Localhost Not Working

[NND]

On this PC, I am only using Windows Security and Malwarebytes for anti-virus protection.

[sub]

I have found that if I stop the NextPVR service, open a Command window, run NextPVRServer.exe, and then run 127.0.0.1:8866 in a Chrome window, it works again.  It takes me to the login screen for Admin, I just hit enter, and the normal NextPVR index.html screen loads.

Ok, so running fine when you run it form a command prompt.

But, if I then end NextPVRServer.exe by using Ctrl-C, the NextPVR service does not start automatically.  I have to restart it manually.

If you'd stopped the service to manually run NextPVRServer.exe from a command prompt, then I wouldn't expect it to automatically restart. You'd have to manually start it

After that, I cannot open 127.0.0.1:8866 in any other browser, and if I click Ctrl-F5 in Chrome, I get the error message there as well.  So, it appears the NextPVR web client will not continue to run once NextPVRServer.exe has been closed.

Yeah, this very much sounds like your firewall or antivirus software getting in the way when the process is running as a service. I don't know anything about how to configure Malwarebytes, so can't give you any advice on where to look in there. I suspect it is to do with this though. I suspect it is trying to display some popup on the hidden desktop to ask about access to something.

[NND]

OK, so I exited Malwarebytes, so it is not running. I tried to open 127.0.0.1:8866 in a Chrome tab, but still got the error message. I then stopped the NextPVR service, and ran NextPVRServer.exe from a Command prompt. The NextPVR web client opened automatically in the Chrome tab that had been displaying the error message. I closed NextPVRServer (Ctrl-C), and restarted the NextPVR service. The web client then failed - if I clicked on Channels or any other option along the top, I got the error screen. The Index page was still there, because it was cached. I pressed Ctrl-F5 and then that got the error message again also. So, the same behavior, but without Malwarebytes running. How do I troubleshoot a firewall issue?

And, why would the Firewall block 127.0.0.1:8866 when run from the service, but not when it's run by the server from the command prompt?

What is the "hidden desktop"?

[sub]

OK, so I exited Malwarebytes, so it is not running.  I tried to open 127.0.0.1:8866 in a Chrome tab, but still got the error message.  I then stopped the NextPVR service, and ran NextPVRServer.exe from a Command prompt.  The NextPVR web client opened automatically in the Chrome tab that had been displaying the error message.  I closed NextPVRServer (Ctrl-C), and restarted the NextPVR service.  The web client then failed - if I clicked on Channels or any other option along the top, I got the error screen.  The Index page was still there, because it was cached.  I pressed Ctrl-F5 and then that got the error message again also.  So, the same behavior, but without Malwarebytes running.  How do I troubleshoot a firewall issue?

Sorry, I don't really have any advice on how to solve it. It just sounds like the symptoms we've seen in the past that had been tracked down to firewall/antivirus blocking - especially if you get a 'CONNECTION_REFUSED' type error, which one of your screeshots showed.

It's hard to know if Malwarebytes is still running and you just closed it's front end app, and it's still got some service running in the background or something.

Maybe dig around in the malwarebytes settings to see if you can find away to exclude certain executables or directories or something.

And, why would the Firewall block 127.0.0.1:8866 when run from the service, but not when it's run by the server from the command prompt?

Some of these types of software store settings on a per user basis. My theory is that the hidden desktop associated with the service is being asked permission to access something. Maybe works fine on your logged in desktop session because it has the permissions required to run stuff.

Then again, it might not be related to this at all, but it is sounding the most likely thing to me.

[mvallevand]

The NextPVR service "hides" Windows dialogs that might be coming from other apps. I am with sub since NextPVRService just launces NextPVRServer Perhaps at the service level Malwarebytes is still watching even when the app is not running.

I notice they layers of protection not sure if you disable them all, maybe this one? https://support.malwarebytes.com/hc/en-u...protection



Martin

[NND]

Well, I have managed to get NextPVR running perfectly normally on another laptop. That laptop also has Malwarebytes loaded, with website protection and file system protection active. I didn't have to make any special provisions for NextPVR or localhost. The only difference I can see is that other laptop does not have IIS enabled, whereas this one does. I'm not convinced the problem is related to anti-virus or firewall issues, since the software and settings for those are the same on both laptops.

[mvallevand]

The thread changed from a bad installation to refusing connection on a socket which NextPVR doesn't do. Make sure that NextPVR is loading on all your adapters

netstat -an | findstr 8866

If it is you can also try the following from the command line to see if there are some clues.

curl -v http://127.0.0.1:8866
curl -v http://localhost:8866/index.html
curl -v http://[::1]:8866/index.html
curl -v http://192.168.1.201:8866/index.html

Martin

[NND]

The netstat command ran OK, but the first curl command produced an internal server error.  Screen shots attached.

[mvallevand]

What about if you change the NextPVR Service under services and untick under login "Allow service to interact with desktop" and run the curl command to see if a hidden dialog pops up?

If nothing tick it again and try running the service as your account.

Finally maybe search the internet for running Kestrel and IIS together.

Martin

[NND]

Thank you, Martin. I found that "Allow service to interact with desktop" was not ticked to begin with. So, I ticked it. But I also clicked the radio button to run under my account, and entered my account credentials, applied and hit OK. I then stopped the service and started it again.

Next I opened the Chrome browser and went to 127.0.0.1:8866, and it worked! NextPVR came up normally. Amazing!

I guess I just leave it that way now, and it should be OK going forward?