External Graphics Cards PC

[Notiusweb]

Hi all,

As Octane V3 goes ahead, I rechecked my system and found why it freeze.
On the USB riser 1X, it need more delay from the GPU.
So the TDRDelay registry set by OctaneRender Standalone is not enough (10s). I should set it at 30s and seems that all stable with the V3.
Sometime I forget that each time I install a nex version, it revert back to 10. So I have export the registry key to the Desktop to not forget to merge it when I install new version of OR.

Edit : Oh, spoke too soon. This registry hack help a little but The PC freeze when render big resolution (4000x3000 for ex) and/or "parallel samples" set smaller than default 8. Will check further...

Itou31 - Any more thoughts/luck with TDRDelay, I tried this without successful results...
(BTW - take screen shots before you change anything in registry so you know what you changed)

Maybe this might help, to adjust these registry keys?

(1) Tutor posted about 1/2 a year ago in his forum:

TheaRender provides a little more guidance:"- Configure Windows Watchdog (Windows only). Windows runs a service, called "watchdog" that monitors the graphic driver. If the driver does not respond within 2 seconds, it decides that there is a kind of instability so it terminates and restarts the driver process. The driver is the process responsible for handling all Presto commands to the GPU and - unfortunately - Presto is responsible for keeping the driver super-busy when there is a heavy rendering job.
You can actually configure watchdog service. And this is the recommendation to stay in the safe side, in all cases. In that situation, you can even set your device priorities to Highest (which means fastest Presto - at the expense of a less responsive graphic system).
Read here [ http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library ... 85%29.aspx ] about watchdog service." [ https://www.thearender.com/site/index.p ... u-cpu.html ]

(2) And this

https://forums.geforce.com/default/topi ... n-firefox/

Itou31, you try it first and let me know if your rig explodes.

[itou31]

OK,

I played also with TDRDelay, but not very helpfull. Let it at 30s.
Will check that watchdog service (after backup windows .... )

Edit : NO, tested, cannot see the registry key on win 8. I have created the key but I think that do nothing. Still freeze if render high resolution.
But I have already test that PMC kernel is more stable as it doesn't use tiles.
OK wait next release and check again...

[Notiusweb]

Also was playing with different settings on the new Alpha 5, nothing was working to prevent freeze.

Itou31, I think you have 1 (16x to 1x) USB 3.0 PCIE Riser, and Amfeltec, right? Try your rig with the Amfeltec powered off if you can, and go only only with the PCIe riser, along with your other cards. I know you will be short handed render-wise but just try rendering a crash-worthy scene of yours without the Amfeltec splitter, high res, baking cam, hit it so you think it will crash.

Then try with just the Amfeltec Splitter, and the USB riser completely unpowered. And Crash test it.

I guess don't bother if it's going to uninstall and reinstall cards/drivers, because that's a pain in the OcD-ass, but if it's possible to run it would be interesting to see how your board handles V3 with just one or the other.

[itou31]

Hi,

Ok tested with v3 alpha 6 : Freeze (1x USB3) and freeze (amfeltec).
My max resolution is near 2400 x 2400 without freeze... without playing too much with settings while rendering.

[itou31]

Hi just test animation within OcDs 3.0.6.13, in 720p but too many freeze when using extenal GPU (amfeltec splitter and/or USB riser), even when not rendering, only tuning settings (kernel/GI Clamp...).
Hum, thinking go back to V2 and use full 8 GPU or stay in V3 with only 3 GPU .

[Notiusweb]

I know, feels frustrating. Sometimes mine has frozen before i even started a render, but then once or twice it even it rendered successfully, only to freeze on next try...
Consider though, V3 isn't fully yet finished yet anyway, for example there is no V3 Blender, Maya and 3DS Max plugins yet. i think there is some to-be coming features that are now being tested by those plugins' developers. So, to go with V2, as it is working, is appropriate.

We as well, are testing it and letting the developer's know what our findings are, and sharing with each other our specs so we can do our own outside troubleshooting, which is all we can do. Plus, I have contacted Amfeltec itself and gave them my test scene to try with the cluster, and I brought up the 4-way splitter was giving another user issues as well. When they contact me I will update what they find, or what solutions they suggest.
We'll make some discoveries one way or another soon, so we'll get there!

[Notiusweb]

I haven't heard back yet from our product's testing contact. No confirmation yet, but based on prior communication patterns, I would have heard back quickly if they had not run into an issue themselves.
If case is they find no issue on their end, then we can rule out their product and troubleshoot our systems and GPU configuration with them to match what they have somehow.
If case is they find issue, maybe then they can devise some solution which could be rolled out to those of us with the problem.
I will update.

Waiting, waiting, waiting...

[itou31]

Hi,

I will receive soon the amfeltec cluster from asher. Will see if it is reliable or not. While thinking about how I to add the cluster, i noticed that I forget to mention that my splitter is connected on a riser because of waterblock bridge configuration. So I think this should have an instability when transfert to host is often. So I think to redo my system to integrate the cluster : I will mod my main titans from dual slot to single slot to left free space for splitter and cluster host boards. I hope this would fix the freeze.

[itou31]

Update :
Not received yet the cluster but I have modded the two main titan to single slot to connect the splitter without riser.
Not better, still freeze on high resolution.
Some pics :
Before cut

After cut and verify there's no contact short-circuit

Final result

[ClassicMartini]

Heading for some colder weather now, we'll probably see some higher Bench scores

Seeker

You've got a friend [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_MdSu0I620 ].
.

Tutor.

I like the cut of your jib.

Have been running into your postings in the usual places.

As I'm not a full paying O customer (yet) I cannot pm you, have some questions as you've been run similar architecture to me. But... I don't want to bifurcate this thread - could you drop me a line direct please? (ps, TomG has helped - A LOT - too. Hi Tom if you're reading.