[pwrdesign]

Hi!

Since I'm using Ubuntu on my server home at home, I'm starting to think about changing the OS on my renderfarm from win32 to Linux.

Id I managed to install it correctly, would I see any rendering speed improvements?

I wont be running studio at all, only render with network rendering.

/ patrik

[Rickyx]

You should...

You are switching to a 64bit system and, if you use your pc ONLY to render, you can skip all graphic interface beauty or even load your system from the command line and have more free Ram.

But a pre-switch decision test on one pc only could be handy...

[pwrdesign]

You should...

You are switching to a 64bit system and, if you use your pc ONLY to render, you can skip all graphic interface beauty or even load your system from the command line and have more free Ram.

But a pre-switch decision test on one pc only could be handy...

Hi!

You can see my render-farm in my signature.
What I'm thinking of right now is to run linux on my new 3 servers that I'll install tomorrow.

What do I need to do this?
I've done a umbuntu server install, and I know some simple commands in linux. Are there any guides for an installation like this?

Will the linux nodes co-operate with my other win-nodes?
Or should I test with a Linux manager+render server?

Is it possible to start add a co-op job to a linux-manager & server, from a win computer?

[Rickyx]

You can see my render-farm in my signature.

I need to sleep more...
Nice machines...!

What do I need to do this?
I've done a umbuntu server install, and I know some simple commands in linux. Are there any guides for an installation like this?

Nothing special...
I usually use Samba to share my dir (that easily make your pc be browsable in your local network).

... you should only start the server (as in Windows) to be connecter and recognized by your Manager (that can be in Linux or Windows).

Will the linux nodes co-operate with my other win-nodes?

-->Yes

Or should I test with a Linux manager+render server?
Is it possible to start add a co-op job to a linux-manager & server, from a win computer?

You can test but so far I haven't got any problems mixing Win and Linux in this way.

[pwrdesign]

Thats great news!

I'm using samba at home!
Ill install linux on one of the machines tomorrow to do some tests.

Found it: Maxwell Render 1.6 (Linux 64 bits) glibc version: 2.3.4 (84,68 Mb) NEW! Nov 30 07

Thats the most recent version right?

[Rickyx]

Thats great news!

I'm using samba at home!
Ill install linux on one of the machines tomorrow to do some tests.

Found it: Maxwell Render 1.6 (Linux 64 bits) glibc version: 2.3.4 (84,68 Mb) NEW! Nov 30 07

Thats the most recent version right?

Which Ubuntu you are using? If you downloaded the last one (7.10, Gusty Gibbon) there is no reasons to use glib 2.3 but you can use the latest one.
Check your glib using "linuxinfo" (is in the repository, you can use Synaptic).

In the download area you can download the 1.6.0:
Maxwell Render 1.6 (Linux 64 bits) glibc version: 2.5 (84,59 Mb) NEW! Nov 28 07
and the updated one, the 1.6.1:
Maxwell Render 1.6.1 (Linux 64 bits) glibc version: 2.5 (11.31 Mb) NEW! Dec 13 07

Good luck...
Ricky.

[pwrdesign]

Thats great news!

I'm using samba at home!
Ill install linux on one of the machines tomorrow to do some tests.

Found it: Maxwell Render 1.6 (Linux 64 bits) glibc version: 2.3.4 (84,68 Mb) NEW! Nov 30 07

Thats the most recent version right?

Which Ubuntu you are using? If you downloaded the last one (7.10, Gusty Gibbon) there is no reasons to use glib 2.3 but you can use the latest one.
Check your glib using "linuxinfo" (is in the repository, you can use Synaptic).

In the download area you can download the 1.6.0:
Maxwell Render 1.6 (Linux 64 bits) glibc version: 2.5 (84,59 Mb) NEW! Nov 28 07
and the updated one, the 1.6.1:
Maxwell Render 1.6.1 (Linux 64 bits) glibc version: 2.5 (11.31 Mb) NEW! Dec 13 07

Good luck...
Ricky.

Cool! thanks for your help

[Rickyx]

Cool! thanks for your help

[pwrdesign]

OK, unbuntu is installed, the env variable is created...

The installation file for 1.6 is downloaded, gzipped and tar'ed into the /opt folder.

I've also downloaded the 1.6.1 patch, gzipped, and tar'ed into the /opt/maxwell64-1.6 folder.

So far so good.

Now I've got a few questions...

1. I have all my projects, mxm-files, textures etc on a network dir.
Somewhere I would like to configure maxwell and do the pointers to the correct dirs? Or is it simply enough to just map that networkdrive with smbfs?

2. To start use the server I guess that I have to start mxcl in some way? How?

3. I cant find any documentation on this, does it exist or are we alone out there?

[pwrdesign]

I've realised that a GUI probably is a must to get this to work, so I'm installning Ubuntu desktop atm

[pwrdesign]

A summery of todays work!

I've installed ubuntu, ubuntu desktop, and I've set the env variable to my install dir.

I can double klick the startmxcl script, and I get three options:

display, open in terminal and run

If I open in terminal I get the mxcl screen, with all the commands...
Do I have to start it in some way like: "mxcl.exe -server -p:low"

If I choose run nothing happends?

It feels like if I'm close...

If I try the startmxst and choose run it works fine!



Regards Patrik

[Rickyx]

in terminal:

rickyx@BalenotteraX:~/maxwell64-1.6$ ./startmxst

or you can create two launcher for the menu:

/home/rickyx/maxwell64-1.6/startmxst

/home/rickyx/maxwell64-1.6/startmxcl -d

hope it will work...

[pwrdesign]

in terminal:

rickyx@BalenotteraX:~/maxwell64-1.6$ ./startmxst

or you can create two launcher for the menu:

/home/rickyx/maxwell64-1.6/startmxst

/home/rickyx/maxwell64-1.6/startmxcl -d

hope it will work...

I've tryed both, but nothing happends at all..
When I start mxcl in winxp i get a terminal containing this:

===================== New session opened at 31/January/2008 17:47:10 =====

Maxwell Render® 1.6.1 - win32
(C) 2004-2007. Next Limit Technologies

C:\Program\Next Limit\Maxwell\mxcl.exe -server -p:low
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

WARNING: - Low Priority Enabled
[31/January/2008 17:47:10] Starting Render Node

Should I see something similar in ubuntu if it works?

Since the rest of the machines are winxp, do I have to point to the IP number of the manager or something like that?

/ P

[pwrdesign]

If I open the process manager and choose to start mxcl in terminal I can see mxcl as sleeping.

But if I start it with that line from the terminal or start it through my launcher I cant see any MXCL process in the list at all?

It feels like I cant start it correctly...
About the launcher:

/home/rickyx/maxwell64-1.6/startmxcl -d

I've wrote it like this:

/opt/maxwell64-1.6/startmxcl -d

is that correct?

[pwrdesign]

Trial and error

I changed my command for the MXCL launcher to:

/opt/maxwell64-1.6/startmxcl -server

And now maxwell server starts when I klick the launcher!
Have I done it correct now?

I still dont see my server in the list of available servers, but I cant ping my other computers in the network either, so I guess I have a network issue to solve now