win7x64/max2011 DR nightmare

[bob-cat]

Did you get DR to work with a pre-saved IR Map?

[KiboOst]

I've tested both. I usually type name and hit resolve. It then find the ip. Last weeks, I deleted all entries in the dns server, and before each clients re register, it didn't resolved servers names, which is normal, that was to validate this functionnaly. Also, in vray messages, all references to node are done with IP. And all machines are of course allways ip pingable.
I'm also searching around mtu, will try to decrease the mtu value. It is 1500 by default (1472+2, but ping -f does work like it should.

[KiboOst]

I have upgraded all network card drivers on all machines. Have check entire servers configuration, dns etc. no way !
All machines don't receive entire ir map !
Have tested name or ip, the same !

I just hope vray2.0 will be solid like it was before under xp. real pain here without DR

[flino2004]

maybe you have defender and/or windows firewall ON...sometimes they turn on after update windows

I'm using refaMo for my minifarm and you can turn on and off vray spawner with one click because some people have problems reading maps, ect when the DR is running as a service, i just to have in my startup folder and it worked well

[KiboOst]

No firewall no defender etc. Definitely not a firewall problem
I've also developed a software so we can start/stop backburner, spawner etc on machines.
Neiter an access problem, every machines have same shared network units, via gpo script, all in same ad group, so if one work, they work all (on this aspect).

[KiboOst]

ok I've changed cables, switches, still same problem.
If I DR render, dr bug like usual, cancel, save ir map, rerender with ir from file, all drs works !

I'm testing with 8drs, each time 3 or 4 machines receives all the ir map, not the others. Next render, still 3 or 4 machines receives it fullt but not the same machines...

[samuel_bubat]

Ok will try uninstalling zonealarm on a virtual machine

We have all maps and plugins on same network drive so yes all machines have an identical max/plugins

Do you really have them running on a virtual machine ? Maybe there is a problem.
anyway we have pretty much the same setup (no virtual machine) and it works like a charm !

[KiboOst]

No, I did some test on a VM to not destroy a real machine. All machines I talk here are real physical machines.

Samuel, did you some windows7 updates ? The incremental windows updates ? I did not, waiting for sp1 and not liking all these little increment things, not easy to manage systems (who has which etc).
I really don't see what it could be
If I render with small gi files (-6/-5) all machines works, when the gi goes bigger, only a few have it full, then vray stop sending gi to other machines, these one lags while the good one render, and wrong one arrive and render black buckets !

If anyone have any idea about what I could check, verify test etc !

[samuel_bubat]

I didn´t install any windows update on the render machines. Pretty much a "vanilla" Win7 pro 64 on both
Workstations and Slaves. WinServer2003 on our server. IP4 only. Max 2011 Service pack 1. 1GB Network.
Fixed Ip Addresses. Router is DNS.

We actually ran into some problems with it but Not exactely your problem, maybe this helps anyway.. somehow

Turn UAC off completely on Workstations as well as Render Slaves. (Looks like you´ve done that allready)

The machine you are saving your IRmaps to, is it a server OS ?
Otherwise it will just be able to handle 10 connections.

I remember that we sometimes had problems with really large IRMaps (not really win7 realated)
slowing the network extremly down. We just made a local folder
on each machine like c:\IRmap_temp\ copied the (in this case) precalculated IRMap
to the Slaves and set this path in the rendering dialogue.

Some clever workmate decided to register Vrayspawner as service,
resulting in an invisible Spawner after booting the machine.
People went to the machine started the Spawner as usual, so 2 instances were running.
In this case it will render without loading any maps (maybe same problem for IRMaps ?)

But maybe there is really something physical broken with your network.
Try changing network cables. Unplug everything not needed, change the ports on your router/hub
and try to narrow down the problem step by step.

[flino2004]

under DR where you select the nodes put their IP instead computer names