Sawyer Posted December 7, 2004 Share Posted December 7, 2004 I am currently waiting approval for a bid on what would be the largest project I have worked on to date. The scope of it makes me want to upgrade my workstation. Actually what I want is to buy a boxx workstation and attach it to my current workstation and have 2 workstations as a mini farm. Here is what I have: dual 1.8 xeon 1 gig ram wind 2k I have only a vague idea of how to do this but what I really want to know is about transfering files/programs from one cpu to the other. Will I be able to "move" my programs like max and vray. Do I need to reinstall everything ask for new key codes and all that? Am I kidding myself and is there another more important issue I need to look at to make this work? Is there a piece of hardware that if I don't have it included into my new cpu my life will become painful? I don't expect to be walked through this but if I could have the big things pointed out that would be great. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Nelson Posted December 7, 2004 Share Posted December 7, 2004 If you are using the newer versions of Vray you can't just copy over to your new computer. You would have to email Vray support to get a new license. BUT, as long as your new computer is networked to your old one, you can continue to use the license on the old system. It will only let you have one scene with Vray open on either system. I just went through the same process a couple months ago, and yes its a pain, but fairly trouble free. I mostly did fresh installs from disc on all my programs. Some programs you can copy over, but for your larger apps. I would recommend a new install. I haven't found anything thats really a MUST other than the basics. You might want to get a board with a PCI-X slot since thats the way most video cards seem to be heading. Get at least 2 gig of ram. Also, you should have at least 2 hard drives on your new system. One for your local OS & operating system. And another to act as a shared network drive with all of your jobs, textures, maps etc. So thats a couple things - I'm sure more experience users will have better advice for you. OH yea - one other thing. If I could change one thing about my last computer purchase, I would have like to get 64 bit processors - either the newer Xeons or Opteron. Doesn't seem to make too much difference now since most apps. aren't made for 64 yet, but I think that will change soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackb602 Posted December 7, 2004 Share Posted December 7, 2004 Also, you should have at least 2 hard drives on your new system. One for your local OS & operating system. And another to act as a shared network drive with all of your jobs, textures, maps etc. With a dual drive setup, do all the applications go on the drive with the OS? I assume that's the case, but still work with just one drive. Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Nelson Posted December 7, 2004 Share Posted December 7, 2004 With a dual drive setup, do all the applications go on the drive with the OS? I assume that's the case, but still work with just one drive. Jack I put all my major apps. on the same drive as the OS. I'm not sure if thats what you are supposed to do or not. For all my smaller programs that are contained in a single folder, I put those on a network drive so in the future I can easily move or copy them again. I'm no expert by any means. I just hack my way through this stuff and try not to make too big of a mess! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigcahunak Posted December 8, 2004 Share Posted December 8, 2004 everything said so far is great and true. What I want to answer is your last question: "Is there a piece of hardware that if I don't have it included into my new cpu my life will become painful?" Well, if you want to make a single shared network drive for both machines, I'd recomend making sure they both have 1gbt NICs. It will speed up things a lot, especially when working on biger files. Good luck with your bid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sawyer Posted January 13, 2005 Author Share Posted January 13, 2005 I got the bid so I am purchasing a Boxx. Any opinions on whether to go with 2 2.8 xeons w/ 2 gigs or ram or a single processor with 3 gigs? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted January 13, 2005 Share Posted January 13, 2005 DUAL DUAL DUAL And add as much ram as you can afford - keep the chips large so you can add more later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Nelson Posted January 13, 2005 Share Posted January 13, 2005 Yep definitely DUAL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sawyer Posted January 13, 2005 Author Share Posted January 13, 2005 Sweet. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sawyer Posted January 31, 2005 Author Share Posted January 31, 2005 I got my workstation (Boxx) and I am finishing remodeling the office so I may actually set it up tonight. I have an internal dsl modem & I would really like to be able to have dsl on both CPU's that way the wife can use the onld workstation when I am not using it to render. Is there a way to have the 2 connected in such a way that I can use the 1 internal to feed both machines? Even when 1 is off? I can get a router or whatever I need. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJLynn Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 Windows makes this kind of thing pretty easy since Win2k - using "internet connection sharing" or for XP some wizard or other for home networks. The computer with the DSL modem acts as a router. It does give some load to your CPU, but it's not unbearable, esp with dual Xeons. Use something fast for that link - gigabit ethernet or, if you have IEEE1394 (Firewire) on both boxes you can actually just link them with a Firewire cable and have a very fast connect. You can't use #2 when #1 is off - this all relies on software. If you want to be able to do that you'll need and external DSL modem and a cheap router box for that (Linksys is good). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtutaj Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 Buy a router.. then you dont have to worry about wether or not the other machine is on or not. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sawyer Posted February 1, 2005 Author Share Posted February 1, 2005 Thanks for the replies. Mike, If I get a router then the dsl line will go into my cpu from the wall then into the router? Or wall - routers - both cpus? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtutaj Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 typically for dsl. it goes from wall to dsl modem to router then to the systems.. what kind of service do you have that you have a internal dsl modem.. I've never heard of that. I would have hated that since I had to replace 4 external modems with sbc the year that I had it.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sawyer Posted February 1, 2005 Author Share Posted February 1, 2005 I have SBC. It seems like a fluke that they gave it to me the times I had to call help they seems rather unbelieving that I had an internal. I also do not have a CAT 5 connection, I have a CAT 3 which just seems like a regular phone line its round and a little fatter but it has the same connections and I used a phone line to connect and it worked fine but a tad slower. So I can pick up an external modem and a router and make it work? That is if the modem I get can take a CAT 3 line. Is that about right. For the record I don't like SBC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtutaj Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 yes the line coming into the modem is a regular phone line. this would plug into the external modem when you get one. the modem would have a phone and a cat-5 connection on the back. you dont have one now since it goes directly into your computer let me know if you need any other info. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJLynn Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 Cat3 and Cat5 are both used in network cables that connect using RJ45 plugs - the ones used by 10/100 and Gigabit networking, that look like phone line plugs but wider. The difference is in which networking speed the line will support - Cat3 is spec for 10Base-T, but 100 mbit requires Cat5. Cat5e is used for gigabit. Your new setup would actually have 2 networks. The outside network (WAN) is the external DSL modem, attached to the WAN port of a home network cable/DSL router box (think $50 from a company like Linksys). The link from the modem to the router is going to be 10BaseT (you could use your old Cat3 cable) or 10/100 (you'd need a Cat5 cable). The inside (LAN) network is connected through the LAN plugs of your router box - same box but a whole different network, so it can have a different speed. Most of the router boxes use 10/100 (again, get Cat5 cables) and I haven't seen ones that support Gigabit, but if you have Gigabit hardware in both your workstations, look around for one. (And use Cat5e cables.) The router box bridges the two networks by identifying connections from internal computers to external ones (on the Internet) and routing the traffic. This provides an added layer of protection that you don't have with your internal DSL modem - it doesn't patch through any connections that initiate outside unless you configure it specifically to allow them, but does allow traffic over a connection that your workstation initiated - e.g., you establish a connection to http://www.cgarchitect.com and request the web page, cgarchitect.com sends it back, it goes through the router. But somebody portscanning your IP, that doesn't go through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now