PeerBlock stops blocking overnight

[GoogleCodeExporter]

One some users' machines, PeerBlock will stop blocking over the course of
the night, with no notice of this fact.

As when this issue is seen the logfile usually has traces of failed
list-updating, our current theory is that we're failing to update one or
more lists, and as a result are not successfully running through the
list-cache generation stuff and are not correctly re-setting up blocking.

If this IS the case, a potential workaround until we can resolve the
problem is to disable automatic list-updates on your PeerBlock install. 
Then just remember to update them manually by clicking the "Check Updates"
button every so often, and you should be all set.  Still an annoyance, but
at least it should continue to work for you.

It's possible that this will be resolved along with the fix for Issue #24.
 Either way, we're actively looking into this and hope to gain some
traction on it soon.

Original issue reported on code.google.com by peerbloc...@gmail.com on 28 Nov 2009 at 6:40

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Let me suggest a design change as a workaround:   Instead of PB automatically 
doing
an update at a given time, it could pop up a request for the user to update.  
The
user would have to click "update" for it to actually do the update.  

This is the same model of operation that most virus programs use for their
definitions, and most OSes do with their updates.  It does not assume that an 
update
is a trivial thing that can happen on its own.    

Since we're seeing a crash in the update procedure that takes the whole program 
down,
we should move to this model at least temporarily.  Perhaps adding it as a 
third mode
of operation such that the user can choose 1> no automatic updates 2> prompt for
updates and 3> automatically updates.  1 and 3 are what exist now.  2 is what 
I'm
proposing.

Original comment by glen.sei...@gmail.com on 25 Jan 2010 at 12:10

[GoogleCodeExporter]

I have the same issue with blocking being terminated. Add to that and more 
critical
is that Peerblock often terminates after the attempted update also. Some it
terminates right after I restart from the prior failure.

Some type of warning or error box like "App has terminated" would really be 
helpful.

dump attached.

Original comment by mrvinyl....@gmail.com on 30 Jan 2010 at 4:02

Attachments:

• peerblock.dmp

[GoogleCodeExporter]

This problem has happened to me occasionally over the last few weeks.

Original comment by chris...@gmail.com on 20 Feb 2010 at 1:20

Attachments:

• peerblock.dmp

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Definitely happening periodically with the program crashing on update attempt. 
I am 
not sure if I am having the issue of the blocking stopping overnight because if 
it 
doesn't tell me that it blocked something then I just assume it didn't have 
anything 
to block...so I will keep an eye on that.

Original comment by dye...@gmail.com on 23 Feb 2010 at 2:10

[GoogleCodeExporter]

The "crash while updating" problem we believe has been fixed recently - the 
next Beta
Release should include this fix.  All the peerblock.dmp files attached thus far 
look
like it's that bug, Issue #24.

We've still never seen this "stops blocking overnight" issue ourselves, so 
hopefully
the Issue #24 fix will in fact resolve this issue as well.  Does anybody have a
machine on which the "stops blocking overnight" issue happens often, or even 
better a
reproducible test-case which we could follow to get the problem to occur on a 
test
machine / VM?  If so, please post here - peerblock.log files would be helpful, 
as
would any machine config you can provide such as OS version (Win XP, Vista 
64-bit,
etc.), and maybe even what antivirus / firewall software you're using - this 
might
help us see some kind of common thread amongst the machine configs of those of 
you
seeing this problem.

Original comment by peerbloc...@gmail.com on 23 Feb 2010 at 2:23

[GoogleCodeExporter]

I have had the same happen to me and it does not seem to matter what auto-update
settings I have enabled/disabled. Last night I disabled all auto-updates in the
settings, and still found PB to have crashed in the night. Of course, my 
computer was
on standby while I slept so idk if that affects things at all. I am mostly 
writing
this to inform the powers that be (that's you Mark :) ) that the fix posted on 
the
sticky on common problems did not seem to work in my case. Let me know if any 
of my
data would help. Cheers!

Original comment by Trinity....@gmail.com on 9 Mar 2010 at 4:54

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Oh, and let me know if you want the .conf files or anything. I will hold off 
deleting
them (working on a different issue) until I hear one way or the other. PB makes 
my
life much easier and I'll help however I can.

Original comment by Trinity....@gmail.com on 9 Mar 2010 at 4:56

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Has anyone tried turning History to log none and notification off? I did this 
after 
turning the updates off didnt make a difference so far it hasnt crashed where 
it 
would have before, Ive reinabled the auto updates and am going to see if it 
still 
works.

Original comment by wright...@gmail.com on 3 Apr 2010 at 8:13

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Include a "Test these Known IP Addresses" feature where either the PeerBlock 
website 
itself provides a list of 10 IP Addresses to give you an on-website "status 
report" 
if indeed you are "blocking" those known "test IP's" or not.

The alternative is to allow the "User" to input their own List of Test IP's to 
see 
if indeed PeerBlock is working as it should, *however*, off-site reporting from 
a 
website is best, since a defect in the "User's" copy of PeerBlock might cause 
them 
to think the PeerBlocking is working as it should (even during the "Test these 
IP's 
to see if they are being Blocked") when in fact the "PeerBlock Defect" is 
lulling 
them into a "false sense of Security".

Just a Thought.  :)

Righteous Jude

Original comment by Gary.Rus...@gmail.com on 11 Apr 2010 at 10:33