Max 2014 does not start after workspace_1__usersave__.mnux invalid

[Anonymous]

My 3ds Max 2014 does not start anymore. It may be related to my laptop crashing a few days ago because of battery problems, but I thought I started Max succesfully afterwards.

The first time it would not start I got the message saying <<user_directory>>/AppData/Local/Autodesk/3dsMax/2014 - 64bit/ENU/en-US/UI/Workspaces/usersave/workspace_1__usersave__.mnux is invalid
After clicking OK I got the mesage that an error occurred and the application will now be closed. Do you want to save a copy of the current scene.

I then removed the usersave directory, assuming Max would use the default configuration, and that did remove the mesage about the file being invalid, but I still get the message that an error occurred and the application will be closed.

I then put the usersave directory back and overwrote the workspace_1__usersave__.mnux file with the default one and renamed it. Still no change, the message about the file being invalid was gone, but the application still did not start.

Finally I did repair and eventually reinstall Max, but even that does not solve the problem.

I hope someone can tell me what to do, because obviously a product update based on my problem report will take some time. I found someone with the same problem, but unfortunately, no answer:
http://www.crydev.net/viewtopic.php?f=326&t=104961

Thanks!

[Anifex09]

This may be due to your product registry becoming corrupt. One way to fix this is to uninstall Max form your computer. Go through and delete all folders related to 3dsmax 2014 such as ............
(C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\3dsMax 2014) "ProgramData folder is a hidden folder" -
(C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2014) - (C:\Users\\Documents\3dsMax) Be aware that this may require you to re-register MAX. Reinstall Max and you should be good to go.

[Steve_Curley]

Removing the usersave folder should be sufficient to clear the problem with the .mnux file. Your real problem is that there are many .ini files scattered araound the .../3dsMax/2014 - 64bit/* folders. Trying to find which one is causing the problem could be difficult.
There should be a .../3dsMax/2014 - 64bit/ENU/en-US/Network/Max.log. See if that gives you any clues.

If not, uninstall, remove the original installation folder, remove (or rename) .../3dsMax/2014 - 64bit then reinstall. Many of configuration files are not removed during an uninstall, neither are they overwritten during a reinstall so simply uninstalling then reinstalling will frequently not fix the problem.

If you're concerned about the license, use the LTU to export the license to Autodesk before uninstalling, then get it back (with the LTU) after you reinstall

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the reactions.

The remark about removing the 3dsMax - 64 bit folder was helpful. Although rather than uninstalling Max from my laptop alltogether, I figured I'd try to rename the current folder and copy the folder from my desktop installation to my laptop. And that worked.

By the way, the max.log file didn't show much. There were only entries 'Starting network' for all the times that Max wouldn't start.

[Steve_Curley]

You were probably just lucky. There are so many configuration files in the user folder that one of those is more often than not the cause of a problem. Good that you got it working, anyway.

[Anonymous]

just rename the folder UI example(UI-back)----------------/AppData/Local/Autodesk/3dsMax/2014 - 64bit/ENU/en-US/UI

and 3ds max remplace the folder whit a valid workspace_1__usersave__.mnux

[Anonymous]

thanks this was very helpful 

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

FYI Renaming the "UI" folder to "UI_OLD" and restarting MAX resolved the issue for me.

[Anonymous]

as you solved ?, I have the same problem, and I hope you can help me!

[Anonymous]

Thanks doing this fixed three different errors a user was having with their 3dsmax 2016.

There other errors they were getting were

Starting 3ds Max gives error Unhandled exception has occurred in a component in your application.

Error parsing xaml file '.', hexadecimal value 0x00, is an invalid character. line 1, position.

[Anonymous]

Thank you! You help me thery hard!!! Million thanks to you! In max 2016 it works too!

[reece.taylor]

Thank you, you're a lifesaver!

[Anonymous]

Renameing the existing UI folder to UI_OLD solved the problem in 3ds max 2016
Thank you soooo much

[Anonymous]

I changed the name of the UI carpet to UI_OLD but now the maxstartUI.mnux file is invalid and the program shut down ¿what should I do?

[andri.pohaa]

awesome! you are the best

[cesartbcn]

It works!!!