In some rare cases, Redshift may generate the following types of messages and abort rendering:
Redshift cannot operate with less than 256MB of free VRAM. Frame rendering aborted.
or…
There is less than 128MB of free VRAM once fixed data and minimal ray memory are considered
"VRAM" means "Video RAM": it's the GPU's memory.
Although Redshift supports out-of-core rendering, it requires a certain amount of available VRAM to run. The above message means that Redshift cannot find the minimum number and therefore cannot continue rendering.
These low VRAM messages mostly occur on GPUs with limited VRAM (for example, 4-6GB), or when there may be other running applications that use the GPU. GPUs with 11 GB or more of VRAM are much less likely to produce this type of error.
The best solution for insufficient VRAM memory in rs rendering
It is recommended to use Redshift on a GPU with as much VRAM as possible - such as a GPU with 11GB or more of memory.
Or you can directly use Xuanyun Cloud Rendering . You can enjoy batch extremely fast rendering without upgrading the hardware and computer configuration, and it does not occupy the local computer for other work and creation. 3D rendering is an essential plug-in to improve rendering speed.
Automatic matching of the rendering environment: the user's cloud rendering effect is consistent with the local one, and professional rendering engineers escort the project.
Safe and fast transmission: Based on the guarantee of the public cloud platform, artist projects can be automatically uploaded and downloaded in encryption using the client, and each project is batched Independent execution, ensuring safe and controllable
real-time preview and warning: for rendering tasks, you can pay attention to the rendering effect and estimated time in real time, freely set timeout warning reminders, and cancel timeout with one click. Compatible with many
software and plug-ins: supports common 3D Software, V-Ray independent version and other rendering submissions, supports 2000+ plug-ins, supports custom rendering environments, and can be combined in any way
Second-best solution to insufficient VRAM for Redshift rendering processing
If you can't upgrade your main GPU, you can also try using a relatively cheap GPU as your main monitor. You can use a GPU as your primary monitor by connecting it to the corresponding PCIe slot in your computer (usually this is the top slot on the motherboard) and making sure the monitor is connected to that GPU and not the other GPU you will be using for Render! Not connecting a monitor to the GPU is called "headless mode". This means that Windows and 3D applications don't use the GPU and therefore don't take VRAM - making it perfect for rendering with Redshift!
Redshift handles VRAM shortage and other solutions
NVIDIA Speed
If you are running multiple graphics cards with SLI enabled, you may receive an insufficient VRAM message. This is due to CUDA limitations.
Solution : Please go to NVidia Control Panel and disable multi-GPU mode. Note that by doing this, video games will not be able to use multiple GPUs at the same time. However, Redshift is still able to detect and use all GPUs in the system!
Windows Aero
Windows Aero is a feature of Windows Vista / Windows 7 that allows some windows to be translucent. While this is a visually pleasing effect, it has the unfortunate effect of using a lot of VRAM. Systems with weaker GPUs (in terms of VRAM) and Windows Aero enabled are more susceptible to VRAM starvation.
Solution : Disable Windows Aero
Close browser
The Google Chrome web browser may use a large amount of VRAM depending on the web content being displayed.
Solution : It is recommended to close the browser before rendering.
OpenGL viewport rendering
3D applications such as Cinema 4D, Houdini, Maya, 3DSMax, etc. use OpenGL to render their viewports. OpenGL uses your GPU, so it uses VRAM. Depending on the contents of the viewport, OpenGL can use a small or large amount of VRAM. Scenes that contain many triangles or use many textures and enable hardware textures in the viewport settings may use a lot of VRAM.
Solution : If your scene is heavy in viewport polygons or textures, it is recommended that you render using a bounding box and disable hardware textures.
Other GPU applications
Redshift isn't the only application using GPUs! Programs such as Photoshop, Mudbox, and Nuke can use large amounts of VRAM if certain GPU acceleration features are enabled and used.
Solution : It's not always obvious which application uses the GPU and how much memory it consumes. Therefore, if in doubt, it is recommended that you close all "suspicious" applications before rendering.
Old drivers installed. Or a reboot is required.
In some (rare) cases, old drivers may cause insufficient VRAM messages. In other cases, you may encounter a low VRAM message after installing newer drivers or some other software.
Solution : It is recommended that you use Redshift with the latest drivers. "Recent" doesn't necessarily mean "latest" - it means a driver no older than a few months. Also, if you installed newer drivers, we recommend restarting your computer. Finally, a reboot can sometimes fix low VRAM messages due to driver errors or some "stuck" 3D applications.
Whether to run multiple 3D software
If your 3D application is run many times, it may use a large amount of VRAM. In some cases, users don't even realize (due to software crashes) that multiple instances are running.
Solution : We recommend running only one instance of the 3D application. It's also worth checking the Windows Task Manager and making sure you don't have multiple instances of Cinema 4D, Houdini, 3DSMax, Maya running. This can happen if your 3D application crashes but is not completely removed from memory.