PHD2 and Software Bisque PME mount crashes

[gregbradley]

I am trying to get PHD2 with multi star guiding to be stable with my PME mount.

It starts out superbly with amazing guiding graphs but after a while - like 20 minutes or less, it crashes the Sky X and closes it down.

I have to reload the program and start everything up again.

Any suggestions on this or where to go to get an answer?

Greg.

[Ryderscope]

Hmmm, that’s sound like one of the applications is gobbling up memory somewhere. No doubt that there will be some finger pointing, but it’s probably worthwhile posting the question on the PHD forum and the Software Bisque forum. Something useful may come out of it.

Do you get any error messages of does everything just freeze?

Might be worthwhile running the Windows Resource Monitor during guiding and keep an eye on the available memory and CPU resources. May just provide a clue.

[gregbradley]

Sky X simply drops out and I have reload it. Also there seems to be a lingering effect where it does that even after I close down PHD2.

Perhaps a 64bit issue as I read a little on the PHD2 forum it seems there is some conflict there.

Good suggestion about the resource monitor. The laptop though has a fair bit of DRAM memory.

When it works it is very impressive. The flattest guiding graph I have ever seen.

Greg.

[Ryderscope]

I tried the Dev4 version with the multi star guiding last night under crappy conditions (lots of hazy cloud about) and was getting RMS readings in the low .4" range. Typically under good conditions I get about .5" to .7" so this is looking positive. I only ran it for about 30 minutes or so. The next step will be to give it a longer run when I have some descent conditions for imaging.

[Startrek]

Greg,
About 3 weeks ago my mount during excellent tracking and PHD2 guiding for 15 or 20 minutes would just stop tracking and return to home position for no apparent reason
It did this a few times but not during consecutive imaging sessions and I tried everything to find the problem
Since then I’ve done the following -
1/ Upgraded from Windows 10 Home to Pro ( mainly for my new Dome on the south coast so I can use Remote Desktop )
2/ Disabled Limits in EQMOD ( so mount will track past meridian) recommended by Cloudy Nights post if your having problems with sudden tracking failures
4/ Make sure I plug the mount USB cable into the same physical port on the Laptop and check Com port assignment and connection each time
5/ Make sure I open and connect Apps in same sequence each time and most importantly connect “dither function” in APT before I connect PHD2 camera and mount
6/ Disable Power Management ( Power saving ) of Hubs
Here’s where you can find item 6

Right click Computer
Left click Manage
Double click Device Manager
Double click Universal Serial Bus controllers
Double click Ist USB Root Hub ( USB3 )
Go into Power Management and uncheck “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power”
Open any other additional USB Root Hubs and do the same
Press OK and close all Windows

So far after another 4 imaging sessions of 3 to 4 hours I’ve had no issues at all and mount has tracked and guided beautifully all night using 2.6.9 Dev4 Multistar guiding

Don’t know if the above is of any help as your probably fully automated ?? But item 6 would be still relevant

Cheers
Martin

[brisen]

Hi Greg

I noticed something on the Sky X forum about the Sky X behaving as you describe but it wasn't a PhD issue causing it. It was something to do with OS or an update to the Sky X in recent weeks that seems to have triggered this. I cant remember exactly what now but there was some discussion in the Sky X forum about it.

Brian

[gregbradley]

It does work really well and is a big step forward for autoguiding.


Brilliant Martin. That sounds like it. It also does not drop out immediately, one time it was after 40minutes another time only 10 minutes.

But then when SkyX was restarted and PHD2 turned off it still did it so something got reset.

I am using Wins 10 pro as I use remote desktop to control my observatory from inside away from the mozzies!

I’ll follow your instructions next time I use it.
Cheers. Greg


Thanks Brian. I don’t subscribe to SB so my version of Sky x is about a year or so old but its stable.

[Startrek]

Greg,
Glad to help
Hope it resolves your issues
Martin