"Insufficent memory for shadow buffer" - too little video RAM?

[Sukhoi]

I'm trying to render large scenes in 3D Studio VIZ and getting an error message that says "Insufficient memory for shadow buffer" while rendering. The machine is a Crapaq PIII 500 MHz, 192 MB PC100 RAM, ATI 3D Rage Pro 8 MB AGP 2X, 10 GB 7200 RPM HDD. Completely underpowered for what I'm using it for. Anyway, I've ordered two 256 MB PC100 sticks from Crucial to help out the lack of system RAM. But is there a possibility that the error message is also related to the video card only having 8 MB of RAM? Even though it's a full-size desktop case it has a low-profile AGP card. :|

 

[rbV5]

Try increasing your virtual memory, it probably can't hold your scene entirely in memory so it has to use virtual memory, which there isn't enough for the shadow buffers for your scene.

 

[Peter]

I'm not quite sure, but I _think_ the RagePro chip isn't a real AGP chip (meaning that it can't borrow system memory if it runs short on its own). But if it can, enter BIOS and make the AGP aperture bigger.

 

[rbV5]

The rendering is done by the CPU, not the graphics card, so its running out of system memory first, then virtual memory. IIRC, in 3Dviz the default setting for all lights is to have Shadow Casting checked on. I would turn off all shadow casting that is not absolutely necissary...especially on an underpowered rig. Those shadow calculations are horribly complex, especially omni lighting. If you are using multiple omni lights, thier intersecting overlaps are doing you in likely.

 

[Sukhoi]

Virtual memory is already set at 768 MB. On the render screen it only shows it using ~300 MB of virtual memory when it gives the error message.

Peter, no registry options even close to that complex on a Crapaq.

rbV5, good idea about turning off shadow casting until I can get the problem fixed...I hadn't thought of that. BTW, so far I have 194 omni lights. :Q Mostly from the fluorescent lights in a large office I'm modeling. I expect the full movie render to take a weekend or longer.

 

[AtomicDude512]

Originally posted by: Peter
I'm not quite sure, but I _think_ the RagePro chip isn't a real AGP chip (meaning that it can't borrow system memory if it runs short on its own). But if it can, enter BIOS and make the AGP aperture bigger.

That plan makes sense to me, if not try increasing your virtual memory/swapfile.