After Effects on VM servers

[Chris Wright]

first thoughts,

1. are you using multiple emulated processors? try running on a single proc.

2. also check your processor ios
https://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php.
64-bit capable, it needs to list EM64T in this section.

3. and check your folder permissions where you’re rendering out the file. adobe/roaming read/write too
4. is it fat32? that’s a file size limit. use ntfs or exft
5. quicktime used?
https://blogs.adobe.com/aftereffects/2011/02/troubleshooting-quicktime-errors-with-after-effects.html
6.switch to nfs from afp network renders because of a 2.15GB limit.
7. check the crash report. os might have a report too.

[Michael Estepp]

hello.

The VMs are using 2 sockets with 4 cores each. I can make it 1 socket and 8 cores. This is as close to “Single proc” as we can get in a VM. The parent physical host machines have 2 processor sockets. You cannot disable one.

The CPU has been modified to be a one socket. I enclosed a screen shot, as you can see, there are many options, which are mostly left to default. Do you think any of those settings need to be tweaked?

Folder permissions are not the issue.

I am trying to get more information about the network from our IT guys.

[Chris Wright]

render batches? what about a single render of a image sequence with only image sequences in the project box, tiff,psd with no effects. that would eliminate possible codec issues and batch procesess. Some background render modules can causes crashes.

Make the render a little smaller than 2.15gb, then if successful, a little bigger than 2.15gb. We’re trying to get a super basic baseline for crashes by isolating the bare neccessary parts for a working network.

Do any other programs like premiere crash over the network?

try turning off AE’s render multiple frames instantaneously. I’ve heard it can cause occasional issues.
See what the AE crash report says.

So… to recap:

Certain AE plugins cause crashes. do a no 3rd party plugins image sequence with a fresh AE install with render multiple frames off. change power options to high so the computer doesn’t fall asleep.

[Michael Estepp]

I am taking half hour uncompressed SD quicktime and selecting an upper or lower field, and splitting out the tiff without frame blending in order to image restoration.

I queue up to ten at a time, hit render, and by the time I come back (usually the next day) it has all crashed out.

I have to do batches because I have over 4000 to get through.

Nothing else crashes over the network.

I will try turning off multi frame renders.

[Chris Wright]

importing only tiff image sequences for rendering would be a huge help in discovering if quicktime is the culprit, especially if the sizes are huge(over 3gb) and it doesn’t crash(your network can handle the size/workload!). It would be a good investment in your valuable time.

quicktime repair!
https://blogs.adobe.com/aftereffects/2011/02/troubleshooting-quicktime-errors-with-after-effects.html