Help Needed on new Mac mini M1 install

Channels DVR Server
#1

I am new to the Mac OS, so I would appreciate someone giving me some feedback.

I am attempting to install the DVR software on a new Mac mini and migrate from a Windows Server 2016 Essentials DVR installation. I read that I can have two installations at the same time on the same subscription, so I wanted to get the server up and running on the Mac and them move the data files over to the Mac. I read the guide which basically said get the server running on the new machine and migrate the data. Eventually, I want to get the DVR running as a service on the Mac as I have done on the Windows Server.

However, I cannot successfully get the server to install on the Mac. I downloaded the installer from the Channels site and ran it. I copied from the installation dialog below. It window never closes or gives any indication it needs input. It just ends with the Installation Complete line. However, nothing is running except the installer (based on Activity Monitor).

Starting Installer...
Fetching latest version number...
Downloading Channels DVR v2022.06.20.0235 into /Volumes/Local Data - SSD//Library/Application Support/ChannelsDVR...
darwin-arm64.sha256
channels-dvr
comskip
ffmpeg
ffprobe
Checking file integrity...
Preparing directories...
Installing DVR service...
Installation complete!

Safari then tries to load 127.0.0.1 and returns an error

Safari Can’t Connect to the Server
Safari can’t open the page “127.0.0.1:8089” because Safari can’t connect to the server “127.0.0.1”.

When I try loading http://192.XXX.X.106:8089 (the IP of the Mac) it times out with an error that Safari can’t open the page because the server where this page is located isn’t responding.

Activity Monitor does not show Channels Server running

Re-running the installer causes a pop-up saying the DVR is already installed and running and I can Stop the running DVR or Uninstall the software from my computer. However, the Activity Monitor does not show it, at least that I can tell.

Do I need to stop the existing server from running to perform the install? I did use the curl command to find my ip, and weirdly (to me, at least) when I searched for that IP with 8089 it found my existing Windows Server DVR.

Any help would be appreciated.

#2

What's going on here, your home directory is on an external ssd?

Go into that folder and look at data/channels-dvr.log to see where it's failing

MacOS Home Folder on External Drive
#3

Thank you for the quick response. The data folder is blank.

I'm still trying to figure out how the home folder works on the Mac. I want my programs to install in the Mac's main memory but data (when I save a file or work on pictures or video, for example) to be on an external NVME SSD that I installed.

It sounds like my setup is still wrong to get that.

#4

How is the SSD formatted? It must be incompatible somehow.

I would probably leave your home folder as-is, and just save your content into the SSD from the various programs you use.

#5

The SSD is formatted with APFS, so I don't think that is the issue. I have a lot of data in it.

I think your advice is good. I will reset the home folder to the standard method and work within programs to set locations. I expected it to work like Windows (duh!) where you can locate default folders on another drive.

I'll let you know what happens in a day or so.

Appreciate your help.

#6

Magic. I went ahead and moved the home folder back and the DVR installed perfectly. I will play with it now and set up the transition.

Thank you.

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