not booting after powerfailure, format issues

[J V]

Hello,

Not sure if this is a question or a heads-up...

Yesterday we suffered an unexpected power failure. When the power was restored, I could not connect to my miniserver (not with the app, not with loxone config). The leds were blinking in the following pattern:
1. orange / green
2. green / green
3. orange / off
4. off / off
The off-stage lasts quite long, but the pattern repeats. At least it was doing something, so I removed the microSD card and tried to format it. Loxone Config starts formatting, but just before the progressbar is halfway, it reports "error copying files" and just brings the format dialog back. When I try to format again, it shows "formatting error -3 Please make sure that the Micro SD card is in your pc and not locked".

Using a different computer, I did manage to format the card. The computer that failed to format it is an older laptop (Fujitsu Siemens P1510) using a Sandisk usb microSD card reader. The second computer managed to format it on the first attempt. I'm not sure if the older computer is too slow (it is a 10 year old laptop with an Intel Centrino), but the fact that a format would not work surprised me.

Using the formatted card, Loxone config is able to see the miniserver, on ip address 192.168.1.77, even though my dhcp server is giving out addresses in the range 192.168.2.*. I need to reconfigure some network things in order to continue, but am away from the installation today. I'm confident the problem will be solved though, but I will have to find out later...

Of course such things happen on a Saturday afternoon...

Hope this helps other people with format issues...

Jörg

[J V]

Ok, it took me a bit to get the ip address correct. Unlike earlier, it has to be done via Loxone Config, "search for miniserver" and then "initial setup".

After doing that, it still complained that the file system was not ok and urged me to update. Update was successful, so now it is back online.

So to summarize:

Biggest issues:
1. blinking pattern is not described in the FAQ or the description of the leds
2. formatting the SD card fails systematically with one computer (too old perhaps?)
3. miniserver does not take a DHCP address from subnet 192.168.2.* but reverts to 192.168.1.77 and does not allow connections from subnet 192.168.2.* (it does show up in Loxone Config)

Solution for the blinking pattern orange / green -> green / green -> orange / off -> off / off -> pause -> repeat:
1. format card in a pc using Loxone Config
2. reboot server
3. connect to it on a subnet 192.168.1.* and change network settings as needed using Loxone Config -> search -> initial setup
4. reboot, connect to it using Loxone config on the new network settings
5. update

Hopes this helps someone...


Jörg

[Gast]

Hi,

Have had exactly the same issue.
For some reason I could connect to the miniserver after a while and put the latest firmware on it with loxconfig remote.

But now the miniserver doesn't seem to boot anymore.

2 led's are constant orange, no network activity nothing.

Please help.

--Stephan

[J V]

Not sure I can help much... Perhaps technical support can do something? The led state you describe is also not documented...
I just managed to get out of my situation by trying stuff...

[Gast]

I had the same problem, unfortunately i ended up replacing the SD card, even restoring what backups i had didn't get my meter's history back, so 2 years on and i have no historical power details unfortunately.

[J V]

Well... mine crashed again, with the same pattern on the leds. This time, no power failure involved, but I was working in Loxone config and had run a few liveviews. It crashed while in a liveview. I have not yet had the time to fix it (getting to the SD card is not so easy) but it is annoying. Luckily the Loxone does not control vital things such as lights, but I loose my media controls as they are all centered around the Loxone (light control from tablet I can survive without). Well... It does set the clocks on my Gira thermostats, which without a clock signal forget the time after 24 hours... So it messes up with my heating schedule.

I'm still on version 7.4.somethingsomething, as I am using an older Android device. Luckily, the web interface works on Firefox for Android, so that may give me the possibility of updating to 8.somethingsomething. Maybe that will be more stable...?

[J V]

Just like last time, I had the hell of problems getting Loxone Config to format the card. Using different card readers on different computer I always ended up getting error -1 or -2 "Make sure the card is in the cardreader and not locked" or something like that. I scanned the card (no errors), long formatted it on Windows, kept trying in Loxone Config and suddenly it managed. For now, it is running again but I really should get a spare card.

[killeriq]

I suffered exactly the same issue - after power outage card became "corrupted" and miniserver was blinking strange.

Last backup which i had was from 6m ago - so all my stats were lost.

About the card format - i find out that you need to do full format of the card - in windows untick "quick format" option. It will take like 10-15min to format, but after that i didn't get the "error copying files"

----
Week ago or so i did some backup, day after i was changing something with my electric, so i powerdown the electric source for the whole house, after i was done i put it back on and LOXONE again the card issue! i thought i get crazy...again format card , restore backup...stats and settings which i did since last backup were lost of course.
---

I did complain to loxone about this issue and ask them how can i open their file format and get the stats out (no help of course) , then ive also asked why they don't do some cloud backup option - i was told Loxone is not primarily made for storing files bla bla.

WTF if i didn't build the whole system by my self and im just regular "dump user" i will lose everything and have to call service to come and fix the problem? of course without any backup...

As i doubt that users will connect to loxone config and do their backups regularly or even company will do that for them. So "smart" solution with manual terrible way to backup. How hard can it be to add there option copy files from location A to B.

[killeriq]

So ive contacted loxone again and suggested to create some backup module where i can schedule backups of statistics + actual configuration, afterwards with restore option
Guys you could do the same....more requests they get, more prior it may become.

Hope they wont change it as the Weather service...

[J V]

Mine crashed again... only tomorrow I'll be able to try to fix it.

I'm quite annoyed by this... Not only does it mean I loose the tablet/phone control, but my knx thermostats loose their time synchronization. I was thinking of expanding the system a bit, but this makes me rethink on how to do it...

[J V]

Ok, much less issues in recovering it... It seems that the procedure has changed. From Loxone config, I could only format the SD card, but I could not put the config on it (no such option anymore). After formatting, I inserted it in the Miniserver, which booted right away. Then in Loxone Config I could search for the server, update its IP config (it got an IP address via DHCP, whereas I give it a fixed address) and upload the config.

The most difficult part in all it was removing the front panel of my cabinet (Shrack) and removing the server from the DIN rail in order to access the card. I do hope that in a future version of the server, the card slot is put accessible from the front.