LOTR uses Linux, 3000 servers of it... OK, you told me you do not have Linux (need I mention it is free?) and if you wish to finish this project in a short time I do inderstand that using it seems daunting ( and not such a great advice). However, consider that all 3D feature films since Titanic were rendered using Linux render farms, so this platform did prove itself for this kind of tasks. On the long run you should give it more attention...