An unhandled exception occurred: Couldn't save env meta

[Damned]

Server on Vista 32bit running Minetest 32bit version 4.14 or 4.15
To start with everything fine, it can run for days, real time not game time, with no problems, then after a while, maybe 2 weeks it just starts crashing with the same error. It can be anything between a few seconds and a couple of hours.
I've read through some of the other, similar posts, and followed the advice, but I still constantly get crashes. I don't even have to do anything. Just start up the server and after a while it will crash with the same error as shown in the below 2 examples.

2017-01-28 04:57:52: ACTION[Main]: .__ __ __
2017-01-28 04:57:52: ACTION[Main]: _____ |__| ____ _____/ |_ ____ _______/ |_
2017-01-28 04:57:52: ACTION[Main]: / \| |/ \_/ __ \ __\/ __ \ / ___/\ __\
2017-01-28 04:57:52: ACTION[Main]: | Y Y \ | | \ ___/| | \ ___/ \___ \ | |
2017-01-28 04:57:52: ACTION[Main]: |__|_| /__|___| /\___ >__| \___ >____ > |__|
2017-01-28 04:57:52: ACTION[Main]: \/ \/ \/ \/ \/
2017-01-28 04:57:52: ACTION[Main]: World at [C:\Users\HT\Desktop\Minetest Server\bin\..\worlds\NewWorld]
2017-01-28 04:57:52: ACTION[Main]: Server for gameid="minetest" listening on 0.0.0.0:30000.
2017-01-28 04:57:52: ACTION[Server]: [Biome Lib] Registered a total of 5 surface types to be evaluated, spread
2017-01-28 04:57:52: ACTION[Server]: [Biome Lib] across 19 actions with air-checking and 0 actions without.
2017-01-28 06:01:25: WARNING[Server]: Failed to write to file: C:\Users\HT\Desktop\Minetest Server\bin\..\worlds\NewWorld\env_meta.txt
2017-01-28 06:01:25: ERROR[Server]: An unhandled exception occurred: Couldn't save env meta
2017-01-28 06:01:25: ERROR[Server]: In thread 18d0:
2017-01-28 06:01:25: ERROR[Server]: /home/stefan/mt-build/build/minetest/minetest/src/server.cpp:73: run: A fatal error occured: Couldn't save env meta
2017-01-28 06:01:25: ERROR[Server]: Debug stacks:
2017-01-28 06:01:25: ERROR[Server]: DEBUG STACK FOR THREAD 18d0:
2017-01-28 06:01:25: ERROR[Server]: #0 run
2017-01-28 06:01:25: ERROR[Server]: DEBUG STACK FOR THREAD 1ba8:
2017-01-28 06:01:25: ERROR[Server]: #0 run
2017-01-28 06:01:25: ERROR[Server]: DEBUG STACK FOR THREAD 1ea8:
2017-01-28 06:01:25: ERROR[Server]: #0 main
2017-01-28 06:01:25: ERROR[Server]: #1 Dedicated server branch
2017-01-28 06:01:25: ERROR[Server]: #2 dedicated_server_loop



2017-01-31 02:32:59: ACTION[Main]: .__ __ __
2017-01-31 02:32:59: ACTION[Main]: _____ |__| ____ _____/ |_ ____ _______/ |_
2017-01-31 02:32:59: ACTION[Main]: / \| |/ \_/ __ \ __\/ __ \ / ___/\ __\
2017-01-31 02:32:59: ACTION[Main]: | Y Y \ | | \ ___/| | \ ___/ \___ \ | |
2017-01-31 02:32:59: ACTION[Main]: |__|_| /__|___| /\___ >__| \___ >____ > |__|
2017-01-31 02:32:59: ACTION[Main]: \/ \/ \/ \/ \/
2017-01-31 02:32:59: ACTION[Main]: World at [C:\Users\HT\Desktop\Minetest Server\bin\..\worlds\NewWorld]
2017-01-31 02:32:59: ACTION[Main]: Server for gameid="minetest" listening on 0.0.0.0:30000.
2017-01-31 02:32:59: ACTION[Server]: [Biome Lib] Registered a total of 5 surface types to be evaluated, spread
2017-01-31 02:32:59: ACTION[Server]: [Biome Lib] across 19 actions with air-checking and 0 actions without.
2017-01-31 03:20:19: WARNING[Server]: Failed to write to file: C:\Users\HT\Desktop\Minetest Server\bin\..\worlds\NewWorld\env_meta.txt
2017-01-31 03:20:19: ERROR[Server]: An unhandled exception occurred: Couldn't save env meta
2017-01-31 03:20:19: ERROR[Server]: In thread 448:
2017-01-31 03:20:19: ERROR[Server]: /home/stefan/mt-build/build/minetest/minetest/src/server.cpp:73: run: A fatal error occured: Couldn't save env meta
2017-01-31 03:20:19: ERROR[Server]: Debug stacks:
2017-01-31 03:20:19: ERROR[Server]: DEBUG STACK FOR THREAD 424:
2017-01-31 03:20:19: ERROR[Server]: #0 run
2017-01-31 03:20:19: ERROR[Server]: DEBUG STACK FOR THREAD 448:
2017-01-31 03:20:19: ERROR[Server]: #0 run
2017-01-31 03:20:19: ERROR[Server]: DEBUG STACK FOR THREAD 156c:
2017-01-31 03:20:19: ERROR[Server]: #0 main
2017-01-31 03:20:19: ERROR[Server]: #1 Dedicated server branch
2017-01-31 03:20:19: ERROR[Server]: #2 dedicated_server_loop


I don't know how often it's suppose to write this file, but everytime I check in the world folder there is an env_meta.txt file dated and timed at the same time as it supposed to have not been able to write the file.

This is the contents from env_meta.txt written at 03:20 after the last crash. I'd already changed the day_count back to 1 after previously changing the game_time to 100.

day_count = 2
game_time = 6456
last_clear_objects_time = 0
lbm_introduction_times = :doors:replace_castle_jail_door~0;:doors:replace_castle_oak_door~0;:doors:replace_doors_door_glass~0;:doors:replace_doors_door_obsidian_glass~0;:doors:replace_doors_door_steel~0;:doors:replace_doors_door_wood~0;:doors:replace_doors_japanese_door~0;:doors:replace_doors_prison_door~0;:doors:replace_doors_rusty_prison_door~0;:doors:replace_doors_screen_door~0;:doors:replace_doors_slide_door~0;:doors:replace_doors_woodglass_door~0;:doors:replace_my_castle_doors_door10~0;:doors:replace_my_castle_doors_door11~0;:doors:replace_my_castle_doors_door12~0;:doors:replace_my_castle_doors_door13~0;:doors:replace_my_castle_doors_door1_locked~0;:doors:replace_my_castle_doors_door2_locked~0;:doors:replace_my_castle_doors_door3~0;:doors:replace_my_castle_doors_door4~0;:doors:replace_my_castle_doors_door5~0;:doors:replace_my_castle_doors_door6_locked~0;:doors:replace_my_castle_doors_door7_locked~0;:doors:replace_my_castle_doors_door8_locked~0;:doors:replace_my_castle_doors_door9~0;:doors:replace_my_cottage_doors_door1_locked~0;:doors:replace_my_cottage_doors_door2~0;:doors:replace_my_default_doors_door1_locked~0;:doors:replace_my_default_doors_door2_locked~0;:doors:replace_my_default_doors_door3_locked~0;:doors:replace_my_default_doors_door4_locked~0;:doors:replace_my_default_doors_door5_locked~0;:doors:replace_my_fancy_doors_door1_locked~0;:doors:replace_my_fancy_doors_door2~0;:doors:replace_my_fancy_doors_door3~0;:doors:replace_my_fancy_doors_door4_locked~0;:doors:replace_my_fancy_doors_door5_locked~0;:doors:replace_my_fancy_doors_door6_locked~0;:doors:replace_my_fancy_doors_door7_locked~0;:doors:replace_my_fancy_doors_door8_locked~0;:doors:replace_my_hidden_doors_hidden_door_grey~0;:doors:replace_my_hidden_doors_hidden_doorbookshelf~0;:doors:replace_my_hidden_doors_hidden_doorbrick~0;:doors:replace_my_hidden_doors_hidden_doorchest~0;:doors:replace_my_hidden_doors_hidden_doorcobble~0;:doors:replace_my_hidden_doors_hidden_doordesert_cobble~0;:doors:replace_my_hidden_doors_hidden_doorfurnace~0;:doors:replace_my_hidden_doors_hidden_doorstone~0;:doors:replace_my_hidden_doors_hidden_doorstone_brick~0;:doors:replace_my_hidden_doors_hidden_doorwood~0;:doors:replace_my_misc_doors_door1~0;:doors:replace_my_misc_doors_door2~0;:doors:replace_my_misc_doors_door3_locked~0;:doors:replace_my_misc_doors_door4_locked~0;:doors:replace_my_misc_doors_door5~0;:doors:replace_my_old_doors_door1_locked~0;:doors:replace_my_old_doors_door2_locked~0;:doors:replace_my_old_doors_door3_locked~0;:doors:replace_my_old_doors_door4_locked~0;moretrees:convert_existing_cocos_palms_to_regrow_coconuts~0;moretrees:restart_coconut_regrow_timer~0;moretrees:restart_dates_regrow_timer~0;torches:convert_wallmounted~0;advtrains:ramp_replacement_1~5925942;advtrains:st_rep_1~5925942;default:3dtorch~6109597;default:convert_saplings_to_node_timer~6109597;xpanes:gen2~6109597;
lbm_introduction_times_version = 1
time_of_day = 1861
EnvArgsEnd

If anyone could offer some advice it would be well recieved.

[helpless]

Okay, so for one, Vista is the slowest, glitchiest version of windows you can get. Try rebooting your computer, and running task manager for background processes that may be using your RAM up.

[DI3HARD139]

Check that the file isn't flagged as read only. Try re-creating the file manually by copy-pasting into a new env_meta.txt file. Minetest is horrible at making certain that the files aren't currently being read/written to before modifying so things can get corrupted very quickly. auth.txt is a perfect example of this issue.

[Damned]

I've spent a few weeks monitoring what's happening, and I can't see any obvious cause for the crashing.

Okay, so for one, Vista is the slowest, glitchiest version of windows you can get. Try rebooting your computer, and running task manager for background processes that may be using your RAM up.

For me Vista has been the most stable and reliable version of windows I've ever used. The only times I've had a blue screen is when there really was a problem, unlike 7.

Watched background task and memory, no problems with either. Run the server while also watching HD video and downloading files and transfering files between pcs with no problem. Rebooting doesn't always work as you'd expect. Sometimes it will start crashing right after a reboot, other times it will be days.

Check that the file isn't flagged as read only. Try re-creating the file manually by copy-pasting into a new env_meta.txt file. Minetest is horrible at making certain that the files aren't currently being read/written to before modifying so things can get corrupted very quickly. auth.txt is a perfect example of this issue.

Checked the files and folders to make sure they're not read only and they're not.

It could be as you say, a read/write issue. Trying to save it while still open. There's never any corruption of the file though.

[sorcerykid]

From what I can discern saveMeta( ) in environment.cpp, relies on the fs::safeWriteToFile( ) method, which creates a temporary file for writing. Here is the warning that is included within the comments of that method regarding potential failure points under Windows OS.

Move the finished temporary file over the real file

When creating the file, it can cause Windows Search indexer, virus scanners and other apps to query the file. This can make the move file call below fail. We retry up to 5 times, with a 1ms sleep between, before we consider the whole operation failed

So I would try disabling virus scanners, search indexing, or anything else that analyzes the file system in real time.

[BBmine]

So I would try disabling virus scanners, search indexing, or anything else that analyzes the file system in real time.

Wouldn't that be insecure?

IMHO, Windows is horrible. Linux would probably do better.

[Damned]

I'd already got an exception in the virus scanner for the minetest folder. It would depend on where the tempory file is located. If it's in the default temp folder, then that's one place that shouldn't be exempt from a scanner. If it's done in the minetest folder then it shouldn't be the scanner causing the problem. I did find that the indexer was active so I've disabled that and I'll see how it goes. Currently it's been running for 4 days without crashing so no doubt as soon as I post this it will crash, but I'll see.

[Damned]

3 Weeks with not a single crash. Does look like it was the windows indexing service that was the problem.

[Miniontoby]

I know what the "In thread 18d0:" means, It means that there are "6352" threads that are writing to the "env_meta" file and that means that "6351" threads can do it good and the "6352" thread faild and the "In thread 448:" means that there are "1096" threads writing

And I have also a env_meta error topic viewtopic.php?f=6&t=22341 and check also this viewtopic.php?f=6&t=22341&start=25#p348625

P.S. the thread number is a Heximal number and I convert it to a decimal number