Server priority not working, or I just don't understand it

[mjpierce]

So with 6.73RC2 4820

I have server A at priority 1 with 2 connections.
Server B at priority 2 with one connection.

During downloads, looking at the server tab, all 3 connections are Connected and downloading.
According to the logs there are no missing articles.

Shouldn't sever B be disconnected until missing articles are found?
And then used to download only those articles?

[Quade]

Did you set a "Typical Age" in the server options? The backup server will also be used if you have a typical age set on the primary server and some of the current downloads are older than that range.

Other than that, I can only suggest upgrading to the release. I use server priority here and it seems to be working.

[mjpierce]

Nope. No age is set for either. Both seem to be working on the same rar/par set. I'll try the very latest version.

I'm a long time user upgrading each time. I wonder if something left over in my config.

[Quade]

You not seeing any errors on the logs? Something has to explain why it works for me but not you. I'm skeptical about it being an old configuration issue.

[mjpierce]

I'm still seeing this in 6.80B9 32-bit under Windows 7 Home.
I've been watching the DEBUG logs and cannot see any errors.
The "Server" tab shows both the priority 1 and 2 servers pounding away but there are no missing articles.

Oddly, to me anyways, the download progress bar in the "Downloads" tab has a deep blue color but both p 1 and p 2 servers have shades of green as their colors.

This is being a big problem for me. 2 download connections use all my bandwidth. I'd like to use only one connection unless missing articles are found (very rare) so that others in the house have more free bandwidth for their streaming and such.

[mjpierce]

Ok. SO I did a clean install on another machine and configured my servers by hand. Priority worked correctly.
I copied the server settings from the working nbi to the problem nbi.
Now the priority is working on the installation I was having problems with.

There are differences in the working and problem nbi server sections.

Ok I think I've got it. The working nbi settings for the priority 2 server has "FillServer=0" and "SlaveServer=1"
The problem nbi settings for the priority 2 server has only "SlaveServer=1".

I have no idea how this could happen other than via upgrades as there seems to be only "No Header Download" in the configuration page.

I'll test it when I get a chance.

[mjpierce]

Nope, That's not it. Oh well, at least it works now. Sorry to have bothered anyone.

[nada2k]

I use Newsbin 6.73 and have a server with ~ 10 days of retention, which is also specified in the server's Really Advanced options in Newsbin.

If this server is set to priority 2, and some of the priority 1 servers do not have the content I try to download (something over 1 year old in this case, which should not involve the 10-day-server), all priority 2 servers start to download, even though there is one priority 1 server that has the content.

If the 10-day-server is set to priority 1 then Newsbin acts as expected and downloads with the one priority 1 server that has the content.

If I leave the 10-day-server on priority 2 and disable the Use Typical Retention option in the Really Advanced options Newsbin also acts as expected.

If all priority 1 servers have the content, it also works correctly and does not use the priority 2 ones.

But I also upgraded several times and also changed some settings in the NBI-file, so maybe something is off because of this.

[Quade]

I'm out of the office tomorrow and thursday but I'll note you post and think about it. It might be some off eventuality I didn't factor.

"Typical Retention" is implemented by simply failing the server if the posts are older than TR. That shouldn't trigger the other priority 2 servers though.