Backburner run as Windows Service Error

[angelo]

Hello,

 

I've been testing a renderfarm setup and after following the Backburner install directions, two computers set up identically aren't working so well.

 

I'm trying to run the server as a windows service (cmd-Backburner directory-serversvc -i) We've set up a render user as a network user and local administrator on both computers. On one box it worked fine, the other, states that "access denied".

 

Any idea what would be preventing this command line toggle switch?

 

Both computers are dell T3400 with vista 64bit installed and 3D Max Design 2010.

 

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

Angelo

[chthonic]

Access Denied means you don't have rights to something you should have, but unhelpfully doesn't tell you what. You need special rights to start a service for example... However, I'd question WHY you want to do this - when run as a service, you can't see the render take place, so you can't take a quick look at the desktop of your render nodes to check things are proceeding correctly. Stick server.exe in the startup items and get your render nodes to autologon with a renderfarm user account which has rights to any xrefs you've used and it'll do what you want and be visible. Mike

[angelo]

Hey Mike,

 

Thanks for the comments. We don't have a dedicated renderfarm (we will be using regular user's machines overnight), so I don't think auto login would make our IT very happy (security issues). I was trying to set it up so the machines just have to turned on, without physically logging onto each one. I definitely see your point about visually being able to check progress...

 

Now that I think about it, if we don't physically logon, it might not work anyway, due to network locations not being available...

 

Angelo

[chthonic]

Services run under a specific (and specifiable) account, so that determines what network access is available.

 

If the service is always running you do run the risk of someone sending out a render and everyone's machines suddenly shuddering to a crawl.

 

We have a static renderfarm that is supplemented by user machines at night - we use a group policy that is enabled/disabled at different times of day such that if you reboot after 5pm, it auto-logs in as the renderfarm user. Security of such a login is handled by limiting what rights that user has. You can always set that account to auto-lock after a very short timeout to secure the machines. To save power I've then got a whole bunch of scripts that monitor the backburner jobs queue and our automated submission queues and turn machines on/off according to predicted need. (the upshot of this is that when someone sends a big animation you can HEAR it as the renderfarm machines all boot up)

 

As for the original problem, tracking down user rights problems can be a total pain, and almost impossible to do via a forum. If you need to pursue the service idea, get your IT people involved in working out the correct rights. I'm sure they'd prefer to be involved anyway - having heavy services such as rendering running at night can affect backups.

[angelo]

Mike,

 

Thanks for sharing - sounds like a smart setup. I think we will give it a go!

[Casey Hawley]

I've been having the same "access denied" problem when trying to install manager or server as a service.

 

But I just had a sudden memory recollection about having to run CMD.exe as administrator first, then run managersvc.exe -i.. AND IT WORKED! No more access denied! Manager is now installed as service.

 

This may not be what you want to do now, but for my single workstation-single render slave home office setup, it's perfect!