Backburner 2016 manager issue

[Anonymous]

anyone have some idea what these error messages are

2017/05/03 10:38:26 WRN Could not broadcast FIND_SERVERS request on lo: A socket operation was attempted to an unreachable network.

2017/05/03 10:38:26 WRN Could not broadcast DISCOVER_SERVERS request on lo: A socket operation was attempted to an unreachable network.

server seem to connect to the manager ok

although I was seeing some of the servers registering twice

any thoughts here?

please help

[horizongrafik]

Thanks for the follow up.  I do not have any other error messages.  And I can render to my other node without problem.

I just get that warning ...could not broadcast... on and on filling my window.

Thanks

[guidomanfrotto]

Just noticed that I never mentioned that I'm running Max/Backburner 2017, and Vray 3.60 (in regards to Vray DR stopped working after Creators Update).

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @guidomanfrotto, @Anonymous, @horizongrafik, @Anonymous, @pierschapman,

I've been scouring the net for more information about this and I did come across an interesting post on the Vray forums.  I'll paste most of it below:

"We found the problem and as I suspected it was not a Vray issue.

We are using windows server with Group Policies to map network drives to the workstations. It turns out that when using group policies, by default every 90 minutes or so windows refreshes the group policy - in our case that means remapping the network drives. While on Win7 this hasn't been a major issue, under windows 10 it cases a temporary network outage, which in turn i think has been causes some crashes, and I am certain has also caused problems when rendering. I am guessing that while vray is loading proxies over the network we get the dropout and then it fails loading proxies but continues with the render.

The solution is to edit the group policy settings on the win server and tell windows not to run the policy every 90 minutes. Actually we turned it off so that it only runs on logon. There are other solutions online so if anyone is having a similar problem search for - Win 10 group policy mapped network drive issues or check out this spiceworks link : https://community.spiceworks.com/top...-drives?page=1.

Our Win 10 machines are now running more stable and are rendering as expected without any assets missing."

I've seen confirmation this fixes the Vray DR problems on the Vray forums, but I also wonder if this is the reason for the other problems listed in this thread.  I can't really do support for Vray and I suggest checking the Chaosgroup forums, but I think there is some overlap here and the Vray DR issue and the backburner issue may have a common source.  I have a couple questions for you all, if you could answer them as best you can I would greatly appreciate it.

1) Do you use a Group Policy in your studio/environment?

2) If so, does the info listed above resolve the issue for you?

3) Do you use UNC pathing or standard pathing for your assets?  (If you don't know, it's probably standard.)  

4) Which renderer do you use?  

Thanks very much for posting your answers.  

Best Regards,

[guidomanfrotto]

Thank you for sharing this info!

I do not use Group Policy, I use UNC paths for my assets and my renderer is Vray 3.60.

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @guidomanfrotto,

Thank you for posting your info!  I went back through the thread and read your posts again to see if you are one of the people who is still able to render despite the error.  I wonder if the people who get the message but still are rendering are all using UNC while the people who are not are having problems because perhaps new IP's are being assigned.  (Doesn't explain the 'duplicate server name on network errors though'.)  

For those that cannot render, if you use UNC pathing does that change anything?  Thanks for trying that.

Best Regards,

[adam_avenali]

1) Yes, Windows 10 Enterprise and Group Policy to map network drives. Confirmed that it resets drive mappings every 90 minutes.

2) I can't really test this since I don't have control over the Group Policy. Getting this changed would require pleading with IT.

3) Standard pathing. But, before final rendering, I use the Asset Collector script and copy/map everything to a folder on my desktop. I then copy that folder to my render nodes' desktops. This has been the most stable way for me over my network.

4) V-Ray 3.50.03

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Thank you @adam_avenali for the information.  Since you are using standard pathing and others are using UNC but you both seem able to render, I don't think the type of pathing is making much difference here but it was worth asking about.  Confirmation of the resetting of the mapped drivers every 90 minutes helps a lot though.   Thank you for the update.  

I am still looking for information and hoping the other members of this thread post their information.  I will update this thread when I have more information and thanks very much. 

Best Regards,

[ivan.wupi]

Ok, guys brace yourselves 😄

I kinda solved this problems...

since it's network related issue and some do experience it and some don't, probably because of different network setups and network capabilities so this solution might not work for you, but if you are desperate you can try it.

Little disclaimer, I am not responsible if all goes south and you mess something up, read carefully before you proceed.

Step 1:

Uninstall old BB and delete all directories related to BB(that includes c:\user\youruserNAME\appdata\local\backburner and whatever/wherever you find on BB DIR on your drive.

step 2:

go here  https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/929852/how-to-disable-ipv6-or-its-components-in-windows

DOWNLOAD

disable ipv6, Prefer IPv4 over IPv6 in prefix policies, Disable IPv6 on all nontunnel interfaces, Disable IPv6 on all tunnel interfaces...

No need to download last one. Just in case, restart your machine before you install 4 files you've just downloaded...

Step3:

After reboot Install 4 files, there is no need to follow particular order, do it one by one.

Step 4:

Reboot after installation is successfully completed, add ipv4 address and subnet manually to your network cards, CHECK if everything is working on the network and if things are accessible(they should be),

Install BB 2018, add specific parameters manually in BB server(those ipv4 addresses you've entered) or computer names, no need to go all the way old school. Do not hit OK before you proceed to step 5.

Step 5:

pray to god you personally like, comet or any other naturally occurring phenomena or celestial body that this will work, hit OK, restart Manager and server, you are done.

If it works, buy me a beer if not... well 😄

Take care and always wear sunscreen!  

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Thank you for posting that @ivan.wupi, that's good information.  I didn't think that Creator's Update might reset everything to IPv6, I should have thought of that and I did not.  Using IPv4 over 6 has been the resolution to some problems in the past.  Can anyone else verify this worked for them?

Best Regards,

[ivan.wupi]

Hi,

Unfortunately this only worked first time, at least for me, from whatever reason soon manager is restarted it goes back with the issues.

So i guess back to troubleshooting.

Take care

Edited by
Discussion_Admin

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @ivan.wupi,

Still, it was a good effort.  I'm having a heck of time reproducing this issue internally.  They even got me a 2nd machine with W10 on it but no dice.  I will continue to look for information.  

Best Regards,

[ivan.wupi]

Maybe i will get that beer after all 😄

I have solved error in BB on startup, i don't know if my previous post had any impact on this but here is continuation of my troubleshooting experience.

So this is continuation to my 5 step post...

After restarting Manager, it showed same errors... 127.0.0.1 localhost trying to search servers/socket/fancy error lines, and so on... so i have shutdown manager and servers.

I have disabled all Network cards on computer running Manager and Server in my case, restarted Manager and Server(with disabled NIC), let Manager obtain/search whatever he want's to do and it worked, re-enable NIC's and it doesn't show any errors or warnings when starting.

BTW. Windows firewall asked me to allow access or whatever win firewall asks these days so i clicked allow and it started without any errors whatsoever.  

Screenshot 1 in attachment

Again, i am in Harvey Keitel mode, 🙂 testing right now for stability issues(random errors on servers), first initial run was without errors so far.

@Alfred.DeFlaminis 

I think this is some windows network related issues, someone have it and someone don't, we, the lucky ones... Oh, I miss good old days when everything worked just fine with 2 clicks.

Take care

p.s. second rendering batch was also fine, i will continue testing it. And report any issues if i encounter them.

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Good work @ivan.wupi, you have attained reservoir dog status in my book.    

I would have never thought to do that, it's weird to me that disabling all NIC's still allows BB to see them.  I will add your notes to the tracker about this issue and thank you so much for sharing your information.  No amount of guessing or suggestions on my part would have led to that, and without the ability to repro I was flying blind.  You, sir, are an impressive specimen.  Thanks!

Best Regards,

[ivan.wupi · Accepted solution]

Hehe, thanks! 🙂

Ok Guys, this solution is working 100%.

!!! FINAL BACK BURNER troubleshooting guide on windows 10 !!! 

!!! DO THIS ONLY If your network or network administrator allows you to do so, check with them first !!!

!!! FOLLOWING PROCEDURE CANNOT BE DONE VIA REMOTE DESKTOP AS IT REQUIRES NETWORK TO BE DISABLED !!!

!!! READ CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU PROCEED !!!

Follow 5 step procedure for disabling IPV6 on your windows 10. !!! Post 48 in this thread !!!

Let's jump in:

1.

Log into your freshly rebooted windows and make sure BB Server or BB Manager are not running.

2.

Disable all NIC you have on your machine, from your network settings in windows(right click disable).

3.

Start BackBurner server, go to edit/general settings.

In "sever name or ip address" box type "localhost" as address.

do the same for "manager name or ip address", no need to mess with other settings.

Click OK to remember settings and turn off BB server!

4.

Start BackBurner manager, you will notice there is no more errors like you have saw before.

After manager is up and you have Oked all default settings in dialog(maybe it won't show if you didn't delete BB directories in user/local and prog. files..)

Start BackBurner server, manager should add server without any problems.

If by any chance firewall pops during this procedure, make sure you allow communication trough Firewall.

5.

Shutdown server and manager. 

Got to your windows and network settings. 

IT'S TIME TO RE-ENABLE all your NIC's!!! 

After you RE-ENABLE them, go to IPV4 settings and add your network preferred parameters, IP address and subnet mask.

Click Ok to remember settings, wait few seconds so new changes could be applied!

6.

Start BackBurner server, Start BackBurner manager!!! 

7. 

You are done!!!

Everything should be working without any errors(no red lines in manager or server windows), if you want you can go to BB server properties and add Manager name or IP address manually, it won't affect this fix.

Take care

[Anonymous]

So has this problem been officially solved? Is the solution provided really working for everyone? Attached a screenshot of some other strange backburner behaviour, still can't use it from this one computer... (haven't tried the provided solution though)

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I'm still having issues, but I need to finish the steps outlined in the second message. Hopefully that will fix it. My IT helper is on holiday this week so I'm hoping maybe next week to grab them for help. I'll post any updates from my side soon, I hope...

Kristi

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @Anonymous and welcome to the community,

I didn't mark that post as the solution yet because I can't be sure it worked for other users and @Anonymous who owns this thread hasn't verified as well.  I try not to accept a solution unless I have confirmation from at least 2-3 people it helped them or I am totally sure that the solution is correct.  @ivan.wupi has done some great work here and I salute his community minded nature but since I can't repro I can't verify and I was just hoping for confirmation.   @Anonymous giving it a go will help to verify and then I'll mark it as a solution, but it may not solve the problem for everyone.  (And thank you to all of you!)

As for the garbled Unicode text in your image, please see the link in my sig titled Network Rendering Troubleshooting Guide (or use this link).  At the bottom there are instructions for one way to deal with that.  If that fails, I will transfer your message to a new thread and do what I can to help.  Thank you!

Best Regards,

[Anonymous]

I am having exactly the same error with 2017. Never had this with 2016. Windows generally current, 64-bit. Only recently upgraded to 3DMAX 2017.

However, this doesn't prevent me from seeing and accessing servers on other machines. It might be irrelevant to my problem. 

I have two server computers. I can see one, but not the other.

So far as I can tell, it ought to work. It did on 2016.

Firewall on non-communicative computer allows server and manager access.

IPV6 is disabled using the MS tool.

All updates of MAX installed on all machines.

I can communicate with and run one server on another computer, but cannot contact the server on a second machine. I can see all the computers from each other in the Network folder and can access files on them.

Thoughts?

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @Anonymous,

I may need to split this post out to a new thread, but I wanted to ask a few questions first.  

1) Did you try the things in this thread?  

2) Which version of Windows is this for?

3) You'd mentioned the firewall, is it a 3rd party firewall or Windows Firewall?  If 3rd party, you must also configure Windows Firewall as well.  

Thanks for those answers, I appreciate it.

Best Regards,

[Anonymous]

Thanks. Great to hear from you.

There is a very long thread there. I didn’t see anything that I haven’t already done.  Let me recap:

I have three machines, V8, Screamer, and Hexe.  

V8 and Screamer are more or less the same hardware, quad-core hyperthreaded, 32 Gig of RAM. Hexe is a brand new i9, 10 core.

Hexe died recently, and had to be rebuilt. During the time that it was being repaired, I needed to issue some work, and the 2016 license lived on the previous iteration of Hexe, a 6 core machine. Rather than try to move the authorization to V8, my second-tier machine, I elected to install the 2017 version, which was available from my subscription that I did not renew last year after many years of membership. Now, with the new interface, it is the only version available. So, I installed 2017 on V8 and then on Hexe when it returned from the shop.

They were able to reuse the C: drive and so no re-install of Windows or MAX was required. After the 2017 upgrade on these two machines, everything was working fine. No strange messages whatsoever. That was about 2 months back. Since then, Windows had done two major upgrades. 

Tuesday, I upgraded Screamer to the new version of MAX.  Then I tested the network rendering system and that is when the problems began.

1. In MAX 2016, I never had any problems at all.
2. I had no problems with MAX 2017 until this week. I suspect it is the latest Windows 10 upgrade.
3. All three machines are running the latest version of Windows 10.
4. Machines running MAX 2017 before the last Windows upgrade do not exhibit the problem on their servers. Only the machine upgraded to MAX 2017 yesterday gives the error message, “Error sending on UDP to 192.168.1.75: A socket operation was attempted to an unreachable network. (0x2743).
5. All machines are running SP3 of MAX 2017.
6. The manager machine, Hexe is giving the error “Could not broadcast FIND_SERVERS…” and “Could not broadcast DISCOVER_SERVERS…”.  I Closed that instance of Manager and opened Manager on V8. That result is shown in the png image. Same result.
7. I can render on two machines, V8, and Hexe..

IP and NETWORK COMMENTS:

1. IP address is obtained automatically at all locations.
2. IPV6 has been disabled on all locations using the MS tool.
3. I can see all the computers from each other and can access files on shared directories.
4. Firewalls appear to have Manager, Monitor and Servers listed for all iterations – i.e. 2017 and previous versions

It appears to me that MAX 2017 installs that are a couple of months old work fine. I was able to submit to network rendering on the two servers that the Manager sees, V8 and Hexe.

I also ran a test network render using a Manager on V8, my second computer. Ran fine.

We have been doing network rendering for many years. You can see some of our videos on our Facebook page, Virtual Architecture. Although we don’t need the facility right now, so time is not a key factor, we do want to get this straightened out because we will be doing more animation in the future and we will need that other machine in the mix.

Much appreciate your good work. Hope we can figure this out and kill it.