I've read hpmssservice.exe is from media collector. I disconnected the ethernet from my HP whs to rule out client issues. But, this process continue to churn away (even after HP's latest "update"). I do not use twonky or media collector. I wish they didn't even exist on my machine.

What is hpmssservice.exe doing? Is there any way to calm it down? What happens if I kill or disable this process? Was HP's last update supposed to address this? It's been an issue ever since I've owned the EX495 (ie, several months now).

No, the recent patch didn't change any of the HP specific code on the server besides Twonky. Does the problem still occur after a fresh reboot of the server? If so, I'd suggest looking in the Application Event Viewer on the server for error messages.

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Alex Kuretz
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Hi, Alex. I had killed hpmsservice.exe at my last post. My server has calmed down ever since, and the process has not restarted. I'm not sure what it does, but it doesn't seem to have impacted anything noticeable yet. Separately, I killed the TwonkyMedia service and set it to "manual". I don't use any of the HP streaming functionality. Basically, I just need the backup and file server functionality of WHS. Also, yes, I've rebooted the server at least once the past week.

That said, my event log is now showing several of these application errors for the HPAdminConsole:



This error shows up every about 5 instances per minute. I see media collector is in there.

I found these errors for "MediaSmart Server Software" scattered over time:



That error is usually accompanied by this warning:


Nothing unusual found in the "System" or "HomeServer" event logs. Maybe I'll just keep killing hpmsservice.exe if/when it shows up...unless I discover that does something other than consume resources

I'm going to disable the "HPMediaSmartService" service. Hopefully, that will turn off all the HP bloatware that I don't use. It may cause problems with the "MediaSmart Server" tab in the console, but I'm fine with that. Once HP actually makes their product "smart", I'll enable the service. It's totally unacceptable that HP has yet to address this issue, which seems to be affecting quite a few owners.

Actually to resolve the HPMssService hogging up the cpu, just do the following in Command Prompt:



When you re-enable the service it may be using cpu for a bit cause it has to rebuild that database file but then should calm down.

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In addition to the suggestions above, you might look at whether the media collector software on all client PCs is in synch with the MSS. I just experienced the exact same issue as you with this service running wildly and eating up all the CPU. Go into the server console, select the HP MediaSmart Server tab on top left, select the tab that says Media Collector (about 1/2 down on left). Does it say incompatible for any PC clients listed there? That was one of my early clues that something was out of synch. Assuming you've applied all HP and MS updates, you want to make sure that the HP MediaSmart Server 3.0 Update 1 is installed on your client PCs. Go to each of your client PCs and go to Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs. Look for HP MediaSmart Server in the list of installed programs and make sure it says HP Media Smart Server 3.0 Update 1. If it does have the Update 1 in that name, then you've got an older version of the media collector. Try downloading and reinstalling from http://[server name]:55000 Do the same for each PC on the network. If it looks like the media collector is out of synch and reinstalling from the server share doesn't work, let us know.

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HP MSS EX490 with Intel E6300
4 GB RAM
7 TB Drive Storage

MediaSmartServer.net Wiki, it's loaded with helpful information about WHS and the HP MediaSmart Server.

My clients don't show anything related to "Update 1". The \\whs\software\home server connector software folder executables are dated no later than 10/7/2009. Did the latest HP update affect the clients? I thought it was just a server service update.

I tried reinstalling one of the clients and the same version was applied as before (3.0.6.31976). I do see several clients listed as "incompatible" in the "HP Media Collector" tab of the console. A few others say "Not Included". No computers are enabled for collection (general settings). How can I make them all not included? This media collector garbage is really frustrating.

Also, "TwonkyMedia" and "Media Sharing" are both not enabled in the admin console because I don't use them. I've also disabled all twonky "media receivers" and have "automatic sharing" not enabled.

What is the current version for client and server?

Server:
HP MediaSmart Server/Data Vault 3.0 Patch 2 (version 3.2.1.34990).

Clients:
HP MediaSmart Server 3.0 (x64) (version 3.0.6.31976).

So, I just tried uninstalling the connector and mediasmart client software on one of my machines. Then reinstalled \\whs\software\home server connector software\setup.exe, which installed both clients again. Restarted the whs server. Immediately get the collector wrong version message. As a bonus HP gift, the hpmssservice.exe is churning away again. Sick of this. HPs sloppiness is actually shortening the life of my server. Just going to disable the HP crap until they fix their product.

Sorry for the venting...but really.

I have exactly the same problem.

The PS of my old EX470 died recently, and I decided to go for the new EX490.
I started first on the stock 1 Gb to test (and made a server recovery on it, to avoid the "dirty" status on it), and it worked fine.
Then, I transferred the disks from my old EX470, in my new EX490 through a server recovery.
I had to perform several server recovery to have everything working fine, and also could add the stock 1Gb disk in place of a previous 250 Gb (which took 2 and a half days to be removed !??)
During one of the recovery, in the update process, I could see the "MediaSmart Server 3.0 Update 1" client. However, after the patch 2 and/or MS updates (40 of them), I had to reinstall the PC client which came up without the "Update 1" mention anymore.
Since then, I made several server recoveries, and I am unable to find the client software in "Update 1" version. I am now always stuck with the annoying message “Media Collector – Please update ….”, the client appears as “incompatible” in the "HP Media Collector" tab of the console, and the hpmssservice.exe churning away !
By removing the “oem” directory in http://MyServer/Home Server Connector Software, I could install the connector, without the HP MediaSmart Server software part. The hpmssservice.exe is calm again, and I am now able to backup the PC. But I miss the HP MediaSmart Server software on client PC, and the link of WHS Avast with client PC seems broken due to that.

Additionally, I am very frustrated by the new PhotoViewer, which is worse than WebShare, which had at least a sorting capability (even very poor), and good access control system, plus almost automatic email notice.

Find below the only version of the client “HP MediaSmart Server” available on my WHS.

Does somebody know where I can download the compatible version ?

Thanks in advance.
Cheers.

So, I've recently run into this exact problem when I migrated my EX470 drives to a new EX490 via server recovery and figured out a solution/work around. The best I could determine is that something went awry with the HP update 1 install and did not update the OEM folder in the Home Connector folder found in the Software share. Before I did my migration, I had started up the EX490 using the stock drive and had set it aside. I put that back in, pulled a copy of the OEM folder in Home Connector folder. Shut down, put back in my disks, restarted and replace the OEM folder with the one I had copied off the stock startup drive. Reinstalled the connector software and via download from server and worked great. Let me see if I can figure out a way to upload to site so you can download the file. Alternatively, PM me an email address and I can see if I can email the files to you.

_________________
HP MSS EX490 with Intel E6300
4 GB RAM
7 TB Drive Storage

MediaSmartServer.net Wiki, it's loaded with helpful information about WHS and the HP MediaSmart Server.

drop.io is a great place to upload files, fyi. However, I may just uninstall all the HP bloatware since I don't need even use it. Just found this link that tell how to do this:
http://blog.gerke-preussner.de/2010/03/ ... me-server/

At any rate, nice to know I'm not alone...

Once you've installed the newer version of the software on your PC, you need to reboot the server to get it to stop yelling at you about mismatching versions.

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My new EX490 is getting hammered with the HPmssservice.exe program. It is causing high temperatures and a slow responding server. What does it do and why does it do it all the time.
I thought HP was supposed to have fixed this?

It is likely the HP Media Colllector software on the client PC is out of synch ( in terms of versions) with the server. See the discussion above.

_________________
HP MSS EX490 with Intel E6300
4 GB RAM
7 TB Drive Storage

MediaSmartServer.net Wiki, it's loaded with helpful information about WHS and the HP MediaSmart Server.

Texas,

I have three computers installed with the new connector but only one is connected to the media connector. One of the computers is off and the other has been re-attached to an E470 and the media collector was never activated on it.

The computer using the media collector has the right software version. It also has a LOT of media and only 1/2 of it has been found. All of the movies, all of the photos are OK but 1/2 of the music (audio books) are not there. When the HPmssService just shut down and the CPU just started to cool down a program called PresentationHost.exe now it using 50% of the CPU.

I can't get this to slow down.