[SOLVED] Beyond Frustrated; Crashes / Losing data

[CharredPC]

After running Transmission (latest version, though happens with every version) for several hours, OS 10.5.8 completely locks up (You must restart this computer). This is annoying enough, but the unforgivable thing is that after such a crash, ALL DATA is wiped from the torrents I was downloading. Files that were 75%+ done drop back to 1% or less. Several GB's are discarded. This doesn't just make it frustrating, it makes Transmission nearly useless. If I can download files quick enough, and close the program fast, it works fine. But slower torrents over longer periods of time always cause the crash and subsequent data loss. I see that this issue has been reported, re-reported, and still lingers for the past few years until now. If there will never be a fix, can anyone tell me (PM obviously, not looking to cause problems here) a stable alternative program that will actually retain data after crashing like all Windows / normal torrent clients do? It's beyond infuriating to download the same file for weeks, reopening Transmission and seeing 93% for half a second before it dumps all data and drops back to only a few MB. My C2D 2.6Ghz / 4GB ram / 320GB hd machine isn't exactly ancient hardware, and seems to run fine otherwise... TIA

[r0n1n]

The OS X lock up/beachball is probably caused by heavy disk IO. The developers are adding a memory cache scheduled to be included in 2.10.

You can follow the development of this enhancement here.

https://trac.transmissionbt.com/ticket/1521

[CharredPC]

How about the underlying / long-term issue of Transmission dumping all data instead of recovering it? Just had this happen AGAIN...

[r0n1n]

Did you try verifying the torrent (Transfers>Verify Local Data) after the crash?

[r0n1n]

The new cache enhancement was added in the nightly builds a few days ago. You should try one and see if that solves your OS lock ups.

https://build.transmissionbt.com/job/trunk-mac/

[CharredPC]

Did you try verifying the torrent (Transfers>Verify Local Data) after the crash?

Are you saying that restarted torrents will not verify local data automatically? I assumed they automatically did; isn't it pretty poor functionality if they do not?

Thus far, no, I haven't manually done this. I've just reopened Transmission, watched as the torrent restarts, and the % complete drop back (and back, and back, and back...). Next time I will try this manual method.

Trying the latest nightly build now, thanks.

Edit: *sigh* I downloaded a ~700MB file successfully using the nightly build. Excited that the problem seemed solved, I removed the torrent and closed Transmission... BAM, OSX crashes with the same old "You must restart this computer." Is that a separate glitch with this build, or...?

[Rolcol]

Data that isn't fully downloaded is temporarily stored in memory or in the .resume files for the specific torrent. When it's shut without notice, Transmission can't write out the resume data. I think it already attempts to save every 2 minutes.

What kind of crash is it? Does the entire screen go darker with a black square in the middle with the instructions? If so, that crash is a kernel panic.

[CharredPC]

Data that isn't fully downloaded is temporarily stored in memory or in the .resume files for the specific torrent. When it's shut without notice, Transmission can't write out the resume data. I think it already attempts to save every 2 minutes.

What kind of crash is it? Does the entire screen go darker with a black square in the middle with the instructions? If so, that crash is a kernel panic.

I'm doubting it attempts to save every few minutes, if it loses hours' worth of data after each crash.

Yes, it's a kernel panic. But as I said, it only happens when using Transmission, hence my post...

[r0n1n]

Yes, it's a kernel panic. But as I said, it only happens when using Transmission, hence my post...

Can you post one of the kernel panic logs? They're located in /Library/Logs/PanicReporter.

[CharredPC]

Yes, it's a kernel panic. But as I said, it only happens when using Transmission, hence my post...

Can you post one of the kernel panic logs? They're located in /Library/Logs/PanicReporter.

Unfortunately, I don't have that directory. If you mean Library/Logs/CrashReporter/*, there isn't anything in there from the dates/times it crashed from Transmission.

[r0n1n]

Unfortunately, I don't have that directory. If you mean Library/Logs/CrashReporter/*, there isn't anything in there from the dates/times it crashed from Transmission.

OS X stores kernel panic logs in /library/logs/panicreporter (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2546), not /users/yourusername/library/logs. If you can't find that directory using finder, you can try opening terminal, and then type-

Code: Select all

open /library/logs/panicreporter

If this doesn't work then OS X is not logging your kernel panics for some odd reason.

[CharredPC]

OS X stores kernel panic logs in /library/logs/panicreporter (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2546), not /users/yourusername/library/logs. If you can't find that directory using finder, you can try opening terminal, and then type-

Code: Select all

open /library/logs/panicreporter

If this doesn't work then OS X is not logging your kernel panics for some odd reason.[/quote]

Then I guess my OS X isn't logging KP's; I was looking in the right place, and in Terminal I get "The file /library/logs/panicreporter does not exist."

[CharredPC]

Transmission caused another KP, as usual without any panicreporter log. This time after restarting OSX and Transmission (the 800MB torrent had dropped down to 5.25MB, or .11%!), I choose Transfers -> Verify Local Data. The hard drive churned for several minutes, it then slowly counted up to 100%... and nothing changed. Still had to essentially start the download over from scratch

Grabbed the latest nightly build for the heck of it, trying it now....

[CharredPC]

As Transmission apparently cannot be fixed to solve dumping nearly all torrent progress after a crash, I've been working on isolating the (possible) causes of my Kernel Panics. Still open to any suggestions of a working torrent client, that saves properly like any normal Windows app does. Don't get me wrong, I love Transmission otherwise, and the built-in peer block is perfect. I'm just incredibly frustrated at never, ever being able to finish larger torrents because it tosses ALL data after any crash. My net connection stays maxed out 24/7 with nothing to show for it; dropping from 30% done to .02% done on a 24GB torrent is simply unforgivable.

[CharredPC]

Not sure I understand. All downloads save to the default folder (Downloads) automatically. Are you saying that before I restart Transmission after a crash, I should locate and delete the .resume file, then re-add / open the torrent, and hopefully it will pick up the existing data?

...and if this did in fact work, am I the only one that thinks this shows an obvious problem with Transmission- if it dumps all existing data instead of checking for it?

I don't think this is the case, though. Upon re-opening Transmission, it often shows the full % I've downloaded for a second or two (say, 32%). Then it drops back down. And down. And down. Finally it continues downloading the torrent after discarding most of the data.