i’m using a ‘custom’ rtsp url, for some cheap CN cams, so gather the driver question doesn’t apply to me)

Henrik,

I replaced the .lic file and began running my licensed version. I added all the other cameras (except one) and I have been running with no crashes since last week.

In short, your recommended procedures have resolved the problem.

I may reinstall Bitdefender (see above) but I will not do that for a while.

PapaMarc, I do not know that advantage there is to 64-bit OS or visa-versa. That is a question for Henrik. I can say that running numerous cameras required a PC dedicated to NCS. I have also added RAM to the PC to keep it running efficiently. Without making these changes, I was constantly running into problems. All of my cameras are wireless IP and I use several different makes and models.

Kindly,
Russ

1 Like

Considering the 64- or 32-bit version read this guide Which version of Netcam Studio to use? 32- or 64-version?
-Henrik

UPDATE:

I followed Henrik’s recommendations (June 26, 2020) and have now been running with no issues since July 1st.
I have not yet added Bit Defender protection to that PC - and don’t plan to because that PC is dedicated to NCS operations and I have no other security concerns. Windows Security seems sufficient.

As far as I am concerned the “Constant crashing” problem is solved.

Kindly,
Russ

1 Like