The easiest way to install spawners?

[Micha_cg]

Hi,

I ask me, what is the easiest way to install the spawners at the slave machines? Copy the "C:\ProgramData\ASGVIS\Common\x64\vc10\Distrib uted Rendering\ directory? Or is an install needed always and if yes, which components?

It's a long way to deinstall and install the spawner per installer for an update.

Micha

Other problems:

* vrlservice error
* spawner crash at slaves without installed Rhino 5 (.net)

[dkendig]

Bitrock is what we use for our installer. Information about unattended installation can be found here: http://blog.bitrock.com/2009/10/unattended-mode.html

[Micha_cg]

Thank you for the hint.

But my old beta spawner-python26-error-crash stay and I get the spawner not running at three slaves, only at slave 1. I tried a Windows update, since the slave install was quite old, but it doesn't help. At slave one I got the spawner running, after I installed Rhino 5. But at slave 2 the Rhino 5 installation told me that I need to install Rhino 4 first, and the Rhino 4 need the Rhino 3 CD, because I own the R4 upgrade, but the slave machine has no CD drive. The new DR installation is a nightmare here. I hope it can be simplified and the reason for the spawner crash can be found and an install of Rhino isn't needed. I give it up, 1.5 DR doesn't work for me.

[dkendig]

are you using a nightly build, or the stable public version we just recently released (1.50.216)? The DR Spawner should be able to be installed independently of V-Ray for Rhino, and it should be able to install without Rhino installed on that machine. If you are using 1.50.216, and are unable to install without first installing Rhino, that is a bug we need to address.

I'm confused about something else too. If you are unable to install the updated version of DR on your render slaves, does that mean that you are using an older version of the DR spawner, in conjunction with the latest version of VfR? That will not work. DR and the client need to be installed from the same version installer. You can't mix 1.5 and 1.5.216 DR and client, just like when you try mix versions with the 1.05.29 or 1.0 versions. The 1.50.216 client only works with the 1.50.216 DR Spawner.

[edit]
I've submitted this as a bug report, case 8005, just in case there is actually a bug causing this. If you have any additional comments to add, just be sure to mention "case 8005" (exactly like that, "case XXXX" will automatically link up with case #XXXX) in your report, and it will automatically be linked to the main case about this issue.

[Micha_cg]

Yes, I installed the latest nightly build, but in the hope it works better, I installed the final release version today - the spawner crashs after starting.

What happens with the vrlservice? I disabled the service to avoid the error messages.

In march it was bug case 7342.

[dkendig]

Micha, thank you for finding your previous case number. I can see the discussion that was taking place back in March, and it does indeed appear to be an unresolved issue. vrlservice needs to not be disabled on the client, it is used to obtain a valid license for rendering. DR should be able to initialize without the service running, and show the message that it is ready and waiting for jobs. I'm not 100% sure if it will contribute to a render properly without the service running though.

[Micha_cg]

OK, I tried my luck at Slave 3. Spawner crashs - > I installed Rhino 5 -> Spawner works like at Slave 1.

My current problem at Slave 2 - I don't get Rhino 5 installed, because an error without detailed info. But the spawner should run without Rhino 5. Which component of the Rhino 5 install makes that the spawner works?

The vrlservice was disabled at Slave 3 in the past, so it seem to be not necessary for the spawner.

[Micha_cg]

... and I deinstalled Rhino 5 and the spawner crash at Slave 3 again.

[svetlozar.draganov]

Hello Micha_cg

Are you still have issue with the Spawner ?

[Micha_cg]

Yes, but I found a workaround - a DualXeon and not using DR.

OK, since the reason for the spawner crash can't be found, I see two ways for me: don't use slave3 (since I bought the Xeon, this single slave will not much help anymore) or I reinstall the OS from an image copy of an other slave (without crash and same hardware) and activate it with the right serial OS number.

Or do you have an idea how to fix the crash on a direct way?

[svetlozar.draganov]

This situation is very odd.

You should be able to install/ run / and use Vray Spawner without any Rhino installation.
Have you tried to stop any firewalls , antivirus , spyware and any other software that can block in/out connections ?
Have you received any error , or just a crash ?
Is it possible to do a remote connection to your machines, to see if we can find something unusual ?

[Micha_cg]

The spawner crash after I start the spawner. Remote connection could be possible. Corey tried it in the past, but found no solution. Interesting is, that installing Rhino 5 fix the problem at an other machine, but at Slave3 there is a problem during the Rhino 5 installation (NET problem), so this doesn't help.

But if you say, I'm the only one with the problem, than I would fix the problem per reinstall the OS per disk image. I suppose so, R5 installs a typical WINDOWS component that is missing at this machine, since the slaves are not connected to the internet and are not up-to-date.

[svetlozar.draganov]

If it is not a big effort for you you could try to reinstall OS from disk image , but since the hardware is the same what is the difference between machines ?
What about windows update ? Could you brainstorm any differences between both machines , perhaps drivers or etc ?

[Micha_cg]

OK, I got it. But it was a long way - no joke:

* the spawner needs
* Rhino 5 needs
* Rhino 4 SR8 or higher needs
* Rhino 4 CD needs
* a CD drive for
* Rhino 3 CD

and Rhino 5 needs
* NET4 needs
* Windows imaging component

also I needed to disable the vlcservice to avoid an error message.

[Micha_cg]

Also I needed to update the spawner at slave1:

* started the last nightly build and the previous version was detected, uninstall started with the error to uninstall it manual
* manual uninstall the previous build per Windows "software ..."
* install latest build, only spawner tool selected
* vlcservice needed to bet set to manual and to be stoped again like after previous installs, or an error is shown always
* ready

Can't the spawner not be a simple folder that can be copied to the slaves?