Starting server application remotely using PSEXEC?

[Anonymous]

Hi, I have sucessfuly got Vray Spawner aplication to run using a Psexec batch file to the server nodes.

But I am having no luck with the backburner server

psexec \\SLAVE-10 -i -d "C:\Program Files (x86)\Autodesk\Backburner\server.exe"

Dos CMD returns server.exe started on SLAVE-10 with process ID3556 but on the actual machine Slave -10 the application does not appear to be running

What am I missing?

I can use server as a service but in this instance if possible I am keen to run it as an application

Does anyone know what is happening here?

Thanks

Mike

3iD Studios

[kevinvandecar]

Hi Mike,

I just tested it on a local machine and it worked fine using the sysinternals psexec tool. I ran it like:

PsExec.exe -i -d "C:\Program Files (x86)\Autodesk\Backburner\server.exe"

so, a couple of things to look for:

the first time server.exe runs, it pops a dialog to configure it's settings. I would suggest that you run it manually first on the machines where it resides (the remote machines). This should confirm it is intialized and then try again.

Also, I am not sure how psexec is handling permissions by default. Sounds like the other test you made is working, but you might want to try the -h option to elevate permissions. You could also try with the -u and -p options using the remote computer's admin account to make sure it is not failing do to access permissions.

Hope it helps,

kevin

[Anonymous]

Hi Kevin,

Just doing some more testing:

I ahve tried:

Z:\CONFIG\MAX\SCRIPTS\ServerUtilities\psexec.exe \\SLAVE09 -i -d -u ***\***  -p *** -h "C:\Program Files (x86)\Autodesk\Backburner\server.exe"

where *** is user name 

/ domain and password etc -h elevated token

it starts the application--- (Great!) but it will not register with Manager

I can an see it under the details  tab of the taskmanager, but not as an APP under processes which I am unclear to why?

The server starts but it seems to only partly run as it is only using 372K of memory, as compared to when the app is started manually where it uses 2.5MB when running correctly (and will render)

Strangely I can kill the server app remotely, start VRAY,applications and kill them etc no issue but starting server.exe is more difficuly to actually get it fully started. It runs but only part of it as I am guessing there must be some dependent processes that are not starting at the same time?

Thanks for any light you may shed...

[kevinvandecar]

Hi Mike,

I tested it more on my side and was not able to get it to run myself. I asked around and the few bits of information I got back was that the server.exe is an older tool and not specifically tested to work with psexec.

Because this is a pretty small executable, what about starting it when the machine starts up, and then you would not have to remotely execute it? It should be running already then?

anyway, hope it helps. Not the best answer, but that is about all I can come up with.

Note this question is not specifically an API / programming question, so perhaps you can get more response with it in another forum? I see backburner questions in several other places, but maybe the 3ds Max general one would be a good place to try.

thanks,

kevin