3DS 2018.2 crashing when saving

[Anonymous]

Hi there,

I'm having a problem with 2018.2, where the Max crashes on saving a file. It will actually save the file out correctly but I have to relaunch Max each time.

I am aware of this post:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/3ds-max-forum/3ds-2018-crashes-when-saving/m-p/7050499#M136819

But that will not help me, as I am not running a Dell, so I don't have that utility. I have am having this issue on two different systems, one running Windows 7 Pro, the other Windows 10 Pro, the exact same behaviour.

It happens when saving totally fresh, empty scenes, or scenes full of things, it really is just the act of saving that seems to cause the problem.

This behaviour has started recently, I had been using Max 2018 for a couple of months without issue. So far as I'm aware I haven't changed any plug ins etc. I have tried various options under the file preferences, compress on save, backup on save, save thumbnails etc. None of which seem to have changed the behaviour.

I would appreciate any help if anyone has experience a similar issue and been able to overcome it.

[Anonymous]

Hi there,

I'm having a problem with 2018.2, where the Max crashes on saving a file. It will actually save the file out correctly but I have to relaunch Max each time.

I am aware of this post:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/3ds-max-forum/3ds-2018-crashes-when-saving/m-p/7050499#M136819

But that will not help me, as I am not running a Dell, so I don't have that utility. I have am having this issue on two different systems, one running Windows 7 Pro, the other Windows 10 Pro, the exact same behaviour.

It happens when saving totally fresh, empty scenes, or scenes full of things, it really is just the act of saving that seems to cause the problem.

This behaviour has started recently, I had been using Max 2018 for a couple of months without issue. So far as I'm aware I haven't changed any plug ins etc. I have tried various options under the file preferences, compress on save, backup on save, save thumbnails etc. None of which seem to have changed the behaviour.

I would appreciate any help if anyone has experience a similar issue and been able to overcome it.

[Anonymous]

As an update to this, I believe I am zeroing in on the problem.

I'm not 100% sure at this point, but the VRay license server seems to be responsible. The hypothesis being that if for whatever reason Max loses connection to the server, or the license is interrupted in any way, the session becomes destabilised, and the next attempt to save will prompt a crash.

I will touch base with Chaos Group to see what can be done, but at this point if you're experiencing these symptoms it may be worth trying this solution.

[Anonymous]

As an update to this, I believe I am zeroing in on the problem.

I'm not 100% sure at this point, but the VRay license server seems to be responsible. The hypothesis being that if for whatever reason Max loses connection to the server, or the license is interrupted in any way, the session becomes destabilised, and the next attempt to save will prompt a crash.

I will touch base with Chaos Group to see what can be done, but at this point if you're experiencing these symptoms it may be worth trying this solution.

[WhitebirchStudios]

Yes, it is a known bug in V-Ray. Reinstall your V-Ray license server.

[WhitebirchStudios]

Yes, it is a known bug in V-Ray. Reinstall your V-Ray license server.

[BenBisares]

Keep us updated in your findings. Follow-up with me if it isn't V-Ray license server

[BenBisares]

Keep us updated in your findings. Follow-up with me if it isn't V-Ray license server

[Alfred.DeFlaminis · Accepted solution]

Hello @Anonymous and @WhitebirchStudios,

I have recently received confirmation from Vlado that a crash on save and autosave is related to the Vray license server and has already been fixed by Chaosgroup and will be rolled into the next 3.6 update.  For those of you that cannot wait, contact Chaosgroup customer support for access to the nightly builds which should resolve this for you sooner.  

If anyone is not using Vray and is getting this issue, please let me know.  The other known cause is Backup and Recovery software, specifically Dell.  (There may be others.)  

Best Regards,

[Alfred.DeFlaminis · Accepted solution]

Hello @Anonymous and @WhitebirchStudios,

I have recently received confirmation from Vlado that a crash on save and autosave is related to the Vray license server and has already been fixed by Chaosgroup and will be rolled into the next 3.6 update.  For those of you that cannot wait, contact Chaosgroup customer support for access to the nightly builds which should resolve this for you sooner.  

If anyone is not using Vray and is getting this issue, please let me know.  The other known cause is Backup and Recovery software, specifically Dell.  (There may be others.)  

Best Regards,

[Anonymous]

Thanks for confirming.

So as visitors understand the problem, reinstalling the license server won't really help, because you'll just be reinstalling the problem. The issue happens even if the connection to your licenses is lost for just a moment, say if you were to reboot a license server, or if it crashed, or just maybe if it decided to update itself and you had no say in the matter... Not that an operating system would do something like that.

Any of these things would interrupt your license access and will cause a crash on save, so by the sound of things we'll have to get a fix from Chaos Group.

Thanks again,

Rowan

[Anonymous]

Thanks for confirming.

So as visitors understand the problem, reinstalling the license server won't really help, because you'll just be reinstalling the problem. The issue happens even if the connection to your licenses is lost for just a moment, say if you were to reboot a license server, or if it crashed, or just maybe if it decided to update itself and you had no say in the matter... Not that an operating system would do something like that.

Any of these things would interrupt your license access and will cause a crash on save, so by the sound of things we'll have to get a fix from Chaos Group.

Thanks again,

Rowan

[WhitebirchStudios]

I don't know, reinstalling the license server solved it for me. 

[WhitebirchStudios]

I don't know, reinstalling the license server solved it for me. 

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

That is pretty much correct @Anonymous,  as I understand it.  I don't think the license server could update itself in the background without your knowledge though, of if it could Chaosgroup probably wouldn't use it in that way.  The W10 paradigm for background updates seems mostly tied to OS components and drivers, but I am no expert.  

This was tricky to nail down this issue because the crash dumps were not conclusive.  One of the Max developers named Larry Minton created an expanded dump reader for me and then was able to isolate the problem.  (Nicest guy ever.)  He then confirmed with Vlado.  One other thing I can also confirm is that it's not specific to W10, I'm on Win7 with my laptop and I was getting them as well once in a while.

They may very well have already fixed it, @WhitebirchStudios.  I am not sure as I don't have access to that info, but they are fast to update things.  

Best Regards,

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

That is pretty much correct @Anonymous,  as I understand it.  I don't think the license server could update itself in the background without your knowledge though, of if it could Chaosgroup probably wouldn't use it in that way.  The W10 paradigm for background updates seems mostly tied to OS components and drivers, but I am no expert.  

This was tricky to nail down this issue because the crash dumps were not conclusive.  One of the Max developers named Larry Minton created an expanded dump reader for me and then was able to isolate the problem.  (Nicest guy ever.)  He then confirmed with Vlado.  One other thing I can also confirm is that it's not specific to W10, I'm on Win7 with my laptop and I was getting them as well once in a while.

They may very well have already fixed it, @WhitebirchStudios.  I am not sure as I don't have access to that info, but they are fast to update things.  

Best Regards,

[WhitebirchStudios]

When mine was crashing my V-Ray was sending license errors, so I assumed my save crash was related. I uninstalled the licensed software and reinstalled it, then I reported it. It worked for me; I reported it early last month. My MAX 2018 was a new install with a new V-Ray, just a week before. When my machine updated to the Windows 10 Fall Creators I experienced the crashes. They could have fixed it within that week, but I don't think so. I think Windows broke the licensed software and reinstalling it fixed it. The same kind of thing happened with the initial Creators update in the Spring. Anyway, I think the issue has been uncovered and will be fixed.

[WhitebirchStudios]

When mine was crashing my V-Ray was sending license errors, so I assumed my save crash was related. I uninstalled the licensed software and reinstalled it, then I reported it. It worked for me; I reported it early last month. My MAX 2018 was a new install with a new V-Ray, just a week before. When my machine updated to the Windows 10 Fall Creators I experienced the crashes. They could have fixed it within that week, but I don't think so. I think Windows broke the licensed software and reinstalling it fixed it. The same kind of thing happened with the initial Creators update in the Spring. Anyway, I think the issue has been uncovered and will be fixed.

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

I must have missed or forgotten about the report you sent earlier in the month, thank you for the update and reminding me @WhitebirchStudios.  This is great info.  

Best Regards,

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

I must have missed or forgotten about the report you sent earlier in the month, thank you for the update and reminding me @WhitebirchStudios.  This is great info.  

Best Regards,

[mhj.notenboom]

It drives me crazy. Crashes all the time and always when I save the file. I am on Windows 10 but don't use Vray. Let me know how to solve things. I open 3DS MAX in admin mode now but no resolution.

I send hundreds of generated crash reports but nobody responded. 

best reg

Marc

[mhj.notenboom]

It drives me crazy. Crashes all the time and always when I save the file. I am on Windows 10 but don't use Vray. Let me know how to solve things. I open 3DS MAX in admin mode now but no resolution.

I send hundreds of generated crash reports but nobody responded. 

best reg

Marc

[Anonymous]

Well the problem was VRay license server related for me. Once ChaosGroup patched the server the problem desisted, so the issue you're having appears to be unrelated to the one I was having. I haven't had any other non-known issues since.

[Anonymous]

Well the problem was VRay license server related for me. Once ChaosGroup patched the server the problem desisted, so the issue you're having appears to be unrelated to the one I was having. I haven't had any other non-known issues since.

[BenBisares]

Hi Marc,

Sending a crash report isn't the same as creating a support case with Autodesk so a response is not usually given. That being said is is very important to send those reports in as they are used by development to determine what bugs to fix.

I did take a look at the reports that you sent in though and there isn't anything conclusive as to why it's crashing. Basically the crash is occurring on the 3ds Max core level.

One thing of interest is that it seems like you are the only person in the world who is getting that exact type of crash. Usually crash groupings have multiple users in it. This indicates that there is something unique to your setup that is causing the crash. Do you have any 3rd party plug-ins or scripts installed?

[BenBisares]

Hi Marc,

Sending a crash report isn't the same as creating a support case with Autodesk so a response is not usually given. That being said is is very important to send those reports in as they are used by development to determine what bugs to fix.

I did take a look at the reports that you sent in though and there isn't anything conclusive as to why it's crashing. Basically the crash is occurring on the 3ds Max core level.

One thing of interest is that it seems like you are the only person in the world who is getting that exact type of crash. Usually crash groupings have multiple users in it. This indicates that there is something unique to your setup that is causing the crash. Do you have any 3rd party plug-ins or scripts installed?

[mhj.notenboom]

Well... when you send a report you get a message that Autodesk will analyze the problems and come back to you with a solution. After sending crashes every 20 minutes a while, you stop doing it.

I uninstalled everything and reinstalled it without plugins or Vray. Today I had 1 crash which is already a big improvement. I also experience crashes on my laptop computer at home. So not hardware related.

When it crashes again I will bother to send a report again. The good thing is that I can always recover from the autoback file. So less dramatic

[mhj.notenboom]

Well... when you send a report you get a message that Autodesk will analyze the problems and come back to you with a solution. After sending crashes every 20 minutes a while, you stop doing it.

I uninstalled everything and reinstalled it without plugins or Vray. Today I had 1 crash which is already a big improvement. I also experience crashes on my laptop computer at home. So not hardware related.

When it crashes again I will bother to send a report again. The good thing is that I can always recover from the autoback file. So less dramatic

[mhj.notenboom]

Yes. The crashing frequency starts to pick up again. Just send you a new autogenerated report.

best reg

Marc

[mhj.notenboom]

Yes. The crashing frequency starts to pick up again. Just send you a new autogenerated report.

best reg

Marc

[mhj.notenboom]

CER_166105175

[mhj.notenboom]

CER_166105175

[BenBisares]

Looking into your report. It's been put into the same group as your other ones so potentially the crash is still being caused by the same issue but you should probably take a grain of salt with that. It could be something so low level that it appears to be related around the same modules.

I'll dig a little deeper and keep you updated.

[BenBisares]

Looking into your report. It's been put into the same group as your other ones so potentially the crash is still being caused by the same issue but you should probably take a grain of salt with that. It could be something so low level that it appears to be related around the same modules.

I'll dig a little deeper and keep you updated.

[BenBisares]

PM sent

[BenBisares]

PM sent

[Anonymous]

We are getting the same problem in C3D.  We are running C3D 2019 on Alienware laptops.The problem is occuring with only 1 project..  I am running a personal subscription license and the other users are on the firm's lienses ( I don't think it is a license server, but I am not sure.  I thought about reinstalling 2019 on my machine, but since another user is experiencing the same issue I am not sure that is the problem.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Anonymous]

We are getting the same problem in C3D.  We are running C3D 2019 on Alienware laptops.The problem is occuring with only 1 project..  I am running a personal subscription license and the other users are on the firm's lienses ( I don't think it is a license server, but I am not sure.  I thought about reinstalling 2019 on my machine, but since another user is experiencing the same issue I am not sure that is the problem.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Anonymous]

I found this thread looking for answers to the same problem I'm having with crashes upon saving files.

I'm not sure if this will fundamentally fix the problem but I found 3ds max crashed on saving every time I tried to leave the default 3ds max 'Scenes' folder and tried to save somewhere else eg. my desktop, regardless of having modelled nothing or a lot. If I just left the save location as the default 'Scenes' folder it always saved fine both on Save and Save As.

Though it is annoying if I do want to save elsewhere but that will do for now.

I too have an expired V ray license with V ray Next installed as a 3ds max plug-in so upon looking for the solution to the constant crashing, it's good to know why now. Maybe it'll fix on V ray license renewal.

[Anonymous]

I found this thread looking for answers to the same problem I'm having with crashes upon saving files.

I'm not sure if this will fundamentally fix the problem but I found 3ds max crashed on saving every time I tried to leave the default 3ds max 'Scenes' folder and tried to save somewhere else eg. my desktop, regardless of having modelled nothing or a lot. If I just left the save location as the default 'Scenes' folder it always saved fine both on Save and Save As.

Though it is annoying if I do want to save elsewhere but that will do for now.

I too have an expired V ray license with V ray Next installed as a 3ds max plug-in so upon looking for the solution to the constant crashing, it's good to know why now. Maybe it'll fix on V ray license renewal.