# Tivoserver is a pile of dog poo



## jeff92k7 (Jan 18, 2006)

I have had a standalone TiVo for about two months now. When I got it, I also installed the tivo desktop software to transfer shows to and from my PC. I have had problems with it ever since I installed it. About one out of every three or four times that I started my computer, my computer would freeze up once the tivoserver.exe process/app started. I would have to go into the WinXP task manager and end the process to get my computer to unfreeze since the process was eating up almost the entire processing power of my PC.

However, now it freezes my computer every single time that process starts up. I went into MSCONFIG and completely disabled tivoserver.exe from even loading at startup because it is so bad. The only way I can get it to work right is to manually start it...and even then, I have to start it then end the process when it locks up my PC, then start it again, and so on until it eventually starts without locking up anything.

Further, if I leave the software running for more than about an hour, it will start it's processing cycle leak again. I.E. If I start transferring a show from my TiVo, when I come back, the computer will be frozen and I'll not only have to end the tivoserver.exe process, but I also have to end the tivo desktop program. If I then restart the tivo desktop program, it runs okay but when I poll my TiVo for shows to transfer, it comes back with a bunch of "details unavailable" listings on some of the programs including the program that it was transferring. It should be noted that even with the PC frozen, the transfer does complete. When I restart the tivodesktop program, the transferred show is there.

Someone mentioned a while back that this was caused by anti-virus programs trying to scan the "my tivo shows" folder so I set my AV software to ignore that folder completely but the problem didn't stop. Besides, it's not the AV software process that is eating up my processor cycles.

Does anyone have any idea of what is causing this processing cycle leak in tivoserver.exe?

My PC is a 2.2Ghz Celeron with 256MB RAM and plenty of HD space.

My TiVo is a 540 series with an upgrade to an 80GB HD. It is running a Linksys usb100m adaptor.

Thanks,
Jeff


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## atmuscarella (Oct 11, 2005)

Jeff, 

I know 256MB of RAM is supposed to be enough to run XP and still have a useable PC but I would bet that's your problem. I use 4 pc/laptops one has a gig of RAM and I still lock it down at times (not running TiVo software on it) the 2 I run TiVo software on have 512 and seem to be ok if I don't do much else, the last only has 384 MB of RAM (no TiVo software) and I normally can only run one program at a time without running into problems. 

Sorry I know that's not the answer you wanted. 

Good Luck, 

atmuscarella


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## jeff92k7 (Jan 18, 2006)

Thanks for responding. Any answer is better than none.

I don't think the RAM has anything to do with it. In the windows task manager, it details the amount of memory that each process is using and what's left. There is plenty of memory available since I do keep my PC running pretty lean. I keep close tabs on what programs are running and what new programs install, etc.

The issue that I have is processor usage. the TiVo server.exe process is frequently using up to 99% of the processor cycles according to the task manager. This doesn't leave any processing power for any other programs. The only reason I can even use the task manager app is because it is a higher priority process than anything else since it is what has to run to be able to diagnose problems with faulty apps (like this one).

Jeff


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## MasterOfPuppets (Jul 12, 2005)

A computer really needs at least 512mb of RAM these days...
I run an Athlon64 w/ 512mb of RAM and have absolutely no problems with tivoserver, and antivirus since you mentioned that as well...


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## VagabondSW (Feb 23, 2006)

While I don't think the problem is memory related, let's verify using Task Manager. Does your Peak in the lower-left exceed your Total in the upper-right group box? What is your "Available" memory?










Now, let's look at the TiVo Server software. Under TiVo Server Properties, let's look at cache-size. And just out of curiosity, what is your Access Control setting?


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

I've had this same thing happen a few times but it's not as consistent as you're describing. I have 512MB of ram in my PC. 

Dan


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## greg_burns (May 22, 2004)

jeff92k7 said:


> I went into MSCONFIG and completely disabled tivoserver.exe from even loading at startup because it is so bad.


Try Sysinternal's Autoruns instead to see what else is going on on your system.

You maybe just suffering from bit rot . Might be time for a fresh install of Windows.


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## Scott Atkinson (Jan 19, 2004)

Odd.

I run desktop 2.2, and have found the transfers to be reasonably quick and untroubled. 

After reading this thread, I ran a test and got very low CPU usage - about 17 percent.

My box is a bit faster, a 2.6 P4, and has more memory at 512 mb, but it doesn't seem like the difference is great enough to account for the problems you're having.

I'm also not anal about other processes - I run Beyond TV and a few other 'big' things at the same time I'm transferring, with no real performance hit. 

Scott A.


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## jeff92k7 (Jan 18, 2006)

I appreciate all the suggestions. I haven't been able to play with it much due to working about 60-70 hours a week lately. I'll try to play with it a little this weekend when I get a few hours of play-time.

Jeff


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## Yossarian (Aug 1, 2002)

I was running at CPU Usage of 100%. I disabled Tivoserver and am now under 10%. Something isn't right. And I doubt it is my system. I am running an XP2500+ wih 1 gig of RAM. That should be plenty for Tivoserver.


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## JS2003 (Jan 10, 2004)

Something is funky about Tivoserver. On my two desktop machines at home, it runs fine. If I try to run it on my Thinkpad, it consumes 100% of the CPU cycles and brings everything to a crashing halt. It is installed correctly on all machines, but something about the Thinkpad or its software makes Tivoserver go bonkers. Fortunately, I rarely need to run it on the laptop, because I fear this would require one of those endless, mind-numbing sessions of trying to figure out which program/driver is interacting with Tivoserver in such a fashion. Life is too short for that...


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## mrbrown76 (Mar 10, 2006)

i too am having problems quite frequently w/ the tivo as jeff92k7 describes. im usually shutting it down so that i can run my computer w/ no slow downs.
on the tivo website it does say what the minimum requirements are.
if they wanted one to have 512mb RAM then it should be stated as so.

here are the min. requirements:
233 mhz, PentiumII processor 
128 MB RAM 
25 MB free disk space, plus space for your transferred shows 

the service consumes too much and i have noticed it more frequently w/ the last update.
any recommendations?


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## duoart (Jan 18, 2006)

Mine does this too. It also crashes whenever I try to access a radio stream.


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## TivoJunkie43 (Mar 9, 2006)

I can't imagine Tivo Desktop would run at all with only 128MB of RAM. Systems nowadays really should have at least 512MB to run stable. preferably 1GIG when working with Video files. Even with my AMD64(2.4GHz) Tivo Transfer will give me a nasty CPU spike to 100% usage! Normally my Tivo Desktop runs @ 2-4% usage, but an already unstable system will easily crash when CPU usage goes to 100%.

I would try running some disc utilities and do a spyware/addware search.

Disable scheduled disc and other tasks you can do manually, and you'll have more system resources available.

Free up as many resources as possible, by typing MSCONFIG into the run box, then click on the "startup items" tab, and un-checking anything you really don't need running at startup. Generally leave anything your not sure about, your virus software, and certain windows programs such as Load power profile, ctfmon, nvcpl, NMBgmonitor. Just Type "MSCONFIG startup items" in your search engine to learn more about that. DONT MAKE CHANGES UNTIL YOU"VE DONE YOUR HOME WORK.

Adding more RAM is usually the best hardware investment 95% of people could make. Also check your "page file" usage, and increase it if necessary. Type Pagefile in your search engine to learn more about that.

You can also tweak your system a little to make XP less of a hog. Disable your screen saver, active desktop, or desktop themes all together. Sure they look pretty, but at a cost. Change your video graphics setting from 32 bit to 16bit. You probably won't be able to tell the difference.

There are many windows "services" you have running in the backround, which absolutely serve you no purpose, they're just automatically set to run. DO YOUR HOMEWORK, before making changes to your system!
Even something as simple as re-booting your computer frees up all your available resources.

Take Care, Tony


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## greg_burns (May 22, 2004)

mrbrown76 said:


> here are the min. requirements:
> 233 mhz, PentiumII processor
> 128 MB RAM
> 25 MB free disk space, plus space for your transferred shows


I am going to go out on a limb here and assume you are not running Windows XP? 

128MB is rather slim for even Windows 2K

System reqs are 2K or XP. So which is it?


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## mrbrown76 (Mar 10, 2006)

> I am going to go out on a limb here and assume you are not running Windows XP?


uummm
i got those min requirements from the tivo website. i went and did my homework and just because i dont post on thise site doesnt mean i havent had plenty of experience with the tivo and the tivo to go.
if you want to know what im running i will tell you, but dont make assumptions as to what im running.
i remember before the new update for the tivo box itself was DLed, i had absolutly no problems viewing pictures and music over my wireless network. something happened w/ the new software DLed to the box and/or the tivo desktop software.
wish there was something tivo would do to fix the problems.


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## greg_burns (May 22, 2004)

mrbrown76 said:


> uummm
> i got those min requirements from the tivo website. i went and did my homework and just because i dont post on thise site doesnt mean i havent had plenty of experience with the tivo and the tivo to go.
> if you want to know what im running i will tell you, but dont make assumptions as to what im running.
> i remember before the new update for the tivo box itself was DLed, i had absolutly no problems viewing pictures and music over my wireless network. something happened w/ the new software DLed to the box and/or the tivo desktop software.
> wish there was something tivo would do to fix the problems.


Sorry, didn't mean to sound like a smart-ass. I thought those were YOUR computer's specs.  It was too early for me I guess.


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## TivoJunkie43 (Mar 9, 2006)

mrbrown76 said:


> i too am having problems quite frequently w/ the tivo as jeff92k7 describes. im usually shutting it down so that i can run my computer w/ no slow downs.
> on the tivo website it does say what the minimum requirements are.
> if they wanted one to have 512mb RAM then it should be stated as so.
> 
> ...


I can tell you from experience that these "min. requirements" are quite unrealistic. Microsoft claims xp will run with 64MB, but in the next sentence admits that in order to have "more reliability", you should really have 128MB of RAM installed, and that's just to run Windows XP! Most games also lowball their estimates, with unrealistically low resource requirements. My first computer had windows ME and I had nothing but errors, crashes, and frustration until I installed another bank of memory.

I doubt that the latest tivo DLes have much to do with the problems people are having with their TivoDesktop crashing. Computers get bogged down over time with all kinds of junk files, and various additional programs added on, running in the backround, not uninstalled properly - not to mention all the resources most anti spyware/addware require - sometimes windows just gets so gunked up you may as well back up your imortant files, wipe the drive clean, and do a fresh/clean install.

To give some more perspective: I have 2 computers - a pentuimIII 1Ghz with 512MB of RAM, and a AMD64 3200 overclocked to 2.4GHZ with 1Gig of high perf RAM - on my home network. Tivo Desktop runs on both intermittently, more reliably on the faster computer, even runs in the backround, while at the same time running NeroVision4, and web surfing, but the other - slower - of the 2 computers on my network struggles with it, and recently notified me that windows had increased it's pagfile size, because it had run short on available RAM (physical). This is a Machine with very little else running on it, except anti-spyware, two user logins, and some light surfing, and it's 512MB of RAM plus the pagefile had been all used up. After rebooting, increasing the pagefile, some disc maintenance, and removing some programs from running at startup - MS office and MS works to name 2 - Tivo DeskTop has been running smoothly.

Tivo DeskTop is somewhat of a system hog, but it seems to me that it runs pretty well on a well maintained computer, and with enough available resources.


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## JS2003 (Jan 10, 2004)

There are too many people who have had this problem (Tivo server taking CPU utilization to 100%) for me to consider TivoSever to be well behaved. On the computers where it runs fine, I agree, it is well behaved. On computers where it flips out and takes over 100% of the CPU, it's not. 

I've seen TivoServer act this way on a new computer with minimal clutter. CPU utilization goes from 2-3% with normal background processing, OS overhead, etc. to 100% total. This is not a case where an already over-loaded machine gets pushed past come critical point and becomes bogged down. This is a problem where an app totally consumes all available CPU cycles and pretty much prevents the machine from doing anything else. Sure sounds like an app problem to me...


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## greg_burns (May 22, 2004)

JS2003 said:


> This is a problem where an app totally consumes all available CPU
> cycles and pretty much prevents the machine from doing anything else. Sure sounds like an app problem to me...


Yes, but everyone is running the same app. That only leaves their "enviroment" to be the variable. I still suspect bit-rot.

I would also think about defragging. All these large video files probably cause havoc on a machine. I just checked mine today and the whole bar in XP is red!


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## JS2003 (Jan 10, 2004)

There certainly are environmental factors, in the sense that Tivoserver is interacting with something else causing it to go haywire. That's true of the vast majority of software problems because almost no two PCs are identical. Unfortunately, nothing is in the environment is taking over the CPU, only Tivoserver...

The problem is that it does this on otherwise normal machines that show no other software problems. Enough people have had this experience that bit rot or other things that would lead to generally unreliable behavior don't seem likely causes. I can't see what a fragmented disk would have to do with it either; this isn't a case of the drive flailing away trying to load large files. You don't even have to be trying to watch or transfer a video file. The Tivoserver just goes bonkers and takes over the CPU.


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## greg_burns (May 22, 2004)

JS2003 said:


> I can't see what a fragmented disk would have to do with it either; this isn't a case of the drive flailing away trying to load large files. You don't even have to be trying to watch or transfer a video file. The Tivoserver just goes bonkers and takes over the CPU.


ACK


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## TivoJunkie43 (Mar 9, 2006)

TivoJunkie43 said:


> Even with my AMD64(2.4GHz) Tivo Transfer will give me a nasty CPU spike to 100% usage! Normally my Tivo Desktop runs @ 2-4% usage, but an already unstable system will easily crash when CPU usage goes to 100%.


I can't help but wonder if everyone sees these 100% CPU usage spikes - from time to time, when running TivoDesktop. To check that in XP: Ctl + Alt + Delete to open windows task manager, and watch the performance monitor (CPU usage) while Tivo Desktop is running. You should see CPU usage spike to 100% every few minutes. Whether that's a good thing or not i'm not sure, but I'm curious as to whether or not everyone experiences them.

My machine quickly recovers from these spikes, but i imagine others will take longer to recover... or not recover at all, crashing the system.

Maybe i'm getting a little off track here, but i would suspect that there are some new computers with clean installs that can't handle a simple "burn in" test either, but i'd have to say that those are weaker systems, not the fault of the benchmarking software. I'd bet if you're system can run a "SiSandra" (SiSoft) "burn in" test it should be able to recover from a TivoDesktop CPU Spike. Warning: these kinds of tests stress components, run them at your own risk.


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## JS2003 (Jan 10, 2004)

With mine, Tivo Desktop isn't up and running; only Tivoserver.exe. The machine has handled SiSandara, Prime and other burn-in tests. It's not bad hardware. It's clearly a conflict between Tivoserver and some element of the OS or some other bit of code.


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## TivoJunkie43 (Mar 9, 2006)

JS2003 said:


> With mine, Tivo Desktop isn't up and running; only Tivoserver.exe. The machine has handled SiSandara, Prime and other burn-in tests. It's not bad hardware. It's clearly a conflict between Tivoserver and some element of the OS or some other bit of code.


Oh Tivo server!  hmm I suppose It could be that Tivoserver.exe and another program are fighting over the same piece of hardware. Have you tried shutting down any suspect programs that may be conflicting? I saw a good microsoft article on this once, but I can't think of it's name right off the bat.

Anyhow, I get CPU spikes using various programs without things crashing, so CPU spikes in and of itself doesn't necessarily point to the problem. If you're system locks-up - with 100% CPU usage - when running an unstable program, I think that points more toward a bad program, or perhaps a disk problem. Have you tried running scandisk? Sorry I can't be of more help.


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## JS2003 (Jan 10, 2004)

I have to say, I'm a bit puzzled by suggestions that the problems with Tivoserver are disk-related. In my experience, disk-related problems tend to cause programs that run erratically (or not at all) or that cause programs to need to be constantly re-installed or that cause inordinate disk activity when a program is running or trying to load.

Programs that suck up memory or CPU cycles tend to be caused by different problems, usually a program that uses memory but fails to release it when it's through, or a program that has bad code that propagates itself or repeats some instruction loop until all the CPU cycles are used. I have yet to see a program that has a memory leak or a CPU problem that was caused by a disk error.

Disk errors/unreliability tend to affect multiple programs. The problem with Tivoserver seems unique to that program. To me, that suggests some problem in the Tivoserver code. 

I have to confess, on the laptop I have on which Tivoserver is badly behaved, I have not done an exhaustive trial-and-error search to see which piece of software, or which OS service, Tivoserver cannot handle. All I know is that no other piece of software, other than Tivoserver, has any problem on that machine (a Thinkpad). If I had this problem on my media server, I would be more motivated to find out what Tivoserver doesn't like, but the laptop isn't my media server and I don't really have days and days for a trial and error elimination. I've done that before for more important software, and it isn't fun...


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## TivoJunkie43 (Mar 9, 2006)

JS2003 said:


> I have yet to see a program that has a memory leak or a CPU problem that was caused by a disk error.


Disk errors won't cause a memory leak. A memory leak should easily ruled by watching memory usage while the suspect program is running. If usage constantly continues to go up it's a memory leak, but A CPU that gets stuck at 100% when a program crashes could be caused by many things including disc fragmentatoin or errors. If indexes on your hard drive become corrupt, your system could get involved in an endless loop, consuming all of it's resources. Kind of like when you leave the wrong CD in and at boot up you have no control over your system, because it's busy working on the wrong information. Maybe that's a poor example...

Your problem does sound like it's being caused by "bad code". Similar to when a virus running on your system, but many other people are not having a problem with Tivoserver, so we can pretty much rule that out.


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## JS2003 (Jan 10, 2004)

I don't know... I've run disk checks and nothing shows up. Several others in this thread (and more in other threads) have had this problem. All I know is that everything on the machine in question runs fine if Tivoserver doesn't load. If Tivoserver loads, it takes 100% of the CPU. 

This isn't a case of spyware (I run several checkers) nor a virus (Norton runs continuously). I don't dislike Tivoserver, but it (and it alone) is clearly interacting poorly with someting on the machines of several of us. I understand that this problem is circumscribed; it happens on one of my three computers. But on that one computer, as on those of others who have described this problem, it's a problem with Tivoserver - and only Tivoserver- behaving poorly.


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## Crrink (Sep 3, 2002)

I've had this problem as well - it was very bad on my machine when I had both the TiVo software and the older JavaHMO and it's beacon running. Trying to play .tivo files would bring the entire machine to a grinding halt and you'd have to wait 15-20 seconds for the file to start playing.

Anyway, I did do a complete reinstall of Windows and that helped a little, but not a lot. When JavaHMO/Galleon switched to using the TiVo beacon that seemed to help a lot more. Now video files play almost instantly like they're supposed to. I do still get the CPU spikes, and if I shut TiVo Server down for any reason it's a real bear to get it restarted - get the 'taking longer than expected' message once or twice before it'll run - works fine coming up after a restart, though.

I've also had constant problems with the TiVo software not letting go of random video files that I do just about anything with. Initiate transfer from a TiVo, from the PC, or even playing some files. If I try to move/delete/rename the files I get the message that the file is in use by another program. Very irritating. Shutting TiVo Server down doesn't help, but a reboot does.

My system (dedicated to A/V tasks because Java, Galleon and TiVo Server take up so much memory) is a Northwood P4 1.8GHz with 512MB of RDRAM. No games or other extraneous software on the machine at all. It's got XP, Office, Firefox and a few video related programs like Nero, WinAVI, etc.

Since it's a dedicated machine the problems aren't too difficult to deal with, but I was VERY glad to move this software off of my main computer.


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## TivoJunkie43 (Mar 9, 2006)

Well I'm sorry I couldn't help you. If you've haven't tried uninstalling and reinstalling tivoserver, i guess that's what i'd do. Make sure all traces from the first install are gone from the registry as well, before a fresh install.

BTW My nerovision is acting strangely after reinstalling it this morning. 100% cpu usage while it's supposed to be auto-detecting chapters, and nothing happens. Nothing! It just runs and runs. 

NV has had a lot of problems since it's new release (ver. 4), and it just goes to show what bad code can do.

I'll probably end up reinstalling it again, and if that doesn't work, don't be surprized if I start a new post "nero7 is a piece of poop  " 

You're right it's no fun...


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## BaltimoreJeff (Jun 14, 2006)

Hi,

I've got a new Dell media PC with plenty of power, and a fresh install of the TiVo software, and I seem to be experiencing the same bug reported here. Huge CPU usage and crashes of the server on startup. It doesn't happen all the time, but definitely some of the time. Has anyone figured this out yet? Seems like it must be a bug, and it's been unresolved for months now.

Thanks for any help.

Jeff


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## greg_burns (May 22, 2004)

I don't remember if it was this thread or another. But I read somewhere that having multiple versions of the JRE (Java runtime) installed can cause this. (No idea how that can occur, but there you have it.) 

Not even sure if the Tivo software is using java...


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## Semco (Mar 19, 2005)

Here's a quote from the readme file included with TTG 2.2

2. KNOWN PROBLEMS

TiVo Server sometimes fails to put its icon in your Windows tray, while consuming over 90% of your CPU cycles. If this happens to you, you can use the Windows Task Manager to end the TiVoServer.exe Process. You can then restart the server by visiting the Server menu in TiVo Desktop.

Yeah... over 90% means to the point of lockup.


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## gchance (Dec 6, 2002)

Semco said:


> Here's a quote from the readme file included with TTG 2.2
> 
> 2. KNOWN PROBLEMS
> 
> ...


Wait a minute... what we're already doing (ending its task) is SOP?

I've had this problem for 6 months or more and never took the time to search threads. Today it went 100% cpu upon BOOT. Not running anything on the computer but bootup, not running any apps on the Tivo.

This thread's been hilarious, though. "I'm not having problems so you must be an idiot" isn't a way to support people. Or help them.

Personally anymore I just disable tivoserver. I'll run it again if they get their act together. No woot.

Greg


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## alansplace (Apr 30, 2006)

gchance said:


> disable tivoserver.


exactly.
--
Alan


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## TivoZorro (Jul 16, 2000)

Here is how I have gotten around this problem. I unchecked TivoServer to Start at Startup. I start it when I open up Tivo Desktop then I exit it before I shut down the computer. When the computer boots I get the warning from Spy Sweeper whether or not to allow TivoServer to run at startup. I ignore this alert and exit out of Spy Sweeper without doing anything. I open up Tivo Desktop and start TivoServer from there. With this i can run Tivo Dekstop and Tivo Server all day long and transfer programs.


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## alansplace (Apr 30, 2006)

TivoZorro said:


> Here is how I have gotten around this problem. I unchecked TivoServer to Start at Startup. I start it when I open up Tivo Desktop then I exit it before I shut down the computer. When the computer boots I get the warning from Spy Sweeper whether or not to allow TivoServer to run at startup. I ignore this alert and exit out of Spy Sweeper without doing anything. I open up Tivo Desktop and start TivoServer from there. With this i can run Tivo Dekstop and Tivo Server all day long and transfer programs.


don diego....i'm, with great hope, testing your method.
--
Alan


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## alansplace (Apr 30, 2006)

TivoZorro said:


> Here is how I have gotten around this problem. I unchecked TivoServer to Start at Startup. I start it when I open up Tivo Desktop then I exit it before I shut down the computer. When the computer boots I get the warning from Spy Sweeper whether or not to allow TivoServer to run at startup. I ignore this alert and exit out of Spy Sweeper without doing anything. I open up Tivo Desktop and start TivoServer from there. With this i can run Tivo Dekstop and Tivo Server all day long and transfer programs.





alansplace said:


> don diego....i'm, with great hope, testing your method.
> --
> Alan


i got it running but there were some differences from your description. here is one of them:

when i try and start tivo desktop it will not start till i open windows services and start tivo desktop first. did i miss something?
--
Alan


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## TivoZorro (Jul 16, 2000)

alansplace said:


> i got it running but there were some differences from your description. here is one of them:
> 
> when i try and start tivo desktop it will not start till i open windows services and start tivo desktop first. did i miss something?
> --
> Alan


For me I just double click on Tivo Desktop and it opens up. Then I start TivoServer. Don't know why Desktop is not starting for you automatically when you click on it. Maybe somebody else has some idea as to why that is happening?

Note I uncheck the box that says start TivoServer at startup within the Tivo Server Properties that you find in Tivo Desktop. I have also used msconfig to stop it but grew tired of having the pop up that alerted me to a diagnostic startup everytime my laptop boots.

I've also noticed and I may be wrong about this that without TivoServer I can still transfer programs from my Tivos to my PC. Tivo Transfer still works. It's only when I want to transfer from my PC to one of my Tivos do I need to have the TivoServer running. Am I right on this?


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## BJ411 (Jun 5, 2006)

some troubleshooting suggestions:

requirements for tivo2go

http://www.tivo.com/4.9.19.5.asp

don't really know what is in your own pc? download belarc which will simply open a page and tell you everything that is in your pc (yes i know there are more extensive programs to use but belarc gives plenty of details and super easy to use for the newbie).. you can download it here..

http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

be sure you have the newest version of tivo2go, mine is 2.2 and have never had problems

be sure to check your settings, at the top of the program open server tab then properties.. uncheck the box to load tivo2go when windows starts up and go to the performance tab and lower the slider down "server activity" until it affects your cpu.. mine is on medium high but you may need yours lower..

to see if a program on your pc is interfering with tivo2go i'd suggest rebooting your pc into safe mode, load up the tivo2go and see if the cpu is still high.. if it is NOT then another program on your pc is causing a conflict with it..

if this is the case you need to find the other program or try other solutions..

1) is to use a program like mike linns startup that will help select programs your pc does not need to automatically load and shut them down..

2) another option is what gamers do.. they have highly intense games that eat at the cpu so setting up a dif user account with no programs loaded except the games, this way they can sign into that account and play their games , cpu remains reasonably calm and they don't have to keep messing with shutting off and turning on other programs that are affecting it.. this user account is only used when they are gaming..


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## alansplace (Apr 30, 2006)

TivoZorro said:


> ...but grew tired of having the pop up that alerted me to a diagnostic startup everytime my laptop boots.


please explain 'diagnostic startup'?

i followed the below instructions to disable tivo server from starting on bootup:

how to remove Tivo Server from the Startup Process

1. From the start menu select run and type 'msconfig'
2. In the window that opens select the Services tab.
3. Uncheck "TiVo Beacon"
4. On the Startup Tab
5. uncheck 'TiVo Server'
6. Click OK
7. Restart the computer
 
was your procedure different?


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## TivoZorro (Jul 16, 2000)

alansplace said:


> please explain 'diagnostic startup'?
> 
> i followed the below instructions to disable tivo server from starting on bootup:
> 
> ...


I believe that I only unchecked Tivo Server from the Startup Tab. I don't think I did anything at all with Tivo Beacon at least not in the Services Tab. I was afraid to mess with the Services because of what it might do to the computer. Everything I disabled was in the Startup Tab and it could have been I did the Beacon also. I know that I was trying everything to not get the Tivo Server to crash at startup.

Diagnostic Startup is when you disable some programs not to start with bootup.

I forgot what the actual terminology is but there is

Normal Startup - when the computer loads all drivers and all programs
Diagnostic Startup - is when the computer loads with certain drivers or programs disabled. I think they called it diagnostic because it is used to troubleshoot problems with the computer

I have Windows XP.


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## alansplace (Apr 30, 2006)

TivoZorro said:


> I believe that I only unchecked Tivo Server from the Startup Tab. I don't think I did anything at all with Tivo Beacon at least not in the Services Tab. I was afraid to mess with the Services because of what it might do to the computer. Everything I disabled was in the Startup Tab and it could have been I did the Beacon also. I know that I was trying everything to not get the Tivo Server to crash at startup.


ahhhh...i'll try that next, thanks!! 
--
Alan


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## alansplace (Apr 30, 2006)

TivoZorro said:


> I believe that I only unchecked Tivo Server from the Startup Tab. I don't think I did anything at all with Tivo Beacon at least not in the Services Tab. I was afraid to mess with the Services because of what it might do to the computer. Everything I disabled was in the Startup Tab and it could have been I did the Beacon also. I know that I was trying everything to not get the Tivo Server to crash at startup.
> 
> Diagnostic Startup is when you disable some programs not to start with bootup.
> 
> ...





alansplace said:


> ahhhh...i'll try that next, thanks!!
> --
> Alan


so far, so good. but, after some experimentation i've, using 'services', gone back to setting 'tivo beacon' to disabled and also to 'manual start'. after bootup i start 'tivo beacon', again using 'services'. then i start 'tivo desktop', and use its 'server' tab (start/resume) to start 'tivo server'. prior to shutting the computer down i close 'tivo desktop' and then right-click the tivo icon in the system tray and exit 'tivo server. no problems have appeared so far.

the above set of procedures seems to allow me to run the 'tivo server' successfully, but i sure hope that the problems eventually get fixed so that this jumping through hoops is no longer necessary
--
Alan


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## BJ411 (Jun 5, 2006)

seems like you are going thru an awful lot of unnecessary steps.. if you see my post above where i post 

"be sure to check your settings, at the top of the program open server tab then properties"


i never go into diagnostic anything for this setting.. i simply unchecked the box within the properties.. now i don't believe in turning a pc all the way off every day so mine stays in stand by.. but when i do need to shut it off, reboot to clean or fix something within the pc.. the tivo server stays off as i had intended it to.. 

if i want it to open, i simply open the start menu and click it !!

(in your programs, find tivo2go and you can point to it, right click, and tell it to "pin to start menu".. this way it leaves a shortcut right where you can easily find it)

on my pc, (i realize everyone's setup is dif),, but i can click the X and exit the tivo server, or if i just leave it reduced to the tastbar, and shut off my pc ..when pc comes back on..it is NOT loaded..


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## alansplace (Apr 30, 2006)

BJ411 said:


> seems like you are going thru an awful lot of unnecessary steps.. if you see my post above where i post
> 
> "be sure to check your settings, at the top of the program open server tab then properties"
> 
> i never go into diagnostic anything for this setting.. i simply unchecked the box within the properties..


maybe i am but at least it works now.

i'm guessing that you mean to uncheck the box marked 'start the tivo server when i login to windows'. i've done that several times and it's never stayed unchecked. at least not untill i used 'msconfig' to change the settings. also i'm not using the 'diagnostic mode', i'm using 'selective startup' in 'msconfig'.


BJ411 said:


> now i don't believe in turning a pc all the way off every day so mine stays in stand by.. but when i do need to shut it off, reboot to clean or fix something within the pc.. the tivo server stays off as i had intended it to..
> 
> if i want it to open, i simply open the start menu and click it !!


i always power down my laptop before turning in for the night.

click it?!? click what? there's never been a menu entry for 'tivo server' in my start menu. all i have are these three:

tivo desktop (4 choices, get logs, readme.txt, tovo desktop, and tivo desktop help)
tivo desktop audio plugin
tivoplaylist



BJ411 said:


> (in your programs, find tivo2go and you can point to it, right click, and tell it to "pin to start menu".. this way it leaves a shortcut right where you can easily find it)
> 
> on my pc, (i realize everyone's setup is dif),, but i can click the X and exit the tivo server, or if i just leave it reduced to the tastbar, and shut off my pc ..when pc comes back on..it is NOT loaded..


i don't have anything called tiv2go nor do i have an 'x' to click on anywhere i can see.

thanks for the guidance.
--
Alan


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## Scaramanga (Jun 18, 2006)

I'm not an expert computer person by any means, but I know more than the average Joe. Recently, my computer had trouble running TivoServer, and other applications as well. After doing some research, I felt the problem was too much "crap" in the start up tray. I went in via msconfig as described in a post above, and stopped many unnecessary programs from loading at startup. This cured virtually every problem I had been having. I highly recommend doing this.


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## greg_burns (May 22, 2004)

alansplace said:


> click it?!? click what? there's never been a menu entry for 'tivo server' in my start menu.


I believe what he is saying is that you can browse to the *Program* Files folder on your hard drive and create a shortcut to TivoServer.exe manually (by right-clicking and choosing Pin to Start menu).

C:\Program Files\TiVo\Desktop\TivoServer.exe



alansplace said:


> i don't have anything called tiv2go nor do i have an 'x' to click on anywhere i can see.


It took me a minute to figure out when he says "tivo2go" he really means "TivoDesktop".  At least I think so.


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## alansplace (Apr 30, 2006)

greg_burns said:


> I believe what he is saying is that you can browse to the *Program* Files folder on your hard drive and create a shortcut to TivoServer.exe manually (by right-clicking and choosing Pin to Start menu).
> 
> C:\Program Files\TiVo\Desktop\TivoServer.exe
> 
> It took me a minute to figure out when he says "tivo2go" he really means "TivoDesktop".  At least I think so.


thanks, i believe that you are correct concerning both clarifications.
--
Alan


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## alansplace (Apr 30, 2006)

Scaramanga said:


> I went in via msconfig as described in a post above, and stopped many unnecessary programs from loading at startup. This cured virtually every problem I had been having. I highly recommend doing this.


specifically, could you list what the services were that you ended up unchecking?
--
Alan


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## greg_burns (May 22, 2004)

alansplace said:


> specifically, could you list what the services were that you ended up unchecking?
> --
> Alan


I doubt that he meant services, since those are "usually" system level stuff (read: things you probably don't want to mess with  ). More likely he meant like he said; programs. As far as a specific list, I would think everyone's machines are way to different to do that.

msconfig is nice, but Sysinternal's Autoruns will root out everything that is starting up on your machine and also allow you to disable them as well

I would look at the Logon tab (in Autoruns), and uncheck everything under both of these...

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run


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## Scaramanga (Jun 18, 2006)

alansplace said:


> specifically, could you list what the services were that you ended up unchecking?
> --
> Alan


Realplayer, KodakEasyShare, NeroCheck, Microsoft Money, iTunes Helper, DVD launcher, several others I were pretty sure were "spyware". Everyones' computer is different. Many programs you install over the months and years automatically install themselves in the start up tray, and it is uneccesary. Why do I need Kodak software to run if I am not doing any photo work? I did research via Google on this and it is a common problem. The more "crap" that is set to load on startup, the more resources are tied up. This leaves little or no resource for Tivo Desktop to work. My computer was getting so bad, I could barely surf internet with my high speed DSL connection. My computer would freeze daily! My wife was blaming me for the computer running slow. The bad part was, she was partially right!

Go to Start, run, type in msconfig.exe, click o.k., and then click on the Startup tab. You will see a list of all the stuff that loads everytime you reboot your computer. You can then uncheck the box by the things you want to turn "off". Keep in mind, you should only do this with things that you know what they are. Don't turn anything off that you are not sure of. Do some research on Google. I'm not a geeked out expert (no offense to g.o. experts!), but if I can do it, you probably can too.

I also stopped TivoServer and Tivo Transfer from running on start up. You don't need them until you need them.


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## alansplace (Apr 30, 2006)

Scaramanga said:


> Realplayer, KodakEasyShare, NeroCheck, Microsoft Money, iTunes Helper, DVD launcher, several others I were pretty sure were "spyware". Everyones' computer is different. Many programs you install over the months and years automatically install themselves in the start up tray, and it is uneccesary. Why do I need Kodak software to run if I am not doing any photo work? I did research via Google on this and it is a common problem. The more "crap" that is set to load on startup, the more resources are tied up. This leaves little or no resource for Tivo Desktop to work. My computer was getting so bad, I could barely surf internet with my high speed DSL connection. My computer would freeze daily! My wife was blaming me for the computer running slow. The bad part was, she was partially right!
> 
> Go to Start, run, type in msconfig.exe, click o.k., and then click on the Startup tab. You will see a list of all the stuff that loads everytime you reboot your computer. You can then uncheck the box by the things you want to turn "off". Keep in mind, you should only do this with things that you know what they are. Don't turn anything off that you are not sure of. Do some research on Google. I'm not a geeked out expert (no offense to g.o. experts!), but if I can do it, you probably can too.
> 
> I also stopped TivoServer and Tivo Transfer from running on start up. You don't need them until you need them.


thanks
--
Alan


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## Sander (Jun 30, 2002)

BaltimoreJeff said:


> Hi,
> 
> I've got a new Dell media PC with plenty of power, and a fresh install of the TiVo software, and I seem to be experiencing the same bug reported here. Huge CPU usage and crashes of the server on startup. It doesn't happen all the time, but definitely some of the time. Has anyone figured this out yet? Seems like it must be a bug, and it's been unresolved for months now.
> 
> ...


 This has been a pain in the a** for quite a while now. I keep checking to see if there are any updates to TiVo Desktop, but nothing new in months if not nearly a year.

The only way I know to prevent the lockup or near lockup when server starts is to disable the TiVo Server startup at login. The start it manually from the TiVo Desktop menu.

You would think TPTB would have fixed this annoying bug by now.


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## alansplace (Apr 30, 2006)

Sander said:


> You would think TPTB would have fixed this annoying bug by now.


ditto to that!
--
Alan


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## thelimpingtoad (Jun 28, 2006)

I can garauntee that this issue does not have anything to do with a lack of memory. I have 2 gb of ddr2 ram and it crashes almost EVERY time i run tivo desktop 2.3.
I am constantly getting an error that it can't find the server too. May be completely unrelated. I reboot and it starts working. Interestingly enough, if my tivo desktop app crashes, the recordings continue to transfer. the cpu usage is around 50% but i'm running a pentium d so that might be why. I am getting really frustrated with this stupid software but i really like pulling movies from the tivo onto my desktop. I am defragging tonight as was suggested earlier. That could be the problem,. I'll post another reply once i know for sure. 
Tivo desktop 2.2 originally worked fine when i installed it but it stopped working. I think it might be the issue with defragging. Guess we'll know sooon enough.
 
-[The Limping Toad]-

EDIT:::
So yeah... i defragged and i don't think it really made any difference. Also now with ver 2.3 i can't seem to transfer while someone is watching the movie. don't know if that was ever something i could do but i know i definately can't do it now. ugh.

Oh yeah... and one other thing... i tried disabling the tivo server at startup like someone suggested but that made the problem worse. I couldn't start the tivo server manually in desktop and i couldn't just start it from the start menu. I think its because the tivo notify service also didn't start up anymore but i don't recall telling it not to. basically no matter what i've tried I can't seem to get this to work any better.


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## SEL (Mar 18, 2004)

Semco said:


> Here's a quote from the readme file included with TTG 2.2
> 
> 2. KNOWN PROBLEMS
> 
> ...


Correct - This is a known bug that has existed for months and months and TiVo has not fixed it. Why are we wasting our time guessing how to externally fix a problem that's internal to the application? The problem is not with your PC memory or OS or system tray or antivirus software or anything else but the TIVO DESKTOP APPLICATION itself, which has a bug that should be fixed! At least TiVo was courageous enough to document that they (they!) have a problem.


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## scottc42 (Jan 5, 2006)

I have TiVo desktop installed on 2 desktops and 2 laptops. It works fine on 3, but on one of the laptops, I see the exact symptoms listed here. I am going to add memory to see if that helps, but I have not gotten around to it yet.


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## TiVore (Nov 24, 2004)

I recently started having this problem with TiVo Desktop 2.2. AMD Athelon 3800+, 2.41 Ghz, 2GB RAM. 

On startup, Tivoserver.exe is using 100% of the CPU. So much so, that the remaining startup processes won't even load. As soon as I end the Tivoserver.exe task, it ends the bottleneck.

This was happening on every boot.

I recently uninstalled 2.2 and installed 2.3. So far, no problem...


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## django (Jul 7, 2006)

Not trying to beat a dead horse...

Same 100% processor lock up. On a relatively new $2200 top-of-the-line Tablet PC. Not a memory or processor issue.

Had to uninstall Tivo Desktop tonight.

I am also running Tivo on my much slower desktop (1.7 GHz Celeron with 256mb Ram) and it works fine. Must be a conflict with something on my laptop.


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## bivrak (Mar 19, 2008)

I found on another thread about this (sorry, can't find it again now to provide link) where someone said it had to do with having a lot of .mpg or .mpeg files in your TiVo home folder that togo and togoback use. I had over 100 GB worth of mpegs in there before I removed them all from mine. Now tivoserver is using about 20 MB of memory and staying on 20 MB. Before I removed them, it would start off small and grow to about 500 MB of memory until I bounced the tivoserver.exe service. I highly recommend anyone who is having this problem try that solution. It's definitely working for me.


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## pomerlp (Apr 22, 2008)

I am very disappointed with TiVo Desktop 6.1. plus. I have tried pyTiVo and had problems with that as well.

I'm not a programming person I can only handle click and install. So I read the first page and it seems this program is used along with pyTiVo which means changing the scripts and I don't want to get into that.

I'm really sorry I purchased TiVo Desktop 6.1 plus. I use to use TiVo Desktop with TiVo.net and I was happy. But now I can't seem to load the regular version of TiVo 5.1 (with certificate) and I can't seem to download TiVo 6.1 without it realizing I've upgraded so I can add TiVo.net.

Any suggestions?


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