Why Differences are Shown in Media Devices Between Admin/User Log-ins?

[randombox]

I just upgraded to the V4.0.1.0 and thank you.
I do have two burning questions that have been issues with my installation of Mezzmo in Win8.1 OperatingSystem; which are NOT unique ONLY to the latest Mezzmo version:
1. I have Mezzmo set to automatically launch (i.e., StartUp) when I boot into Win8.1 OS, whether I log in as Administrator or AdvancedUser. When initially logged in as AdvancedUser, I am NOT prompted for the Admin pw for the Mezzmo program/server to start. But when I try to stop the Mezzmo server from running with the TaskManager; instead of being asked for the Admin pw, the system will not allow me to stop the Mezzmo service. Why?
2. When logged in as AdvancedUser, the "Media Devices" pull-down tab is fully populated with all of the devices that are connected within my network. However, when I log in as Admin (whether as the initial user, or as a second user) the "Media Devices" list is always empty. Why?
In either case (Admin or User log-in), the Mezzmo Media Devices status does not prevent me from streaming multimedia across the network connected devices but those devices are just NOT enumerated when logged in as Admin.
I don't think importing my backup database will change matters but you are welcome to confirm this.

[Paul]

Some answers:

1. Under Task Manager, if you show all processes under all users (thus elevating to admin privileges), then you should be able to stop the Mezzmo service. Under your Advanced User account, you don't have the rights to do this and must elevate to admin privileges to be able to start/stop it.
2. When running under Admin account, your media devices list will be empty if your your Mezzmo server (running under your Admin account) has not been started and is not running, or your home network is being blocked for DLNA communication under Admin account. The blocking is typically caused by your (Windows) firewall. I guess you have unblocked your firewall under your Advanced User but not your Admin account. Under your Admin account, go to the Media Server Settings dialog in Mezzmo and click the Configure Firewall button if it is enabled. That should unblock your Windows firewall.

[randombox]

Some answers:

1. Under Task Manager, if you show all processes under all users (thus elevating to admin privileges), then you should be able to stop the Mezzmo service. Under your Advanced User account, you don't have the rights to do this and must elevate to admin privileges to be able to start/stop it.
2. When running under Admin account, your media devices list will be empty if your your Mezzmo server (running under your Admin account) has not been started and is not running, or your home network is being blocked for DLNA communication under Admin account. The blocking is typically caused by your (Windows) firewall. I guess you have unblocked your firewall under your Advanced User but not your Admin account. Under your Admin account, go to the Media Server Settings dialog in Mezzmo and click the Configure Firewall button if it is enabled. That should unblock your Windows firewall.

Thank you for the quick reply, Paul. You are 100% correct regarding Issue#1 >> with not being able to shutdown the service in User Account unless done so with elevated Admin Privileges.
But not so correct regarding your recommendation to Issue#2 >> with Mezzmo not showing devices connected under the Mezzmo Device List.
I am providing two screen captures of the Mezzmo details.
One of the screen captures shows/states that Win8.1 firewall is correctly setup (i.e., the radio button for set up is grayed out)
The other screen capture still shows no devices on the Mezzmo Device List.
For testing and confirmation, I am only logged into my Win8.1 Administrator Account (w/o no devices shown on the list) yet I am able to stream music to my Integra DHC-4.2 networked audio system as well as to my PatriotBoxOffice and my DishNetworkHopper, via Mezzmo.
So, although my networked hardware are NOT enumerated within the Mezzmo Device List; yet they are still able to successfully stream content from Mezzmo.
If you wish we can take this conversation offline, so as to not bother other forum members with nuances!
Cheers!

[Paul]

Thanks for the further information. Under your 8.1 Admin account, turn on logging in Mezzmo (see http://forum.conceiva.com/showthread...nostic-logging) and restart your Mezzmo server. Connect to Mezzmo from your device(s) and stream a few files. Stop your Mezzmo server and exit Mezzmo. Zip up all the logs and email them to us at support [at] conceiva [dot] com.

[randombox]

Just to put a successfully resolved closure to this post and in the hopes that others may also get benefit, these are my corrective actions.
[I warn you this is going to be a long reply, though!]

I have spent darn near a half a day (at least 12 hours) going thru the "Mezzmo401" college course and have learned some of the intricacies, peculiarities and nuances of this greatly written and very flexible software and ended up fixing my own issues.

I will outline the detailed step of what I did as problem resolution.
1. Since my original problem related to [unknowingly] maintaining 2 separate databases (1=Administrator Log-in and 2=User Log-in) but the actual content of each was almost a mirror of the other, I realized that there was no sense in attempts at doing so, since [possibly] the Mezzmo Server was being forced to manage both databases and Device List separately yet they were essentially the same.
2. The Mezzmo Server was auto-booting (during StartUp) with a "Local Account" sign-in and that may also have been causing some of the problems that originally forced me to start a Mezzmo-Forum post about not being able to see the "Device List" when I logged in under my "Administrator" Account but seeing a fully populated "Device List" under the "the regular User Account. So, now I am allowing the Mezzmo Server to auto-boot (during StartUp) using the "Administrator" Account log-in credentials (name+pw) rather than the "Local Account". Schzaaaam, all of a sudden (with some minor tweaking of the Admin "Device List" details) whether I log into the PC with "Administrator" or "User" accounts, both "Device Lists" are similar (details of devices are not exactly the same but I could live with that minor issue).
3. Although the same "MultiMedia" data (MovieZ, MusicZ, TelevisionZ) are being streamed from either account; the size of the entire database for EACH account' Mezzmo Library was over 27GB space, in C:\ drive. These actual "Multimedia" files (that are spread over 3 separate HDDs) are actually 1.6TB total size. So, it was a nightmare to maintain them in Mezzmo >> thus, something had to be done drastically different to consolidate them.
4. Another problem relates to the fact that my primary Win8 Operating system drive is a 224GB SolidStateDrive and the two (2) Mezzmo databases were eating up over 55GB (~25%) space of the SSD drive. Since Mezzmo software is flexible enough, I was able to cheat a little and I have now been able to redirect the Mezzmo libraries (i.e., Mezzmo Database) to another drive instead of the Mezzmo default in >>C:\Users\'UserName'\AppData\Local\Conceiva\Mezzm o<< location.
5. I also went thru one extra trickery and BOTH user accounts are now able to SHARE the same exact (and single) database that has been offloaded from the "C:\" SSD to a 4th drive that I use for all my AppData for all other programs without unduly constipating [lol] my primary OS drive. This also has the additional benefit of protecting my user data away from the OS and programs installed in an SSD that I know sooner or later will fail when it reaches its data retention (R/W) capabilities.

I just finished updating to Mezzmo Version 4.0.3.0 and everything continues work as I have been able to set up for my own needs!

[Paul]

Glad you are up and running now . And thanks for sharing your solution!