Web interface process crashes after any package install

[Robobunny]

My unit running 1.03.12 has developed an issue whereby the web interface stops working after using it to install any package. A "ps -ef" shows no lighttpd, recovery is with "service start lighttpd" as expected, and then the process list shows 3 instances (is that normal?). I don't often change packages so not sure when it started or what I did to provoke this. It's completely repeatable, it doesn't crash after an uninstall, but any package install works - but the lighttpd stops after displaying "operation complete". web-if log from the event shows:
36 2016-06-30 15:57:27: (server.c.1572) server stopped by UID = 0 PID = 11578
35 2016-06-30 15:57:27: (server.c.1572) server stopped by UID = 0 PID = 11578
34 2016-06-30 15:57:27: (mod_cgi.c.607) cgi died, pid: 11848
33 2016-06-30 15:57:27: (server.c.1456) [note] graceful shutdown started
32 2016-06-30 15:57:27: (server.c.1444) unlink failed for: /var/run/lighttpd.pid 2 No such file or directory
31 2016-06-30 15:57:27: (server.c.1456) [note] graceful shutdown started
30 2016-06-30 15:56:20: (log.c.194) server started
I can live with it as I don't change packages much, but if anyone wants me to take logs or try stuff I'm happy to help you debug it, I'm Linux literate. I access it via WiFi not the LAN port.

 

[Trev]

What CF firmware are you running? I think there was a fix some time ago to stop that.

 

[Robobunny]

Hello Trev, the bottom of "Diag" shows:
Web interface version: 1.3.0-6
Custom firmware version: 3.03 (build 2368)
Humax Version: 1.03.12 (kernel HDR_CFW_3.03)
Loader Version: Unknown - 012d
System ID: 80bc.7e00
Serial Number: 63 7105083 01048

 

[prpr]

My unit running 1.03.12 has developed an issue whereby the web interface stops working after using it to install any package.

Run "opkg update" and "opkg upgrade" from the command line.

the process list shows 3 instances (is that normal?).

Yes.

 

[Robobunny]

Thanks prpr, it's working now. The first time I ran the above commands it printed a bunch of stuff then hang at updating the DLNA database (I left it an hour but 'top' showed nothing going on except the expected "humaxtv" process), so rebooted via web-if, ran the above commands again (completed immediately) and all seems well, I can't break it now. Guess this thread can be closed with the above workaround. Thanks again.

 

[prpr]

I think you'd have found that it was just emitting stuff to standard output and had you pressed Return you'd have got a prompt. It wasn't waiting for anything (apart from normal command line input from you), but it can be confusing when that happens.

 

[Robobunny]

Ah yes prpr, quite probably. I live and learn. I was wondering what I did recently which may have got it into this state. I did install detectads a couple of months ago (mainly to free up disk space) but no evidence it is to blame. Off topic but that package is working well for our viewing habits.

 

[prpr]

I was wondering what I did recently which may have got it into this state.

I believe it was something to do with the change of web server from Mongoose to Lighttpd - trying to use the web server to update packages which involved changing the web server was apparently not a good idea. It's amazing how frequently this problem is still cropping up.