DR Spawner as a Windows Service

[Mnietek2707]

I can't get DR to work when spawner is registered and running as a windows service.
Is this necessary to manually launch vrayspawnerXX.exe to get DR to work?

[Svetlozar Draganov]

Launching vrayspawner-manually is not necessary if it has already been started as a windows service.
Can you show us the log file from the spawner machine as well the log from the workstation?

[Mnietek2707]

I stopped spawner service and removed vraylog.txt and VRSpawner.log from %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Temp to clean up things.
After start vray spawner service ther is no log files created on spawner side. Also 3ds max does not appear on taskbar.

This is from workstation log file:

Creating render callback from built-in VFB.
[2014/Sep/4|09:49:11] Starting DR 1
[2014/Sep/4|09:49:11] dr host: 192.168.3.9:20204
[2014/Sep/4|09:49:12] warning: Could not connect to host 192.168.3.9:20204: Nie można nawiązać połączenia, ponieważ komputer docelowy aktywnie go odmawia.
[2014/Sep/4|09:49:12] warning: Could not use any of the selected (1) hosts for distributed rendering!

Nie można nawiązać połączenia, ponieważ komputer docelowy aktywnie go odmawia.

does mean:

No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it.

When I launch vrayspawner2015.exe manually on spawner side everything works fine.

[Svetlozar Draganov]

Have you setup Log On credentials correctly for the Vray-Spawner service?
Which 3DSMax Service Pack version do you have installed on the slave/workstation machine?

[Mnietek2707]

On “Log On” tab I left selected the default option "Log on as local system account"

BUT

We have checked "Allow service to interact with desktop" option. And DR is working fine now.
Maybe this option should be check by default?

[Svetlozar Draganov]

Local System Account has some limitations and it would be better to switch to another account using "This Account" option in Log On Tab.
Otherwise you might experience missing assets issues (especially with mapped drives) when rendering with DR since Local System Account doesn't have the necessary rights.

[jackieteh]

Hi Svetlozar Draganov,

After read this thread, i have a question:"what is the benefit from running vray spawner as a window service" and "how to set it up".
Actually i have some issue with the vray spawner, i have 4 slave currently and i let them running 24 hour, even after work i shut down my local pc and still keep all 4 slave running, and every morning when i back to office, i have use "Remote Desktop" to log in all 4 slave one by one to "Exit the vray spawner" and restart it to get all 4 slave work on distributed rendering, annoying~ is that any possible way to avoid this?

Regards,
Jackie

[Svetlozar Draganov]

The benefit of running V-Ray Spawner as a windows service is that it will start automatically at windows start so you don't have to log in on each machine and fire it up manually.
The setup is very easy - just click on Register V-Ray Spawner service from the following menu and that's.


According to the issue you are facing:
What are the exact versions/service packs of V-Ray/3DSma/OS that you are using?
What is the status of the Restart Servers On Render End checkbox?


What happens if you run DR without logging and restarting the Spawners manually?

[Syclone1]

Ive had problems on and off for a few years with running the services and have found a few work arounds but still a pain in the butt, now I have all my slaves set to reboot on power loss in the BIOS, then log in automatically with my account when windows loads and I just dropped the spawner and what ever else I need in the program menu startup folder and I have been running great for a good year or so now with little to no problems rendering with V-Ray using Network rendering and DR. I also have backburner set up the same way and have had no issues with that either.

-dave

[jackieteh]

The benefit of running V-Ray Spawner as a windows service is that it will start automatically at windows start so you don't have to log in on each machine and fire it up manually.
The setup is very easy - just click on Register V-Ray Spawner service from the following menu and that's.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]22507[/ATTACH]

According to the issue you are facing:
What are the exact versions/service packs of V-Ray/3DSma/OS that you are using?
What is the status of the Restart Servers On Render End checkbox?
[ATTACH=CONFIG]22508[/ATTACH]

What happens if you run DR without logging and restarting the Spawners manually?

Thanks for reply.

I am using
1) vray Adv 2.40.04 (refer to attached image)


2) 3ds max design 2014 with sp5
3) window 7 ultimate.
4) The "Restart Servers On Render End" remain untick (never try that before)
5) If i didn't log in and restart vrayspawner manually, i will get message like the attached image

after i restart the vrayspawner manually on all 4 slave, the above message will gone and everything work fine.

Actually, i wanna find out is there a way that i no need to start every vrayspawner in the morning daily?

[theedge]

Actually, i wanna find out is there a way that i no need to start every vrayspawner in the morning daily?

As Syclone1 said, you can simply drop vrayspawner in the startup folder.
That's how I do it too. Simple and it works. I have much less issues than when I was running it as a service.

[jackieteh]

As Syclone1 said, you can simply drop vrayspawner in the startup folder.
That's how I do it too. Simple and it works. I have much less issues than when I was running it as a service.

Do you mean no need to do any setting, just drop vrayspawner in the startup folder will do the trick?
my office will leave slave on running all the time and will not shut it down, what i read from here is the vrayspawner need window reboot to get it start, but we never shut down our slave pc, can it work with your method?

sorry about my poor english, i hope you understand me.

[Svetlozar Draganov]

Thanks for reply.

I am using
1) vray Adv 2.40.04 (refer to attached image)
[ATTACH=CONFIG]22531[/ATTACH]

2) 3ds max design 2014 with sp5
3) window 7 ultimate.
4) The "Restart Servers On Render End" remain untick (never try that before)
5) If i didn't log in and restart vrayspawner manually, i will get message like the attached image
[ATTACH=CONFIG]22532[/ATTACH]
after i restart the vrayspawner manually on all 4 slave, the above message will gone and everything work fine.

Actually, i wanna find out is there a way that i no need to start every vrayspawner in the morning daily?

Thanks for the clarification.
Would you please send us the vray-log file from the slave machines after this error appears?
Do you also shut down the machine where the V-Ray License Server is started? V-Ray Spawners might need restart if the connection to the V-Ray License Server is lost.

It is possible to set a Windows Schedule Task to restart specific service automatically at specific time.
There are a lot of tutorials over the Internet about how to set it up.

Check whether the issue appears if "Restart Servers On Render End" option is activated.

[jackieteh]

Thanks for the clarification.
Would you please send us the vray-log file from the slave machines after this error appears?
Do you also shut down the machine where the V-Ray License Server is started? V-Ray Spawners might need restart if the connection to the V-Ray License Server is lost.

It is possible to set a Windows Schedule Task to restart specific service automatically at specific time.
There are a lot of tutorials over the Internet about how to set it up.

Check whether the issue appears if "Restart Servers On Render End" option is activated.

1) my company have 4 render node in our server room, we never shut down this.
2) the V-Ray License is install on my pc, i always shut down this pc everyday after work, when get back to work the next day, i always need to log in and restart all the Vrayspawner.
3) Today morning after i read your instruction about "Restart Servers On Render End", i try not to log in to restart Vrayspawner and just simply click render with a blank 3ds max file using Distributed Rendering, ofcause i get the following message in vray-log file, see attached:

and then i turn on the "Restart Servers On Render End" it not work at first time, but everything back to normal on the second click. [Problem Solved]

svetlozar.draganov, thank you evey much with your patience help and once again sorry about my english. now only the VFB reset level not solve yet. cheers~

[Svetlozar Draganov]

Glad to hear that the issue is solved. Feel free to contact us if it happens again.
Regarding the other issue - it will be resolved once the latest Nightly build is installed.

It would be a good idea to install the license server and the hardware key(the dongle) on one of the machines which are never shut down.
With "Restart Slaves on Render End" you have to run at least one test DR job in order to restart the Spawners on the slave machines and then they will join the subsequent jobs.