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# 1 23-05-2013 , 12:37 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: toluca lake california
Posts: 117

2014 mental ray issues

Hey All

I have a project that was first created in 2013, but I took it into 2014, so of course now 2013 doesnt "see" the file, so I have had to continue working with it in 2014. At first no real big problems, just a few file issues such as wouldnt save as a .ma, some weird naming in my outliner which I fixed with namespace.

However, this project called for fur. I've deleted all extra objects not needed like the background, props and such to lessen the load. When I started to run renders, just simple ones, nothing fancy, it started to act weird, such as, some of the faces were missing, even though uvs have been normalized and flipped to happy blue.

The next series of events, errors as to where mental ray was, and even the render settings disappeared from the menu set, this only occurred with this file from what I could tell. However, I un-installed all Maya references, or so I thought.

I then redownloaded it from the student site(I'm a student), and when it got to the selecting of install options, it said mental ray bundle 2014 was already installed. Well I knew where the folder had been so I checked, no folder(since it is now a separate plugin and no longer bundled within the arms of Maya). I've done searches for the folder, plugin etc. No luck.

Anyone know how I can fix this? I've contacted Autodesk, well I haven't called them yet, and nada.

Help! Project due Sunday, and I can't get started with my fur because I can't even render to see what my settings look like user added image.

# 2 23-05-2013 , 12:46 PM
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Location: Toronto
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# 3 27-05-2013 , 03:44 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: toluca lake california
Posts: 117
Thanks but that's not the issue. I have checked to see if it's listed in the plugin manager and it's not there. That's the simple answer. Unfortunately, this isnt the problem. Maya 2014 installs mental ray as a separate folder from autodesk Maya.

2013 is included and you just have to check it off, as that post shows. Unfortunately, I cannot reinstall ANY autodesk products...
I've Used their cccleaner tool just to appease them, but it still will not install any autodesk products.

# 4 31-07-2013 , 07:10 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: toluca lake california
Posts: 117

Solution

This is the way I got it to work.

Since all cleaning efforts still didnt give the proper results, I decided to go a long route.

Realize I had gone into the registry, cleaned out everything Autodesk and ran cccleaner and even tuneup utilities registry cleaner.

I had to get 2013 at least and I had a hard copy, so I went deep into the folders and found a separate install and ran that, not the one in the immediate folder.

It doesnt recognize the licensing and therefore wont work, which is ok. Because it has now installed links to whatever was telling windows that it was still installed. I now go into the program files in the start menu, of autodesk, and use the uninstall program. I don't repair, update, just uninstall.

I then use the basic setup and voila it works...for 2013.

Unfortunately I didnt have a hard copy so I chose to download Maya 2014 and not just install from the website(which never worked). Once the download finished. Did the same procedure of going deep in the folders and finding a setup file, not the root directory.

Same thing Maya 2014, it will install, sort of, but no license, so it will stop. Use the uninstall tool, and reinstall via any other means and voila it worked!

If anyone needs more specific answers...leave me a message and I can guide you step by step. otherwise just wanted everyone to see I DID find a way!

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