20.4 (b42) Clients Crashing to Desktop Consistently ~30 Minutes - Dedicated Vanilla Hosted Server

B

Bynary808

Refugee
I recently started playing 7D2D from the Windows store (not Steam) and managed to hook a friend into playing so we rented a dedicated server on G-Portal.  We're having a lot of fun, but seeing a strange issue where we both are crashing to desktop individually at almost exactly 30 minute intervals.

Regardless of who joins first, if we're in a party or not, or anything else we've been able to try, almost exactly 30 mins after starting the first player will crash to desktop with no errors.  Then the second player will crash to desktop when they reach almost exactly 30 minutes and we'll repeat that cycle throughout our playtime.

If I play singleplayer, I don't seem to have the constant 30 minute crashes, but I did see it when I attempted to host for my friend (which is why we went to a dedicated hosted server).  I also tried disabling EAC and GameSparks per some other discussions but it didn't make a difference.

My "typical" client output log:

https://pastebin.com/1KBW78Z0

My friend's typical client output log:

https://pastebin.com/w3eNbrXZ

Our server is a dedicated server hosted through G-Portal, so I can't see how to access the output log there if that matters.

Looking through the other support posts, I'm really not seeing anything jumping out at me and I'm not sure what (if anything) happens on a 30 minute cycle that might cause this type of issue.  We're both really enjoying the game, but I'm hoping for some help so we can get to longer consistent play sessions.

It might help to add we have fairly different PC setups, but we play a lot of cooperative multiplayer games (Ark, Icarus, etc.) and this is the first with this issue.

Thanks in advance for your time.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Beelzybub said:
You and your friend have the same Windows login name? Wonder if that's an issue. And the pcs look identical except for gpu.
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I'm their "tech assist" so they usually just login as me.  It hasn't been an issue with any other games so far (including other Windows store games) and I would expect that if login was an issue it would be startup and not 30 mins later for both systems.

You're right about the PCs... I forgot they grabbed one similar in a sale, so correct that to "minor" differences in setup (CPU, GPU, hard disks, etc.).

We just played again for a bit and now we're both timing and allowing for seconds difference in starting stopwatches, the crash to desktop is exactly 30 mins.  This last time I joined about 10 mins after them and was able to play 10 mins after their crash until my own.

Are there any processes, checks, keepalives, etc. that happen on a 30 minute interval?  I have to feel like that interval is too specific and consistent to be a coincidence.
 

 
Bynary808 said:
Are there any processes, checks, keepalives, etc. that happen on a 30 minute interval?
Click to expand...
Not that I know of. This is unique. I'm curious if I would get booted in 30 minutes if I logged in. That way we could isolate the problem to the server, or your clients. pm me the login if you want to try that test.

 
I'm game to give it a shot.  I'll PM you the info now...  I don't have the server running 24/7 since we only play when we both have time and didn't want to suddenly log in to a crazy incremental 7th night :)

I think that would definitely help to isolate it to the server... or another thing I was thinking about last night.  I'm guessing you'd be using the Steam version, where we have the Windows store version I started with when it notified me of the "new release" (even though it has Steam all over in the log files and paths.  As such, I was wondering if it might be something that worked on the Steam version but might be an issue in the store conversion.

 
Just to update the issue status:

Beelzybub very graciously connected to the server and was able to stay connected for over 50 minutes without issue using the Steam client.

I had my friend connect to the server alone and play to see if there was a potential conflict between the two of us both playing together, and they were disconnected at 30 minutes even playing alone so I'm doubting it's an issue between the two of us (especially considering our crashes to desktop are based upon individual login times).

So that leaves me with a potential issue with the Windows store version of the client?  Is anyone else using the Windows store client with a dedicated hosted server yet... and if so, any issues?

I'm guessing we're about to the point of submitting a bug report with the Windows client, but I'm open to trying anything else if there are any ideas....

Thanks again to Beelzybub for their time in helping to troubleshoot.

 
perhaps a tip from me helps u?

i have the same problem with player on our server...circa all 30min = timeout

now..i have the same problem on battlefield 1 circa all 30min kicks out = WTF

iv never had this problem before...iv read the the windows network managment does something circa all 30min..perhaps results in this way?

 
Bynary808 said:
was able to stay connected for over 50 minutes
Click to expand...
Here's my log from the session. Output Log:

I did a file compare with @Bynary808's logs and the only differences I saw related to the xbox/windows networking.

I searched for any info on this and found others with this issue and a few posts mentioning wifi, router, and xbox reboots fixing the problem.

I'm guessing the xbox needs to check in every 30 minutes and can't? Just a guess.

 
Beelzybub said:
Here's my log from the session. Output Log:

I did a file compare with @Bynary808's logs and the only differences I saw related to the xbox/windows networking.

I searched for any info on this and found others with this issue and a few posts mentioning wifi, router, and xbox reboots fixing the problem.

I'm guessing the xbox needs to check in every 30 minutes and can't? Just a guess.
Click to expand...
So this is where things get a bit odd due to Microsoft branding...  There isn't an Xbox really involved other than the Xbox branded application installed on Win10, so there isn't any actual Xbox (hardware) involved to reboot.  Neither of us are on WiFi so that shouldn't be a factor and our disconnects are at 30 minute intervals timed based upon individual clients and consistent enough I'm very skeptical to blame individual routers.

One interesting note I saw when Beelzybub was logged in:  At the top of the G-Portal server there is a line indicating active players (IP: XX.XX.XX.XX:26980 (Query Port: 26981, Rcon Port: 8161) Active Players 0/10

I didn't notice it before since I wasn't watching it, but when Beelzybub logged in with Steam it obviously showed Active Players 1/10.  However, after that when my friend tested it showed Active Players 0/10 and sure enough even when we were both logged in later it showed 0/10.  I'm sure this is because we're both playing via Xbox PC GamePass we're authenticating to the 7D2D server with Xbox Live profiles where the server is only counting Steam logins (the games are managed/updated under the Xbox app in Win10 so Xbox profiles are used).

Since we're disconnecting individually I can't come up with a scenario how that might have an impact (e.g., if time paused since there weren't any active Steam logins, but then we'd both be dropped at the same time).  However, we can see each other (and they could see Beelzybub) listed in the server player window in game and the other player continues to play on the server if the other crashes to desktop.

I know folks have been playing on Steam forever, but I do know it was just added to Xbox PC GamePass a few days ago and as far as I can tell it wasn't on the Windows store before that so my mind keeps wandering in that direction...

 
In the platform.cfg there's a server reference to XBL

platform=Steam
crossplatform=EOS
serverplatforms=Steam,XBL,

I wonder if you removed the "XBL" if you could bypass the problem.

 
Beelzybub said:
What does the server log have to say when you get disconnected?
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I'm not seeing anything in the logs I can find via the hosted server website.  The logs they have listed for access are:

configstore_log.txt

connection_log_26982.txt

service_log.txt

stats_log.txt

systemmanager.txt

I know the forum guidelines mentioned posting the server output log but I don't see how to get access to that and I'm assuming that's the one I'll want since those others really don't show anything.  I can submit a ticket to the hosting service to see if I can get access to the output log to see if I can find anything there unless there is another log file I need?

I'm also not seeing how to access the platform.cfg file via their interface... I do see other config files available, but none with that reference.

 
I was able to get access to the server log, but from what I can tell I can't see anything from the server side except it's showing the disconnects (and the crash to desktop timing from the server side is consistently 28-29 minutes connected:

https://pastebin.com/g3XAtQUf

Beelzybub said:
In the platform.cfg there's a server reference to XBL

platform=Steam
crossplatform=EOS
serverplatforms=Steam,XBL,

I wonder if you removed the "XBL" if you could bypass the problem.
Click to expand...
I was thinking about this one...  even if I was able to get access, I'm guessing removing XBL (Xbox Live) would probably not allow us to connect if I understand it correctly since we're connecting via Xbox Live and not Steam.

 
Just to update, after uninstalling and reinstalling the 7D2D Windows store clients I'm still seeing the same consistent crash to desktops at each 30 minute interval.

I looked through the bug reports and don't see any other reports for the Windows store - Xbox GamePass for PC clients for any reason, but that's not too surprising since it just came out publicly last week.

As such, I went ahead and submitted a bug report to see if someone with the Windows store client can reproduce since I don't see anything else to try at this point other than buying the Steam 7D2D clients instead:

Windows Xbox GamePass for PC 20.4 (b42) Clients Crashing to Desktop Consistently ~30 Minutes with Dedicated Vanilla Hosted Server - Bug Pool - 7 Days to Die

Thanks again to Beelzybub for all of their time and assistance attempting to isolate and troubleshoot the issue!

 
Just to update this issue in case it helps anyone else from a server hosting/rental perspective, I submitted the following issue to GPORTAL as a support ticket in addition to the bug report here for the crash to desktop:

We're experiencing a consistent and reproduceable issue with disconnects  every 30 minutes (timed) happening on (2) different PCs running the Windows store/Xbox GamePass for PC clients. 

I posted this issue to the 7D2D support forum and another forum member tested their Steam client with this server and did not experience the disconnect at 30 minutes.
 

After that test, I connected to another public server and I was able to remain connected without disconnecting for ~60 minutes.

Based upon these results, my current assumption leads to the idea that adding XBL authentication to the 7D2D PC version likely added additional port/protocol requirements and possibly something is happening with the XBL authentication/verification at almost exactly 30 minutes that is not allowed by the G-Portal hosted 7D2D server causing the issue with Windows store/Xbox GamePass for PC clients (where the Steam clients on the same server work fine).

I'm not sure what new configuration requirements were added when 7D2D added the Windows store/Xbox GamePass for PC clients, but my suspicion is that it added additional ports/protocols and there is some kind of authentication/validation happening at 30 minutes which is failing (possibly not allowed on the G-Portal hosted server). Please let me know if I can provide any additional information.

The response I received was surprising and indicative that there is some confusion with the addition of the Windows store PC clients to the 7DTD PC game (and Microsoft likely has some blame since they keep adding "Xbox" to their PC gaming items):

Hello, So long story short, This is the steam version of the game so running any other versions of the game does not guarantee the server will work for you unfortunately. We do not host any other versions aside from the Steam version of 7DTD. 
 

As such, for the foreseeable future I'd recommend any 7D2D Windows store/Xbox GamePass for PC clients to avoid GPORTAL unfortunately... we've had great success with them on other games and to be fair their 7D2D PC server ran great during the many 30 minute sessions we played, but since they only recognize the PC Steam version I can't work with them on whatever is causing the 30 minute CTDs on their server.

 
I currently rent a server from Bluefang and their support is great and server performance has been great. They are a popular server provider so you should be able to find a Bluefang hosted server to try out to see if your GamePass version works on their servers. If you have trouble finding one of their servers, pm me and I can give you access to my passworded server to try out.

 
Star69 said:
I currently rent a server from Bluefang and their support is great and server performance has been great. They are a popular server provider so you should be able to find a Bluefang hosted server to try out to see if your GamePass version works on their servers. If you have trouble finding one of their servers, pm me and I can give you access to my passworded server to try out.
Click to expand...
Thanks, @Star69!  I found a server that looked like a public Bluefang server (BlueFangSolutions.com 44178).  My friend and I (both Windows store clients) were able to stay connected past the 30 minute CTD window previously experienced; however, we both had an error while loading in that broke the group window (Failed initializing window group players...  Specified cast is not valid).

No idea what that is about, but obviously a bit gunshy after the last hosting service so I'll PM you to see if I can get access to yours to see if that's a one server issue or possibly another challenge we might face with Windows store clients.  It's always fun being early to the game :)

 
PM'd you the info for my server and set up a new seed for your test. Good luck and let me know when you have played so I can look over the server log for any issues while you're on. EAC is off due to being a passworded server to decrease the load on the server.

Bynary808 said:
Thanks, @Star69!  I found a server that looked like a public Bluefang server (BlueFangSolutions.com 44178).  My friend and I (both Windows store clients) were able to stay connected past the 30 minute CTD window previously experienced; however, we both had an error while loading in that broke the group window (Failed initializing window group players...  Specified cast is not valid).

No idea what that is about, but obviously a bit gunshy after the last hosting service so I'll PM you to see if I can get access to yours to see if that's a one server issue or possibly another challenge we might face with Windows store clients.  It's always fun being early to the game :)
Click to expand...


 
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