There is a solution for the bright spots. Under Settings/Color mapping tab uncheck "Sub-pixel mapping".
I don't have an answer for the IES problem. If your copy of V-ray is cracked maybe thats the issue, a bad crack...just saying...
Well I'm not really sure on a Vray setting side, but in Photography the way to fix that would be by doing 2 or more exposures, one for proper interior lighting and one for proper exposure of the window and then combine them in photoshop or other HDR program.
Ok so for everyone having the same problem, This is my solution.
Forget the hdri in the envrionment slot ans make a huge circle around your model, apply the texture on it and uncheck the "Cast Shadows" option in your material. That's it. Will work when the HDRI don't work for i know what reason.
Hi
Can you tell us what settings you are using. for example
"Caustics Tab"
-Max photons
-Multiplier
-Max Density
-Search Distance
"Environment...GI Color Tab
-Caustic Subdvis
-Photon radius
have you followed this tutorial step by step?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbHdi5bEdlI
Try this you will need some plugins like Solo said you can get 30 day trial of artisan.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIcHHsjQ-Mo&list=FLBKlq_AxA8_7mukGP58Serg&index=6&feature=plpp_video