Server Reports bogus MaxSpool > MaxGroup Numbers :0.0

[gunman99]

[17:38:32] ERROR Server:tweaknewsServer Reports bogus MaxSpool > MaxGroup Numbers :0:0 - groupname

Running newsbin pro 6.50 - Build 3126. Seen this problem on lots of previous versions.

Problem 1. Newsbin is looping, never completing downloads from a group with this problem, logging thousands of messages.

Problem 2. Group becomes unusable. It is no longer possible to download anything from the group anymore. I have to delete group permanently.

I have seen some procedure, post storage -> set to purge date or something, never works. Reason is said to be that news provider re-setted some counter.

Very strange that deleting group and adding it again does not solve problem.

What can I do to get this fixed? During the past 6 months I am slowly loosing more and more groups permanently.

Why would resetting a counter require manual intervention? I can't get the manual procedure to work.

[Quade]

The numbers indicate the group is empty. What group is it?

I think it sounds like a server problem. In the network options, set "Show Server Commands".

Download headers for a problem group, then look for this in the logging tab.

[13:39:44] HIGH AW alt.binaries.comics.dcp GROUP alt.binaries.comics.dcp | 211 5975819 3200722 9176540 alt.binaries.comics.dcp

211 - ok
5975819 - min record
3200722 - max record
9176540 - record count
alt.binaries.comics.dcp - group name.

These numbers tell you the state of the group you're trying to download headers from.

[gunman99]

Thanks for quick reply.

I think you are right. Message I get says groups does not exist.
News server is tweaknews.eu. I have emailed them asking what is going on.

[gunman99]

Well,
2 example groups are a.b.swedish.dvd and a.b.swedish.tv.

When I turn on "Show server commands" (after groups have been removed and added again, downloading all headers I get:
[09:16:47] HIGH tweaknews alt.binaries.dvd.swedish GROUP alt.binaries.dvd.swedish
|411 No such group alt.binaries.dvd.swedish
[09:17:12] HIGH tweaknews alt.binaries.tv.swedish GROUP alt.binaries.tv.swedish
|411 No such group alt.binaries.tv.swedish

Problem started with newsbin looping giving the bogus Maxspool > Maxgroup messages over and over again.

It is very confusing when I first get an error message from newsbin pro. And then no headers downloaded without any messages when I delete, add and download all headers from group.

News server is tweaknews.eu. I have opened ticket HZS-18928-400 with them.

Seems like tweaknews and newsbin is out of synch?

[itimpi]

Those error messages are from the server reporting that they do not have the group, so there is not much Newsbin can do about that!

You will need to wait to see what response you get from the ticket you have raised with tweaknews. It is possible the groups have been removed from the server if they have been having problems with them.

[gunman99]

Turns out that tweaknews, with a announced retention of ~1100 days, only keeps posts for ~1100 days. They just keep headers for a short time.
I have been downloading headers for several groups for years now. I did not know I lost them if I deleted and added a group again.

I think all my problems was caused by m e, not understanding their retention policy fully.

[Quade]

You could sign up for a giganews trial account then load up on headers again.

The specific errors listed though have nothing to do with retention. These groups simply don't exist on the server.

[gunman99]

Right, thanks Quade.

[gunman99]

Here is what I ended up with. Happened to buy a new pc (unrelated to newgroups, previous machine mwas getting old). So I got a new fresh start:

2 servers, supernews and tweaknews (tweaknews the one with few headers).

Supernews setup as master, download headers and priority 10.

Tweaknews setup as slave, downloads no headers (server option "No Header Download" ticked) and priority 1.

With priority 1 I download posts from Tweaknews. And headers from Supernews. BAsic tests verifies this.

No problems found during the past week, and evrything is working as I want.

[Quade]

Nice. Basically it sounds like Tweaknews isn't really setup for header downloads or that it's a low priority to them.