3ds Max Design 2011 install problem

[DavidMoore3436]

I have recently purchased Max Design 2011, and found that I was getting a lot of crashes which appeared to be down to some corruption in the search paths.  It was suggested that the most thorough way to resolve this would be to un-install and do a clean install.  Problem is I got an error half way through un-installing which left residual bis of the program.  I tried deleting anything to do with Max, even going through the regedit for 4 hours deleting every entry to do with Max.  I have just tried to re-install and still get an error so there is obviously still something remaining on the system somewhere.

Can anyone suggest anything please, as usual this has happened right near the end of a project which I now can't deliver.

Many thanks

[DarrenP]

use this tool to uninstall

[DouglasLauritsen]

Be careful making registry edits such as this. My guess is that the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility will not be of much use to you because to use an analogy you removed some liquid from the bucket but the bucket is still there. Only the bucket no longer has sufficient amount of liquid to determine its contents. Meaning you probably deleted the value that shows up in the Add and Remove Programs (Features and Programs in Vista and 7) list or deleted the registry string. It is a Registry Key that needs to be removed. It is Best to use the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility, CCleaner, Revo Uninstaller, Glary Utilities or similar utility to remove the application from the Add and Remove Programs list, then try the reinstall. This saves you time and from damaging the Registry.

Let us know how things work out and we can help you navigate the Registry to remove the correct Key safely.

For what it is worth you might have an empty entry in the Add and Remove Programs List or the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility. There is Risk to deleting this empty entry as it may be another application, but you might try removing it after setting a restore point, backing up the registry and performing other backups.

[DavidMoore3436]

Thanks guys, I had tried the windows uninstall utility but as Douglas has mentioned I must have deleted an entry in regedit meaning Max wasn't showing up in the list.  I have done a System Restore to before the failed uninstall and have now managed to uninstall/install correctly.  

However the original problem persists so maybe you can shed some light on it. Basically when I start Max there seams to be some rogue materials which I'm not sure if they are supposed to be there as I don't know anyone else on 2011. These materials seam to be causing the problem.  I was getting a lot of crashes for no apparent reason, such as moving from one viewport to another or any random move vertex etc.

I found that even if I start Max, don't do anything to the empty scene, go to Utilities/more/bitmap/photometric paths, as soon

as I hit 'edit resources' I get a crash.

 .

To make it more spooky, my colleague sent me a simple file over with a box assigned with a default material.  When I open this the rogue materials are not there and the system doesn't crash when searching the 'bitmap/photometric paths'

Could this be a corrupt ini file? And if so why is it still there after a full uninstall / install.

It's maybe worth mentioning I am new to Max, but i have been using Lightwave for 10 years, so I'm used to strange crashes or Lightwaveisums as I call them.

System is....

Windows XP Pro

AMD Phenom II x4 955

4gb Ram

Nvidia Quadro FX1700

Again any help would be greatly appreciated.

[DouglasLauritsen]

Hi,

I asked a 3ds Max support technician about this and the recommendation that came from them was to update the display adapter drivers.

Let us know how things work out.

[DavidMoore3436]

Hi Douglas,

I could do that but it wouldn't explain how the file sent to me by a colleague working in 2010 works fine, it doesn't bring in the random materials and doesn't crash when searching the Bitmap/Photometric Paths.  Assigning new display drivers could run the risk of bringing in additional errors to all of my other programs such as Lightwave / Photoshop etc. 

Thanks

David

[DouglasLauritsen]

I am told the response to your question is that 3ds max default files comes with default materials, they were not integrated in 3ds max 2010, so it's normal you won't see them in your material editor.

[DavidMoore3436]

Thanks for the response but it doesn't explain why these default materials are causing crashes.  Is there a way to delete all of these default materials so they don't automatically load on startup?

[DouglasLauritsen]

The cause of this is known to be that the display adapters cause the crash. What was the result of updating the display adapters?

[DavidMoore3436]

I'm in the middle of a project in Lightwave which needs to be completed in the next couple of hours, as soon as I'm done I'll give it a try and let you know how I get on.

Thanks again

[DavidMoore3436]

Ok, I tried the latest Nvidia graphics driver, I still got the same crash.  I then tried the 3dMax Performance enhancing driver and still got the crash.

Is there anything else I can try?

[DavidMoore3436]

Just as a further thought, I opened Max created a box with a default colour and saved this.  I then sent the file to my software provider, they opened it and when they tried to search Bitmaps/Photometrics they also got the crash.  I could be wrong but this suggest to me that the problem is program based not hardware or drivers.

I have attached a file if you want to try it?

[DouglasLauritsen]

A max technician tried 3ds Max Design 2011 with your file but did not get a crash. Here are their recommendations:

I understand you encounter a crash in 3ds Max Design 2011 when clicking "Edit Resources" button from :

More > Utility > Bitmap/Photometric Paths

Please verify:

1. After using Add/Remove Programs to uninstall 3ds Max Design 2011:
2. Did you then manually remove the residual 3ds Max folder left back in C/Program files/ Autodesk?
3. Empty Recycle Bin after that?

If not, please be sure to follow above steps to uninstall 3ds Max Design 2011.

Once complete:

     1. rename the enu folder to enu.old.

          32-bit Windows XP:

                 C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Local Settings\Application Data\Autodesk\ 3dsMaxDesign\<version>\enu

          64-bit Windows XP:

                 C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Local Settings\Application Data\Autodesk\ 3dsMaxDesign\<version> - 64bit\enu

     2. Reinstall 3ds Max Design 2011

     3. Do Not add any 3rd party plugins for first day of testing.

     4. Create a new file from scratch and test to see if the crash recurs.

Let us know if that helps.

Also, are you using the 32-bit or 64-bit version of 3ds Max Design 2011 Max?

[DavidMoore3436]

Hi Douglas,

Sorry that this is becoming such a problem.

It's 32 bit

I've just uninstalled again, just to be clear is it just the Program folded for Max I need to delete or re-name or are there files in /local/application data etc that also need to go.

Can you give me a full run down of any left over files I need to get rid of and I'll go through it again methodically.

As I say, I've already uninstalled so it's just left over files I need to delete.

Thanks

[VishnuR]

Hello David

For this specific issue, here are the steps to try:

-uninstall max using Add/Remove Programs

-go to C/Program File/Autodesk and manually delete the folder: 3ds Max Design 2011

-delete the enu folder in:

C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Local Settings\Application Data\Autodesk\ 3dsMaxDesign\<version>\enu

-empty Recycle Bin.

If all of above was done, then reboot and reinstall max.

-do not install any 3rd party plugins for first few tests.

Let us know if all goes well.

Regards/Vishnu
3ds Max Tech Support

[DavidMoore3436]

Hi Vishnu,

Did all as you said, re-installed, same crash.

??