kwhitt

4 hours ago, 65Shelby said:

KWhitt
Did you get the two PLAN files I sent last week?  Were they able to work without error?

JSneller

J - Sorry, just seeing this.  I don't get PM notifications for some reason.  I am unable to render the sent file using the standard render - it crashes every time.  Is this something you are able to do on your laptop?  I found an older version of my file when I got back to the office today.  I am able to open and move around in 3D space, but every so often it crashes.

This is the first laptop I have ever owned.  I have three very powerful workstations and I'm starting to get the feeling I am expecting too much from the laptop.  It's disappointing as I forked out almost $5k for this machine.

Tech support has sent over some other things to try; however, I'm not hopeful.  Someone mentioned this being a Windows 11 issue which is unfortunate as it's not possible to downgrade to Windows 10,

There could possibly be something  wrong with this machine as well.  While sitting idle with no apps running, I can hear the CPU churning away.  Further, it seems to run hot all the time.  Here again, I do not know what to expect from a laptop.

I'm back home this week, so will use a machine that I know works.  In my free time, I'll keep researching the issues with this laptop.

Thanks for the help,

Kevin

13 minutes ago, 65Shelby said:

KWhitt, would you like one of us to upload a PLAN file to you just for further troubleshooting?  I can PM you a Dropbox link on one.
JSnell

I would greatly appreciate that. Please send me a link.  Thanks!

If the file is bad, I'll attempt to make an area copy and paste into a new file.

@bdillard1

@MarckusW

@65Shelby

@Kbird1

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions.  I don't have confirmation yet, but I may have had a corrupt file.  I found another job I had with me that loaded just fine.  I've sent the problem file to support in the hopes that it can be recovered (if that's the problem),  Fingers crossed that it's just this particular file as I don't have an older version with me and can't get to one until Monday.

6 minutes ago, DRAWZILLA said:

my system is only 2 months old and I have it.

Don't know.  Mine's a week old and I don't have it.  Do any of these three show up under services?

Alienware Client Management Services

Alienware Digital Delivery Services

Alienware SupportAsssist Remediation

6 minutes ago, bdillard1 said:

I wish you the best of luck, hopefully they have a quick answer for you.   

 

Things support will often ask just so you are ready -   Go ahead and wait for their response before doing anything - this is just a prep list so you are ready.

Are you using any remote software that isn't part of windows such as VNC or teamviewer as they have virtual video  and while you may not be using them they may be loaded.

Are you using any firwall product - e.g. kapersky.   Also some VPN products have them built in such as sophos.  (Not likely to be the issue but they often ask)

Your computer may have come with McAffee preinstalled - I just remove it - regardless of CA    Defender isn't perfect but a stick in the eye still beats McAffee IMHO - malwarebytes is pretty good.

They may ask you to go to MSCONFIG go to services and disable all - when you reboot and go back to msconfig don't worry you can enable all and it will only leave the ones running that need to be.

 

Thanks.  I've been through many of these with tech support already.  I am sending the Chief file next.  I do use Splashtop Business for remote computer access (like Teamviewer, but much more affordable).  I'll disable the streamer which runs in the background and see if that helps.  I'd never use McAffee or Norton!

42 minutes ago, DRAWZILLA said:

did you check in the task manager under services? if its there , you, need to turn it off perinatally from computer management . 

Evidently they don't use the name Nahimic in the newer versions.  Working with tech support I disabled the following:

Alienware Client Management Services

Alienware Digital Delivery Services

Alienware SupportAsssist Remediation

3 minutes ago, DRAWZILLA said:

every computer I have ever got from Alienware (6) has needed windows and Alienware updates every time, also to turn off Nahimic services. You may have already done this though. I recently got a new computer with a dead ssd drive but they came to me and fixed it.

Hey Perry.  Everything is updated including the driver.  I looked for Nahimic services as you recommended in the other thread and could not even find it installed on my machine.

3 minutes ago, bdillard1 said:

They are going to ask you to make sure you have the latest video driver so you might as well go to nvidia and do that if you haven't already.   Also verify if the issue occurs when you have the laptop plugged into power or not.

I had already updated to the latest driver and tried the older gaming one recommended elsewhere.  I just now tried unplugging the power supply - no luck.  I just sent in the System Info and Chief Message Log.  Hopefully, they are able to come up with something...

58 minutes ago, Chrisb222 said:

 

If I was on vacation at the beach, I would consider this a blessing.

Chris - LOL!  You'd think so, but unfortunately I've got too much to do.  At least I can see the ocean from my desk!

2 minutes ago, Gawdzira said:

Have you added Chief Architect in the Nvidia control panel?

 

 

Alan - yes, it was the first thing I tried after seeing your post in the BIG thread dealing with this issue.

I have read through this entire thread and tried the suggestions with no luck.  I just opened a ticket with Support.  Hopefully, they can provide a fix as I'm stuck with this laptop for a week and piles of work.

I purchased a laptop recently to keep working while I travel.  Well, here I am at the beach on the first day using it and every time I employ the camera tool to look around in 3D space, Chief crashes.  I am able to reproduce the problem 100% of the time.  The file was started in Windows 10 on my workstation.  The laptop is Windows 11 – not sure if that matters.

The specs on the new laptop are below in my signature.  The error generated is shown in the first attachment.  The DirectX Diagnostic panel is in the second attachment.

The specific error states “Device Removed” and refers to a location on C: drive.  Anyone got any ideas? 

I thought I’d try the forum first before calling Chief.

Thanks, Kevin

3 minutes ago, SNestor said:

 

In my video I use a modified Kohler symbol...and I don't have this issue. I've opened and closed the plan and created new camera views...no problem. Weird. 

It is weird, but as I believe you were the first to tell me "That's Chief!".  Or at least you say it in your videos often!

What I'd really like to see fixed asap is the reflections behind glass problems in this thread:

The PBR engine is quite capable and I've gotten stunning results lately; however, I am unable to portray glass pendants over my kitchen islands.  If Chief were to get this right, it would save so much time not exporting to a more polished rendering software.

9 minutes ago, SNestor said:

So the problem is that the symbol is not cutting a hole in the custom countertop...or, it does, but when you open the plan at a later date the "gap" returns?

 

I've tested this on my MAC...I've saved the file, opened and closed and created different renders and the sink is always in the correct position...no gap. I wonder if it's a video card issue?

 

Or...am I not understanding the real problem....admittedly I'm not sure if I do.  

The symbol does cut the hole, but it's taking the sides with it.  It does not happen with Kohler catalogs - only custom symbols I bring in or convert from Kohler.  Maybe it's time to nudge tech support on this fix!

32 minutes ago, SNestor said:

Not really a bug...whomever created the undermount kohler sink symbol did not locate the z-axis correctly. 

Watch the video...

 

Kevin Whitt - Fix for undermount Kohler Sink (not a bug really) - Watch Video

Hi Steve - my custom symbols have the appropriate Z offset.  Tech Support has verified that this is a known issue.  It might look okay at first; however, it will change in subsequent renderings.  It only seems to happen when the countertops are custom which is 99% of the time for me.  Tech Support offered a workaround where you pull the sink off the countertop and put it back in place.  It holds for a while, but now forever.  I have been making a standard line poly from the cut-out shape and extruding that to cover the gap.

3 minutes ago, robdyck said:

I know those images aren't great. I was just putting a spotlight on the spheres to see the how the inner sphere reacted to different light sources. I did change the IOR for the outer sphere material to 1.1.

Okay, I understand.  Didn't mean to sound ungrateful, just trying to figure it out...  Kevin

58 minutes ago, robdyck said:

I think perhaps there needs to be more ambient light.

Rob - thanks for experimenting with this file.  So, am I to assume that you didn't change the IOR of the glass and only added ambient lighting?  No offense, but the image is now too washed out and was much more photoreal without the flat lighting.  I hope I am able to achieve what needs to be done without the overexposure.  Thanks again!

29 minutes ago, robdyck said:

Here's a higher resolution example of the glass (for Kevin) and my jagged shadows.

 

Thanks Rob.  Definitely an issue.  Chief requested my plan file this morning which I uploaded.  I'll report on what they say...

18 hours ago, Chiefer said:

Try to reduce the ior to at least 1.25

 

 

Jintu - thanks for the input.  It still doesn't work for me.  Nice image you have there.  Kevin

Here's a render without refraction to draw a comparison.  Chief - please get this fixed!

16 hours ago, Kbird1 said:

Yep nice Image as usual , but perhaps they lost something in the latest Update last week?    ( I assume second pic is from an earlier version? )

 

Mick

Thanks Mick!  Yes, that 2nd image was about a week after the initial fix back in August.  It could have occurred in last week's update.  I'll let you know the response from Chief.  Kevin

16 hours ago, Ridge_Runner said:

You sure are! That looks fantastic!

Thanks Mike!

4 hours ago, mtldesigns said:

I would be ecstatic if this was the quality I could get.

Thanks Michael.  But would be even better if reflections showed behind refractive glass - at which time (not too long ago) they did.

I’ve created a pendant symbol for a kitchen design I’m working on (image attached).  The shade is glass with a glass bulb and parts of the metal downrod in the center obstructed by the glass shade.  It appears that reflections behind glass do NOT work at this time.  I started a thread months ago and thought Chief had solved this problem – guess not.

I thought maybe it had something to do with the fact that the materials were contained within the same symbol.  I squashed that thought quickly by creating two spheres, the outer of which was assigned a glass material and the inner, polished nickel – same problem.

I am very close to achieving photorealism with this new PBR engine; however, I’ll never get there with this ongoing issue.

Anyone have any suggestions (workarounds) or is this just a limitation of the rendering engine in its current state?  Of course, I'll report this again!

Thanks,

Kevin