TTS Driver Error

[kblagron]

I am not sure what happened, maybe an update within Windows, but I am getting an error now when my scheduled events runs a TTS driver command.  I use this to announce the weather in the morning.  Nothing on software or hardware has changed other than Windows updates.

Code:

11/17 01:34:29-CQCServer, CQCServer, WMPAudioPlayerThread_2
{
    CQCMedia, CQCMedia_WMPAudioPlayer.cpp.1047, Failed/Cannot Do, Error: 5910/0/0
    Could not build the filter graph for file 'C:\Program Files\CQC\CQCData\Server\Data\CQSLSpeech\TTS\CQSLS_TTSData3.wav'
    DirectShow error: 80040256
      <CQCServer> CQCMedia_WMPAudioPlayer.cpp - 1083

}
11/17 01:34:29-CQCServer, CQCServer, WMPAudioPlayerThread_2
{
    CQCMedia, CQCMedia_WMPAudioPlayer.cpp.840, Failed/App Status
    An exception occured in the audio player processing loop, restarting loop
}
11/17 01:34:29-CQCServer, CQCServer, CQCDrv_TTSThread134
{
    CQSLSpeechS, CQSLSpeechS_DriverImpl.cpp.581, Failed/Cannot Do
    An error occuring trying to play speech output file
    C:\Program Files\CQC\CQCData\Server\Data\CQSLSpeech\TTS\CQSLS_TTSData3.wav
}

[kblagron]

I attempted to roll back the Windows updates to an earlier date, but it just screwed up Windows Server 2016 - couldn't RDP and updates wouldn't work. I ended up having to restore the system state from an earlier backup to fix that issue, but still have the problem with the TTS Driver. Since this is a C++ driver, I can't really debug myself, but have been thinking about a way to build a simple driver using some of the tools available. Will respond back if I am able to put something together.

[Shaky]

TTS still working for me, but I think I had added some program that blocks Windows updates a while back. I don't have a ton of time right now to play around but if you need me to try something let me know. Maybe over xmas break I'll take an image of my server and let windows update and see if I have the same issue if that would help.

[kblagron]

Well, after some more debugging, I determined it is definitely a security issue that has changed. I had been using an account that has Administrative rights as the Logon account for the CQC Application Shell. I switched this to Local System for a test, and it started working again. However, when I did this, the DataLog Driver that uses ODBC stopped working. It shows its working within the ODBC applet, but CQC can't connect to it. (This is all on Windows Server Essentials 2016)

So, it seems I need to figure out which things that Local System has privileges for, to my login account that has administrative privileges.

And I may do, as you, and block access to Windows Update. I am sure it is some security hole they are plugging up in an update, but since I don't allow access from the outside other than CQC, I am not too worried.

[kblagron]

I finally got it back working! I ended up setting up the CQC App Shell service with Local System login, and that fixed the TTS issue. To get the DataLogDB driver working, I had to add NT Authority/System as a user in the Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio. I then gave it dbo (Database Owner) rights for the CQCData database that was set up for the DataLogDB driver.

I remember that there was a reason why we didn't use the System login for the CQC App Shell a long, long time ago, and did a search but couldn't find it. It looks, at least for now, that everything is back working like it did before.

[Shaky]

Well that's great to hear you're back up and running!

[kblagron]

Another issue, but not a show stopper for me. It looks like switching to "NT Authority\System" as the login by the CQC App Shell also affects the Sonos Media Renderer. I have both this and the Sonos Zone Player driver running, and the Zone Player works fine. I rarely use the Media Renderer so until I figure this one out, will live without it, and of course it works fine if I use the CQC Admin login. I get a Network System Error in the Sonos driver using the "NT Authority\System" login.

So to summarize:
1. TTS quit working using the CQCAdmin login to the CQC App Shell and I am thinking it was caused by a Windows Update in October or so.
2. Switching to the "NT Authority\System" Login fixes the TTS Driver, but the Datalog driver doesn't work when doing so. However, including the user "NT Authority\System" as a DBO within the MS SQL Server Management Studio fixes this problem.
3. The Sonos Media Renderer Driver doesn't work either when switching to System.

I am sure it is security related, but will wait and see if another Windows Update fixes this, so for now I will leave it as it is.