Diagnostics Files

Diagnostics file are named with the format [RECORDER NAME]_[DATE]_[TIME].minidiags. These files save a copy of the recorder's settings, as well as additional status information and a record of what the recorder was doing before the diagnostics file was generated.

Most of this information is only visible using special tools support staff and engineers at Wildlife Acoustics use during troubleshooting, but you can view the settings that were used by the recorder by opening a .minidiags file in the desktop Mini / Micro Configurator Software.

Diagnostics files can be saved to the recorder's SD card or generated by the Song Meter Configurator app under a few different circumstances.

Manual Diagnostics Generation

It is possible to export a diagnostics file from the Song Meter Configurator app directly to an outgoing email, without saving the file to the SD card. See Email Diagnostics File to Wildlife Acoustics for full instructions.

It is generally not necessary to manually export a diagnostics file unless a Wildlife Acoustics Support representative requests one. For some kinds of troubleshooting, a diagnostics file can help identify certain issues, but a diagnostics file is generally only useful once support understands the broader context around any issues you may be seeing.

Automatic Diagnostics Generation

If the Song Meter Micro 2 experiences a sudden reboot, it will save a diagnostics file to the SD card as soon as it powers on. The date and time in the file name of the .minidiags file indicate the time when the file was generated.

Reboots and the diagnostics files they produce can sometimes indicate a persistent issue with the Song Meter Micro 2. However, there are several mundane and common causes for automatic diagnostics files that do not necessarily indicate a persistent issue with your recorder, including:

  • Manual force-reboot

    If you pull the batteries from the recorder without switching the ON/OFF switch to OFF, then quickly reinsert them, the Song Meter Micro 2 will interpret this as an unexpected reboot and generate a diagnostics file.

  • Dying batteries

    If the batteries are used to the full extent of their lifespans, they may reach a point where they are just barely keeping the Song Meter Micro 2 powered on. At this point, small fluctuations in power draw can cause the battery voltage to drop, causing the recorder to power off unexpectedly.

    The Song Meter Micro 2 will attempt to shut itself down cleanly before the batteries reach this point, but that shutdown is based on the typical behavior of 18650 Li-ion batteries and alkaline AA batteries. If you use alternative battery types, like NiMH or lithium iron disulfide AA batteries, the recorder will be more likely to generate diagnostics files at the very end of the batteries' life.