[DiQ23]

I know this is not XBMC specific but it does effect my XBMC install so I thought I'd post here and see where it goes.

After my XBMC install completely dumped me I have decided it's clever to keep a backup in case I have to deal with this again. I am doing this by tarballing my /private/var/mobile/Library/Preferences/XBMC and saving elsewhere.

This is where the problem lies. In trying to move the tarball the internal "network card" fails. This has been the same with 4.3 and 4.4.4. Very occasionally there's no problem but most of the time I get part way through the download and it just stops. I thought it might be sshd failing but from then on I am unable to ping the ATV2 and while it keeps running and I can navigate menus it's unable to see anything ie Frontrow doesn't load the info about the films it's trying to sell.

On reboot all's good again.

The ATV2 is on a wired connection and the rest of my network is fine when this happens. This happens with both SFTP and SCP when using WinSCP on Win7-64 and Nautilus on Ubuntu32 11.10. It's the same whether XBMC is running or not. Strangely I've just uploaded a file that's far larger that the tarball to the ATV2 without issue, just to see if it would have the same result.

Anyone have any ideas ? This is a major PITA, I'd like to automate this process but it's not possible as it stands.

[Memphiz]

Did you try scp from atv2 to your ubuntu box? I had never such problems when pulling the backup ... well i pushed it allways with scp. Might be worth a try ...

[DiQ23]

Same thing. Got to 112Mb / 850Mb that time.

Any other ideas ?

I've only had this a couple of months, since my xbox blew up. Under EU law it's still under it's two year manufacturers warranty but if this is an issue with my specific ATV2 then how would I prove it to Apple in order to get it fixed ?

[canadave]

This is where the problem lies. In trying to move the tarball the internal "network card" fails. This has been the same with 4.3 and 4.4.4. Very occasionally there's no problem but most of the time I get part way through the download and it just stops. I thought it might be sshd failing but from then on I am unable to ping the ATV2 and while it keeps running and I can navigate menus it's unable to see anything ie Frontrow doesn't load the info about the films it's trying to sell.

The bolded part makes me think it's a hardware issue, unless you can for sure say that it's only that one tarball file that you're having problems with (if it was a problem with the file, it'd fail all the time, not some of the time). Other thing to try would be to try running the ATV2 wirelessly and see if you get the same problem.

[DiQ23]

The bolded part makes me think it's a hardware issue

That does look more and more likely unless anyone else has an idea. I just tried ftp put out and although it worked the first time it failed in the same way the second.

My girlfriend loves it when it fails part way through watching something. It's her favourite and I think she probably likes me a little bit more each time it happens.

[canadave]

Could be, for sure. Honestly, the way to be pretty sure whether it's a hardware issue or not would be to try unplugging the network cable and using the wireless card instead of the Ethernet.

[DiQ23]

Will give that a try when it's not 1am.

Thanks for the tip, I'll post my results.

[DiQ23]

Thanks Dave, wireless works fine. It must be a fault in the ethernet card.

Any idea what Apple support is like ? As I mentioned it's only a couple of months old and so is still covered by the two year manufacturers warranty. Fortunately I'm off round the world for 3 weeks so won't be missing it.

[Memphiz]

Try changing the cable or the switch or whatever network component is involved first ...

[canadave]

Yes, I agree with Memphiz--and I'd check in this order:

1. Try a different Ethernet cable. If that doesn't work...:
2. Try connecting the cable to a different physical port on your router. If that works, then you know it's a problem with your router and that particular port. If that doesn't work and you have a spare router/switch around....:
3. Try a different router/switch. If that doesn't work....:
4. Call Apple and explain that you suspect a problem with the Ethernet card (DON'T tell them you jailbroke it, obviously). It's under warranty, and they're usually quite good about replacing faulty equipment. If you have an Apple Store near you, taking it there would be an even better option. If it comes to taking it anywhere or sending it back, remember to reset the Apple TV back to factory status first.

[DiQ23]

Took it up to my office, different switch all gigabit with different cat 5e and it fails even faster now ! Pretty much proves it's the ATV2.

Fortunately I can get my data off via wireless. Fingers crosses that doesn't follow the ethernet.

Thanks for your help guys

[Memphiz]

Go to an appstore ... i think they will exchange it instantly ... maybe restore it to a non jailbreaked version before

[DiQ23]

I now have a replacement ATV2 and this one's doing the same !

Is it possible that it's a bug in iOS ?

[canadave]

Wow!

Well, I'm guessing the odds that a second ATV2 would have an Ethernet issue are fairly low, so since you eliminated the possibility of your network infrastructure at home being the culprit, I guess that only leaves the possibility of the file itself, or something about how you're handling the file.

Is it just that tarball and no other tarballs? How exactly are you transferring the file (command line, GUI, etc?). Need more details

As for bug in IOS...have you tried this before jailbreaking?

[DiQ23]

Tarball changes - it's a backup of .../XBMC/... I've tried gzip and bzip2. I've also tried a VirtualBox .vdi file that I put on the ATV2 - same problem when copying off.

Same issue using WinSCP on Win7 both SFTP and SCP. Also using SFTP with Nautilus on Ubuntu 11.10.

Also SCP out of the ATV2 to the Ubuntu box. Also FTP out to my FTP NAS in binary mode (ascii makes the tarball unreadable).

All work fine over wireless but not wired. Moving files to the ATV2 is never a problem.

How would I try before jailbreaking ? I know how to un-jailbreak (did that this morning before returning it) but how would I transfer files from the ATV2 to wherever ? I used SeasonPass to jailbreak.

:confused2: