NAS issues - 5.0.3 - works but not as described in FAQ - help please

[jreynolds]

Hello,

I'm having trouble getting Mezzmo to stream the files on the NAS - as described in the FAQ.

Mezzmo v5.3.0 (fresh install)
Windows: Win 7
NAS: QNAP 451+, name = REYNAS
Workgroup setup

Step 1
-----------
Service account still running as local system (default). Client launched as normal user.

I add to the library using \\REYNAS\Movies\Test - which has 3 dvds in it - all catalog just fine.
I add to the library a local test folder, D:\Movies\testlocal - which has 3 other dvds in it - all catalog just fine.

So I have two library additions - test (NAS) and testlocal ( D: ) drive.

I go to DLNA client (TV) and can see, navigate, movies show under Videos/movies:
The testlocal folder will play movies.
The test NAS folder will not play movies, although it shows up.

This is pretty much what I expected after reading the FAQ.

I can log into the web and move about.

Step 2
-----------
User: mezzmo - created on QNAP and WIN7 machine, same password. note that the directions on the FAQ do not explicitly state that you need to create the user on the WIN7 machine, but otherwise there is no other way to select the user for the Mezzmo service later.

Windows Credential provided for REYNAS in windows credential for "mezzmo" user.

Set local policies per FAQ.

Rebooted.

Change Mezzmo service account to local "mezzmo" user account and restart the service.

Close and restart Mezzmo. Everything looks normal.

Web access now no longer works, no matter what I do (set up a new user, etc.).

I go to the DLNA client (TV), but the folder does not show up, and nothing is under Videos/movies.


Step 3 (WORKS)
-----------
I finally began to draw a conclusion that there was something awry between the client and the service, as the service was running under the "mezzmo" user I created, but I was launching the client as my own login (i.e. normal desktop shortcut).

I ran the Mezzmo application "as" the mezzmo user. None of the libraries I created previously showed up, so I re-created them, exactly as above.

I tested against TV - now both NAS and local libraries stream just fine.

Web shows up and works fine, but it won't launch correctly from the client.

Anything deviating from this doesn't work - I've tried all kinds of combos I could think of.


Final thoughts - assistance?
-----------
So this is clearly not exactly as described in the FAQ. In the end, I have to run the Mezzmo client "as" the mezzmo user I created, and run the service as the mezzmo user as well. Any deviation from this seems to create problems.

From what I can understand, Mezzmo support believes I should be able to create a windows credental and then somehow run the service... but you can't do that without a user. Once it's running as that user, it no longer communicates correctly to the libraries unless the libraries were created with the client run AS the user.

I hope I've described it sufficiently. Anything I can do to make this less twisty would be appreciated.

Best,

John

[Paul]

Hi John,

Another option is to run Mezzmo server as a console application. This runs under the same Windows account as you are running Mezzmo (Windows) app and should not have any problems accessing your NAS files, etc. To try this, go to the Media Devices dialog and select "Console application". Click OK to start using it. Let us know if that works better for you.

[jreynolds]

Hi John,

Another option is to run Mezzmo server as a console application. This runs under the same Windows account as you are running Mezzmo (Windows) app and should not have any problems accessing your NAS files, etc. To try this, go to the Media Devices dialog and select "Console application". Click OK to start using it. Let us know if that works better for you.

Paul,

Thank you for the reply. Perhaps I'm wrong, but don't I have to be logged in and the client started in order for it to run as a console app? If that is true, it's not really an option for me as I need it to run in the background.

Also - is the method I got to work correct, or did I somehow mess up what was in the NAS FAQ? For my own sanity I'd like to ensure I did the more correct thing if possible.

Best,

John

[Paul]

Hi John,

My guess is that you are creating a user account to run the Mezzmo server under but you log into the server under your own Windows user account and this is causing the problem. The Mezzmo server may be creating an empty Mezzmo library in the user account you created, so when you run the server as this user account, you get no files. When you run under the Windows Local System account, you get your files listed, but can’t access the files on the NAS. You need to either log on using the Mezzmo account you created and set up your Mezzmo library or set the Mezzmo server to run under the normal Windows account you use to log on to the server.

[jreynolds]

Hi John,

My guess is that you are creating a user account to run the Mezzmo server under but you log into the server under your own Windows user account and this is causing the problem. The Mezzmo server may be creating an empty Mezzmo library in the user account you created, so when you run the server as this user account, you get no files. When you run under the Windows Local System account, you get your files listed, but can’t access the files on the NAS. You need to either log on using the Mezzmo account you created and set up your Mezzmo library or set the Mezzmo server to run under the normal Windows account you use to log on to the server.

Paul,

Ok - but that seems markedly different than the FAQ implies, just so you know. I can't figure out from a Windows perspective to do as the FAQ asks using a system account for the service, a normal user account to run the client and the windows credential.

[Paul]

Sorry for the confusion, John. We are preparing our new Wiki at the moment, so we'll re-visit this FAQ to clarify the concepts & steps.

The general idea is that both Mezzmo (Windows) app and Mezzmo server should run under the same Windows account so that they both are able to read from the same Mezzmo database and understand the same Windows account configurations that you may have (e.g. drive mappings, access permissions for drives/folders).

[jreynolds]

Sorry for the confusion, John. We are preparing our new Wiki at the moment, so we'll re-visit this FAQ to clarify the concepts & steps.

The general idea is that both Mezzmo (Windows) app and Mezzmo server should run under the same Windows account so that they both are able to read from the same Mezzmo database and understand the same Windows account configurations that you may have (e.g. drive mappings, access permissions for drives/folders).

Paul,

That makes perfect sense - I no longer feel like I'm doing something wrong now. Thanks for clarifying! Lining up the service and the front-end credentials together (along with wincred for NAS) was the only way I could make it come together. Thanks for the clarification.

Best,

John

[Paul]

OK - glad we could help clarify that. Hope you enjoy streaming with Mezzmo :).