This page provides explanations and solutions to common installation issues.
Overview
The following sections address commonly encountered issues when installing Phoenix.
Cannot Install Phoenix
Symptoms:
The installation file terminates unexpectedly when you attempt to run it.
Cause:
The installation file is not downloaded properly.
Solution:
Download the installation file again from the Chaos website Downloads area (login required).
Phoenix Could Not Obtain License
Symptoms:
Creating and selecting a FireSmokeSim or a LiquidSim object opens its Authorization rollout and displays the error message "Could not obtain a Workstation license!" or "Could not obtain a Simulation license!". If you try to simulate, you will get a message box with the same error message.
Cause:
Either no access to the Phoenix license server or no available licenses on the Phoenix license server.
To run a simulation, you need to have a Phoenix simulation license. To render the result of the simulation, you need a V-Ray license.
Resolution:
Use the Config License Server... button to input a correct address for the license server. You will need to restart 3ds Max for the changes to take effect.
If this does not resolve the problem, go through the following checklist:
A. Check the Phoenix license server
- Restart the machine with the Phoenix license server and dongle installed.
- Unplug the dongle and plug it again in a different USB port, preferably USB 2.0. Make sure that Windows properly recognizes the dongle and doesn't show an error message. If you receive an error message, please refer to Phoenix License Server Can't Start section.
- Start the Phoenix license server from Windows Start menu > All Programs > Chaos Group > Phoenix FD Adv for 3dsMax... > Licensing > Launch Phoenix FD license server. You may receive a message warning that the Phoenix license server is already running.
- Open the link http://localhost:30304 in a web browser on the same machine. This will open the Phoenix license server status web page. If it looks like the screenshot below, the license server is working.
B. Check the available licenses on the license server
After you have ensured the Phoenix license server is working, you need to check the available licenses.
On the same machine where the Phoenix license server is running, open the link http://localhost:30304/getstatus and look for your licenses. Refer to the Set Up Your Phoenix License page for more information on the type of licenses you need to look for.
C. Check connection to license server
If Phoenix is on the same machine as the Phoenix license server, you can skip this step.
To make sure that nothing is blocking the connection to the license server on the machine where you want to run Phoenix, open the link http://<IP_address>:30304 in a web browser, where <IP_address> is the IP address of the machine with the Phoenix license server. If you get a web page like the one below, Phoenix can access the Phoenix license server from this machine. In the example screenshot below, the IP address of the machine with the license server is 10.0.0.160.
If you get an error message that the web page can't be accessed, then there is a network problem that prevents the connection to the Phoenix license server. If you have any firewall or antivirus software running on your machines, make sure they are not blocking applications' access to the network or blocking communication on TCP/IP port 30304. Please contact your system administrator for more information.
D. Check the Phoenix license settings
On the machine where you want to use Phoenix, run the Phoenix license client configuration utility from Windows Start menu > Programs > Chaos Group > Phoenix FD for 3ds Max... > Licensing > Administration > Change Phoenix FD client license settings. In the dialog that appears, make sure that the IP address in the License server field under the Primary license server tab is entered correctly and that the connection port is 30304. If you modify any of these settings, you will need to restart 3ds Max.
If the Phoenix license server is running on the same machine as Phoenix, you can use localhost or 127.0.0.1 in the License server field.
Phoenix License Server Can't Start
Symptoms:
When you start the Phoenix license server, a Start Error dialog appears:
Cause:
This error message appears when the Phoenix license server cannot find a dongle attached to the machine. Note: This message appears only if you start the Phoenix license server manually from the Windows Start menu and if it is not running as a service.
Resolution:
Follow these steps to resolve the issue:
- If the dongle is plugged in, unplug it.
- Uninstall the WIBU-KEY driver from the Windows Control Panel.
- Update your USB drivers to the latest version.
- Restart your machine.
- Download and install the latest WIBU-KEY drivers from the WIBU Systems website.
- Attach the dongle to a different USB port, preferably a USB 2.0 port. Make sure that Windows recognizes the dongle and doesn't show error messages.
- To verify that dongle is properly installed, go to the Windows Control Panel > System applet. Choose the Hardware tab and then click on the Device manager button. Expand the Universal serial bus controllers list and check for a WIBU-BOX/RU entry there, as shown below. If you do not find this entry, try plugging the dongle into a different USB port.
Dongle Disconnects Periodically
Symptoms:
The dongle works for extended periods of time, but periodically it is no longer detected by Windows as a USB device, causing the Phoenix license server to fail or Phoenix licenses to be refused.
Cause:
There can be a number of reasons related to the hardware configuration and Windows settings like Power Options.
Resolution:
Check the Windows Power Options on the machine where the dongle is plugged in, and make sure that USB ports are not periodically powered off.
Try to plug the dongle into a different USB port on the same machine, preferably USB 2.0, and restart the Phoenix license server. If you still experience problems, try to install it on a different machine.
Missing Phoenix License Server Icon
Symptoms:
The Phoenix licensing server is running but there is no icon in the Windows System Tray.
Cause:
The icon is hidden by the Auto-hide unused icons option of the Windows System Tray or the Phoenix license server is registered as a Windows service.
Resolution:
If you have the Auto-hide unused icons option of the Windows System Tray, click on the double-arrow icon to expand the full list of icons.
If you still do not see the Phoenix licensing service icon, that means that the Phoenix licensing service is started as a Windows service and in that case it cannot show any graphical user interface. There is currently no resolution for this; you need to manage the Phoenix license service from the Windows Control Panel > Administrative tools > Services applet.
Cannot Update Dongle with .rtu File
Symptoms:
WIBU-KEY drivers are properly installed, but double-clicking on the .rtu file doesn't update the dongle.
Cause:
The .rtu file is not associated properly with the WIBU-KEY drivers.
Resolution:
First try the steps from Phoenix License Server Can't Start section. If this doesn't help, proceed with the steps below:
- Make sure the dongle is plugged in.
- In the Windows Control Panel, locate the WibuKey management tool and run it.
- Start Advanced Mode from the system menu by clicking on the system icon in title bar (shown in red below).
- Go to the WibuBox Update tab. Click Browse, specify the .rtu file, and click Apply.
