Did you happen to check "Area lights as points" (or something to that effect) in the general rendering parameters? That can make a WHOLE lot of difference if you re-render with it un-checked.
Otherwise....maybe I'm not understanding your problem correctly....
Your shadows were fine, until you switched to-and-from mental ray? (Ie...mental ray messed with the global shadow parameters?...so that they suck even after you switch back?)
Toni
65 posts
12 Jul 2005
yea you totally got it Tyson
Just unchecking 'Use Global' fixed it but i was totally lookin in the wrong direction haha!