Issue with recordings not being deleted

Channels DVR Server
#1

Ive been having an issue where I delete the recordings on my firestick from the channels app. Like today I notice that I only have 3 recordings but it shows that I am using 34% of my external HDD on the computer.

When I investigated the external HDD and look into the G:\DVR\TV folder, I find my three folders for the recordings I have saved, plus another 17 folders of recordings that should have been deleted in the app on the firestick. Each folder will have multiple recordings, if they are from a series. Like Yellowstone had 4 recordings from the series.

These 17 recordings don't show on my channels app in firestick because I had previously deleted them in the channels app. Why would they remain on the external HDD?

No idea if this is a firestick channels issue or a channels DVR issue, but since it is a folder within the DVR, I posted it here. I believe having this much space taken up on the HDD could be causing some lag I have been experiencing also. Channels really seems to be working great since I deleted the old recordings.

Edited to add, everything is up to date... I keep everything updated... I am using the current stable build of firetv channels and channels DVR.

Thanks for any help...

#2

When you delete an item in Channels, it is moved to the Trash. While it will no longer appear in your Library, it will be accessible from the Settings > Trash section of your client (or Trash tab of the DVR web UI), where it can be immediately removed, or restored to your Library.

You can change this in the DVR web UI under Settings > Recordings & Passes > Remove Items From Trash After setting. Once that threshold has been reached, then Channels will remove the physical files from disk.

1 Like
#3

I remove the recordings from the trash as I delete them. I keep the trash cleared on the firestick channels app.

Would it still retain the recordings if I am deleting the recordings and clearing the trash. The recording files are old too, in one series I had one from 01/2022, another from 04/2022, then the saved recording from 12/2022. I wouldn't think they would be in the folder for that long? I have since deleted the old recordings or I would have something to show better what I am talking about. I should have waited and posted first.

This is 34% of a 4tb drive... 1360 gigabytes of recordings...

I have a recording in trash now that was deleted a short time ago, maybe an hour ago and it says scheduled to be removed tomorrow.

I'll try the trash setting and see if that fixes the issue, I just don't understand why it would leave them in the tv folder for that long. I like having the trash option, just in case something gets deleted by mistake...

Thanks

#4

If the actual files remain after they have been trashed, you need to check to logs to see what's going on. Chances are something changed, and the Channels app no longer has permission to delete the files in question.

... And if that is not the case, then you may have some other hardware issue with your drive ...

#5

When it happens again, I'll keep the old recordings in the file and do more research into it. I reacted too quickly by deleting them.

Not every recording in a series remains in the tv folder, they aren't in consecutive order. My wife records and watches General Hospital every day that it is on but the only recordings that weren't deleted of the program were the dates I mentioned, 01/2022, another from 04/2022, then the saved recording from 12/2022, I believe it was today's recording. Random recordings remain, random recording are removed.

Trash is set to be removed in 1 day. I can set it to 3 days and see what happens.

Strange. I checked the logs, I didn't see anything that jumped out at me but it only has 2 days of logs that I saw.

If anything else comes to mind, don't hesitate to throw ideas at me, lol.

Thank you for your help.

#6

You don't need to keep the files. Just check the DVR log for the error message. It must have tried to delete the mpg file and is failing for some reason.

#7

No errors in the log. But the log only has 2 days of information, the recordings are from older dates that remained in the TV folder.

#8

How can I view more of the Channels DVR Server Log?

By default the Channels DVR Server log only shows the last 1500 lines. To see more of the log, change the url from

http://x.x.x.x:8089/admin/log

to

http://x.x.x.x:8089/log?n=10000

where x.x.x.x is the IP address of your Channels DVR Server and n=10000 is the number of lines to display

#9

I did just find this in the log, didn't notice it before.

2022/12/15 15:00:00.245148 [DVR] Deleting failed job 1670702340-ch9167 168 24/7 WALKER TEXAS RANGER (L) @ 3PM

#10

Well, now you know the issue isn't Channels. It cannot empty its Trash; but the issue as to why remains.

#11

This means a scheduled job to make a recording failed to record anything and was deleted.

Not related to trashing of actually made recordings.

1 Like
#12

I can try another HDD and see if that fixes the issue.

I appreciate the help, definitely gives me a direction.

Thanks

#13

Try searching the log for the error
Failed to delete

[ERR] Failed to delete #522 /shares/imports/TV/American Tarzan (2016)/Season 01/American Tarzan (2016) - S01E01 - Enter the Jungle_cut.ts: remove /shares/imports/TV/American Tarzan (2016)/Season 01/American Tarzan (2016) - S01E01 - Enter the Jungle_cut.ts: permission denied
#14

I didn't see any other errors, I'll keep my eye out for one and I'll keep a close eye to see when it fails to empty the trash and delete the folder in the TV folder for a recording.

I appreciate the help.

#15

I deleted 6 recordings, then removed them from the trash and the log shows them deleted but this one is still in the TV folder.

2022/12/16 09:58:48.422759 [DVR] Deleted #3019 G:\DVR\TV\Beauty and the Beast A 30th Celebration\Beauty and the Beast A 30th Celebration 2022-12-15-1959.mpg (user)

There was an issue with the recording during playback, I was using NordVPN but switched to Surfshark and I think it fixed issues I was having with livetv. I also was having interruptions during recordings, which I kind of got used to but now it seems that is fixed too. Out of 5 recordings they were all green, which I have never seen. Normally it would have 3 out of 5 being interrupted.

I'm hoping that NordVPN was the issue and all is well now. Its working great besides the one recording staying in the TV folder, which may have been before I switched vpn.

#16

If the log says it was deleted and shows no other errors about not being able to delete that file, you should investigate. Should have nothing to do with a VPN or recording getting interrupted.

Is G:\ a local drive on your server?

#17

Yes, G:/ is an external 4tb hdd connected by USB on the computer acting as the server.

With NordVPN I was getting interrupted recordings, I believe it was the interrupted recordings that were remaining in the TV folder after deletion and emptying the trash. Now with surfshark Im not having the issues of interrupted recordings and so far the recordings have been being removed from the TV folder without issue.

I am actually amazed that now with surfshark, channels is working so perfectly. Definitely has made the world of difference.

#18

This topic was automatically closed 365 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.