• Adobe After Effects

  Computer shutdown while rendering

  Posted by Don Watt on July 31, 2009 at 8:51 pm

  Hi,
  I have used After Effects for a few years to do very, very simple things such as keying, time stretch etc. So I am a very basic user starting to need to learn more. I have about a million questions but my most urgent is an issue I’m having while rendering a particular project.
  I have CS3 and am running XP SP3 with a Supermicro X7DA8 mobo, with 2X Dual core 3.2 GHZ processors with 2 threads per core. Windows sees this as 8 processors. I have 3 gigs of ram with striped SATA 2 Drives.

  My video card is a Raedon X1300/X1550 series with 512mb of ram.

  The project is a template that I have customized. It was originally in HD but I have made an SD composition to render it out as a QT D1. I don’t know how much of this info is relevant!

  While rendering this project- about 3 secs in- the computer crashes- not Blue Screens- but I get a warning beep from the mobo and it shuts down. I have had overheating issues in the past which I have resolved. Before the computer shuts down the task manager shows all the processors totally maxed out- but the core temperatures are not in the red.

  I am looking for a solution to this. Have I set up AE incorrectly? I would happily sacrifice render speed to get through the render!

  Any input would be greatly appreciated.

  THANKS

  Don

  Jon Geddes replied 17 years, 1 month ago 5 Members · 4 Replies
• 4 Replies

• 

  Kevin Camp

  July 31, 2009 at 9:15 pm

  you might try disabling ‘render multiple frames simultaneously’ in the multiprocessing preference.

  Kevin Camp
  Senior Designer
  KCPQ, KMYQ & KRCW
• 

  Don Watt

  July 31, 2009 at 11:54 pm

  Thanks!
  Doing this and opening the case and sticking a huge fan on this has “solved” the problem. Processors were running cooler but overall system temperature through the roof- and this with a SuperMicro server case designed for mobo!
  I need to look into other forms of cooling… any ideas welcome.

  Thanks for your help.

  Don
• 

  Thomas Leong

  August 1, 2009 at 2:26 pm

  Ah…basic cooling. i have found that blowing air into the case & components is not good enough. One needs either extraction and/or an outlet for the in-coming air to exit in order to get a cooler temp inside the case.

  When one has a fan blowing air into the case from one side of the case, the main problem encountered is that the mobo blocks the other side of the case. That’s why removing the cover is the next best thing.

  So try installing a 5″ fan on one side, and cut more holes at the back of the case to improve the through-flow, or install fan(s) at the back of the case in such way that they extract rather than the opposite (just a matter of reversing the fan 180 degrees – test with a ribbon or smoke).

  my two cents,
  Thomas Leong
  Malaysia

  PS: I have been operating my desktops without using air-conditioning in this hot tropical climate, for at least 10 years now and have never had an over-heating problem. Just good free-flowing ventilation should solve it.
• 

  Jon Geddes

  August 1, 2009 at 3:32 pm

  If you are using stock coolers for the processors, then you can drop your temps by 10 degrees Celsius or more simply by upgrading to a much better Heatsink and Fan. You will likely need to spend over $50 on each HSF for a decent one. Also make sure to use a good thermal compound. Arctic Silver works extremely well.

  Jon Geddes
  http://www.precomposed.com

Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up