Question PC/Server keeps logging out and background apps needed to run are stopped.

Ptitifulbreak

Commendable
Apr 11, 2019
20
0
1,510
This is my personal PC which also serves as my HTPC. Someday I'll have a dedicated server but this is it for now. Lately when I try to watch media outside my network Plex can't find my server. It's not a Plex issue either because the same thing was happening with Emby (like Plex if you haven't heard of it). So I use my remote desktop app on my phone or from my work laptop if I am at the office and it logs in to my server and I get the 'Welcome' screen like it was just starting up. Sometimes services like OneDrive and DropBox are stopped too as well as a few other needed apps. My sleep times are all turned off, as a matter of fact I only have my screen set to turn off after 10 minutes.

Where do I start to find out why this seems to happen daily now?
 

Ralston18

Titan
Moderator
Check Event Viewer and Reliability History/Manager on your personal PC.

One or both may be capturing some related error codes or warnings.

Likewise, check your router's logs (if available and enabled).

Take a look at any other devices on your home network. Perhaps one of them is grabbing bandwidth for some purpose: i.e., phoning home, updating, backing up.... You can easily try leaving other devices off and determining if the "turn off's" continue. If not, turn on the devices again going one by one.

You may discover one particular device to be the reason or perhaps some combination or threshold number of devices.

Your router may be contributing via QoS or allowed number of devices limit.
 

Ptitifulbreak

Commendable
Apr 11, 2019
20
0
1,510
Check Event Viewer and Reliability History/Manager on your personal PC.

One or both may be capturing some related error codes or warnings.

Likewise, check your router's logs (if available and enabled).

Take a look at any other devices on your home network. Perhaps one of them is grabbing bandwidth for some purpose: i.e., phoning home, updating, backing up.... You can easily try leaving other devices off and determining if the "turn off's" continue. If not, turn on the devices again going one by one.

You may discover one particular device to be the reason or perhaps some combination or threshold number of devices.

Your router may be contributing via QoS or allowed number of devices limit.
I will check those logs when I get back home to my PC.

As for another device on the network causing this issue, I can't see how that would be possible. It seems to happen all the time and some of those times it's when there isn't even anyone at home. This morning for example, I had to use remote desktop to log into my server and of course it was in a logged out state. So I watched all my background apps restart and then I was able to do the activities I needed. Now only 4 hours later I went to go check it again and it was again logged out and I had to use remote desktop. There's nobody at home right now.
 

Ralston18

Titan
Moderator
Remember that even if no one is home any devices that are powered up may be trying to update, phone home, run an AV scan, or backup.

Double check any and all power saving settings and options.

Any chance that your home is having some electrical problem(s) on one or more circuits? Just a loose power plug or an old outlet creating momentary power loss.... If the, modem, router and/or server is affected then that may be the reason for the logouts.

The router's logs may be capturing power or even network disconnects.

Are you using any surge protectors, power outlet strips, or UPSs'?

Any wireless connections? Should be secure but if not take a look at the current configuration just to be certain. Someone gaining access to your network should not necessarily be able to log out the server but who knows what may be going on while you are not around...
 

Ptitifulbreak

Commendable
Apr 11, 2019
20
0
1,510
Remember that even if no one is home any devices that are powered up may be trying to update, phone home, run an AV scan, or backup.

Double check any and all power saving settings and options.

Any chance that your home is having some electrical problem(s) on one or more circuits? Just a loose power plug or an old outlet creating momentary power loss.... If the, modem, router and/or server is affected then that may be the reason for the logouts.

The router's logs may be capturing power or even network disconnects.

Are you using any surge protectors, power outlet strips, or UPSs'?

Any wireless connections? Should be secure but if not take a look at the current configuration just to be certain. Someone gaining access to your network should not necessarily be able to log out the server but who knows what may be going on while you are not around...
No sleep times are enabled. I think (so far) it's resolved. It was a memory issue. I have a very small case with 4 2GB sticks squeezed in a tight area. I think they were over heating. I blew the dust out and rerouted all cables and it's working so far.
 

Ralston18

Titan
Moderator
Would think or hope that RAM overheating would result is some related log entry: a warning or error code of some sort.

If the system continues to work then take another look at the logs. Especially any entries that seem to relate to memory. The entries may not be obvious but if you look for entries that have since "disappeared" then those entries may have been related.
 

Ptitifulbreak

Commendable
Apr 11, 2019
20
0
1,510
Would think or hope that RAM overheating would result is some related log entry: a warning or error code of some sort.

If the system continues to work then take another look at the logs. Especially any entries that seem to relate to memory. The entries may not be obvious but if you look for entries that have since "disappeared" then those entries may have been related.
It was showing in the logs a lot of unexpected shut down and other errors. I did a search and found information related to the specific errors and it suggested a memory test. Sure enough, my memory was failing.