So the server the station runs on, mostly Zara and my play lists, evaporated from the PC. After a reboot I can see all of the software is there, but cannot at the moment find the play list I created several times, different saves. Also, all my Desktop saved .txt files I created from emails sent by Carl disappeared. They contained Icecast information, etc. graciously sent by Carl (which I probably still have in an email online).
This is more of a lament than a request for help. Although I'm open to hearing what you think happened. I can recreate my play list because I see all my audio files on the hard drive. And the actual Zara software loaded, etc. My Desktop appears to be different.
I don't know what happened in your case but those updates are problems all the time. They don't consider our use as an automated broadcast audio source.
My broadcast computer is never on the internet and has no updates. I used to run Zara but I connected the computer that was running it, Windows 10, briefly to the internet and that was enough time to get a big update...you know the ones that take control of the computer for an hour and turning it off, or trying to doesn't work and when it was finished Zara wouldn't work anymore! Johny C told me that he switched to Salamandra for this reason that updated versions of 10 and 11 don't run Zara anymore without problems as it's an old program that can't work with the later updated versions of 10 and 11. So I switched to Salamandra also. Layout similar to Zara with more features like on board 10 band EQ and an audio processor if you don't have a separate hardware one like Schlockwood. Also analyses tracks as per your settings for removing the gaps with smooth seamless cue in times much better. I don't understand how you need a server with Zara as it uses your computer for audio and file path for the playlists. So does Salamandra. I know with Radio DJ you also need to download a server.
But I hope you have a separate physical SSD or something like that to back up your playlists, jingles, etc. not relying on a server/software or "in the cloud" kind of thing that can....well, you see what can happen.
Yeah I am thinking with that update and reboot you got a new version of Windows. I think that for example take Windows 10, there are different versions that have certain numbers even though still Windows 10, if you know what I mean. This may have been what happened. Maybe not just a run of the mill update.
I keep all my working files on non system devices precisely for this reason. If something goes wrong, I can always move my hard drives to another computer and get my files back.
So this is a catastrophic loss. Doesn't appear my audio files are backed up. Station is off the air until further notice. I still have my bumpers and audio I personally produced.
I've since air-gapped that machine.
At the rate I work it will be two weeks before I am back on the air.
I have to admit I'm surprised this didn't happen sooner, especially when I had things mobile a couple years ago.
Ok, I have a plan for recovery. Wish me well. Good advise, y'all.
I don't know what happened in your case but those updates are problems all the time. They don't consider our use as an automated broadcast audio source.
My broadcast computer is never on the internet and has no updates.
What I'll do is set up a car receiver, something I meant to do a long time ago, and use the captured signal for 1610 kHz and pipe it into a computer that IS connected to the internet for my Icecast, etc.
But I hope you have a separate physical SSD or something like that to back up your playlists, jingles, etc. not relying on a server/software or "in the cloud" kind of thing that can....well, you see what can happen.
I might have a cloud back up. Haven't checked yet. Trying to get farm stuff done on my day off.
@centinel Sorry to hear this also. Keep a physical copy(or 2) of all your programming....playlists, jingles, events etc. I can't imagine how I would re-compile my own playlist if lost. And I paid for all the jingles I made from imagingthing.com
Also consider Salamandra if on Windows 10 or 11.
So the upside of all of this is I needed to freshen my play list. And this forced me to do it.
Flash drives are ordered and delivered probably by Saturday. Should be on the air by Sunday morning.
I had an issue with the latest security updates as well.
First, I had scheduled them for 5 days later (the maximum), but somehow Windows decided to do it just a few hours ago. And it screwed up my system somewhat. I couldn't keep an Internet connection, even through Ethernet, so I uninstalled them, and then reinstalled them. That seemed to do the trick there, but then I noticed that I wasn't getting RDS data through my SDR. Turns out that somehow the update reset my sound settings to 48Khz sampling (it needs to be 192Khz to get the RDS frequencies). Made the change and RDS data came back.
Not as many issues as you, but still a pain, taking me down for a few hours while I figured out what had gone wrong.
Here's how you get rid of updates on Windows 10 and 11
But best way is broadcast computer is not connected to internet, don't need internet for automated broadcast like Salamandra. If you get a new computer it takes 3 minutes for the download and then turn off the wi fi on the computer and /or disconnect the hardwire cable if using direct connection. What I do is all stuff I want to get on the broadcast computer I do it on the "regular" computer and then transfer it on the broadcast one to Salamandra from back up.
That's OK if all you're doing is over-the-air transmission. But if you're streaming (or have an SDR), you need that connection to the Internet. A better method would be to fall back to Windows 7, which I'm thinking of doing. You can get around the security issues.
That's OK if all you're doing is over-the-air transmission. But if you're streaming (or have an SDR), you need that connection to the Internet. A better method would be to fall back to Windows 7, which I'm thinking of doing. You can get around the security issues.
In the last couple of years since I moved to a farm I have several new computers. The one designated for Zara I've simply disabled updates the other day. Two others are designated for the station, and one will remain Internet ready. PC #2 is already Win7, but I'm going run a Linux clone like Mint on it because some "DLL" error makes it unusable.
Flash drives arrived and nobody told me they were here 😭
Copying to the drives begins. I hoped to be on the air by a couple of days ago. But it's a good day to do this as it's my day off.