3ds max 2017 viewport freezing and stopped working

[Anonymous]

Hello, i got some issues with my 3ds max. it always freezing when i click it and then the viewport turns black.

and sometimes it just showing and error and saved my file into backup folder.

i have i7-6700, GTX 970 and 16gb ram with windows 10 running.

please help.

[gandhics]

What's the driver version number?

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

It's a good question @gandhics, let me try to find that for you.  People must be getting this through NVIDIA Experience since I don't see it on the main site.  I'll post an update tomorrow.

Best Regards,

[gandhics]

This?

https://forums.geforce.com/default/topic/1015980/geforce-drivers/official-384-76-game-ready-whql-dis...

[gregg_lagnese]

Unfortunately, the 382.53 did not prevent hanging in 3ds Max 2018 using my test file with a 1060 card.  However 384.76 seems to prevent the hang.  I performed tests using the same file I used when originally reporting my hang, and the one I have used for all subsequent tests.  It appears to be stable now with no lockups in over an one hour of testing with the aforementioned file (it used to hang in minutes).  Here's what I did to test the issue and fix:

1) Perform a clean install of the 384.76 drivers.  This simply means ticking the checkbox at install to reset all Nvidia prefs.

2) I did not install the GeForce experience.

3) After install, I rebooted.

3) In Max 2017, in the problematic reference file, I switched all materials to Standard, and saved as a new file.

4) I launched Max 2018.

5) I set the render engine to Scanline and merged the objects, helpers, lights, and cameras from the problem file.

6) I saved the file in the 2018 format, created a dummy object, and linked a standard and physical camera to the dummy object.

7) I then animated the dummy object to rotate 360 degrees in a running loop so the viewport would constantly be on the move.

8) I switched to an ortho view and rotated the view, switched back to perspective, and finally the camera, and then let the animation play for about 15 minutes with a quad viewport layout, then I switched to a single viewport and let the animation play again for about 15-20 minutes.  I did this using both the standard and physical camera.

9) I then randomly switched views, enlarged and reduced the viewports, changed the viewport settings (using clay, etc.), and generally tried to stress the viewport.

Results/Notes:

1) In the past, the ortho to perspective or camera change would cause the system hang.  With 382.53 it still did.  With the 37x beta drivers previously tested, it did not hang.

2) Under 382.53, I could get a hang on the GeForce cards in less than 10 minutes.  Admittedly this is longer than it used to be with the test scene, but still not acceptable to hang at all.

3) Under 384.76, I have been unable to reproduce the hang using the original scene in 2017 or 2018.

4) In Max2018, Max complained about outdated MassFX saved in the file (even though I never added any cloth or rigid body physics), and warns of instability.  Merging the objects to a new scene fixes this.

5) After all of the above, I could not reproduce a hang in 2018 using wireframe (with and without anti-aliasing), shaded, clay, with and without AO, etc.

Right now, I am tentatively optimistic that the latest 384.76 drivers solves the hanging problem with a GeForce card.  I will test this some more on some other systems that have 980 and 1080 cards and report back.

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

@gandhics, I believe that is the one.   It is difficult for me to verify the version number because the issue classification is/was - DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_HUNG which is a common error. I will update the links in my previous post.  

EDIT: To piggy back on @gregg_lagnese's incredibly detailed and awesome post, it's possible the update was delayed from the drivers on the 16th to yesterdays drivers due to a branch merge conflict, that sort of thing does happen.  Thank you Gregg for such a good write up.  

Best Regards,

[gregg_lagnese]

I think it's fixed.  I used Max 2018 all day, switched between DX viewports, etc., used Vray, Arnold, you name it.  Not one hang with the latest drivers.

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

I have found the same thing @gregg_lagnese.  I've tried to crash it now for a couple hours, all scenes working fine.  NVIDIA did a bang up job here.  Thank you Gregg for all you've done as well, your diagnostics and help were critical to getting this resolved.  Good work.  

Best Regards,

[Anonymous]

Here also working OK so far, didn't try something really specific yet, but
overall much more stable.

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Allright, it seems fine here aswell. Scene that was crashing the viewport almost instantly now works fine. So far so good. 🙂

[Anonymous]

Hello, everything looks much more stable, but, sometimes the viewport kind of freeze and I can still use max viewports but they just don't update. so basicaly I can use them blindly.

Its not always and I couldnt figure out what is making it do so.

hope its just me with a very specific case, cos nobody complained about it yet...

Thanks.

[jakub]

Hey there, nobody is having issue anymore? Well I am and I am giving up all my hopes...

I am having issue even with the latest 388.59 drivers (also with all other older ones). My issues are affecting All 3Ds Maxes (tried 2018, 2017, 2016) in all DX modes - viewport just freezes! - in older DX modes it also says "DirectX crashed" or something like that in the viewport window. I also tried Windows 10 and Windows 8.1 - both same issue. The hang appeared for me in Revit 2017 as well. The hang is there after some time of working - but I have a scene where it appeares within 10 seconds always. I tried the scene on my old workstation (Win 8.1, GTX760) with no problems.

My specs:
2x 1080Ti 

2x E5-2696 v4 

128GB RAM

Win 8.1, Win10

Please be so kind and help me with this, I tried everything (10x clean driver installs (different versions), 3x 3Ds Max, 4x different DX mode, 2x Windows, you name it 😞 ).

Jakub

[Anonymous]

Just try to equate the type of windows system with your 3d max system type.

If your windows type is 64-bit then use 3d max 64-bit.

[ethanAZBRK]

problem happening in max 2019 now.

adSSO appears and it hangs.

[Anonymous]

Hi

I noticed you are using two 1080Ti graphics cards. This whole range of cards often have problems completing the install process completely due to thread conflicts with security software - Norton in particular but it could be any other AV  Protection sw.

First look in Device manager / gfx card properties / events etc. to see if you have any Ven warnings ( i.e.needs further installation warnings).

Download latest gfx drivers, scan them then if ok disable AV and other protection other than Defender. Clean up Direct X and the icon cache.

Re-boot system into low res, fully remove and delete the old drivers, backup and clean up the registry (some of this may have to be done manually - be careful).

Re-boot, re-install gfx drivers

Re-boot, check for any Ven warnings in Device Manager / properties. If all ok then run Max, if ok shut Max, re-enable AV and other protections (or better would be a full remove and re-install of protective sw)

It kind of makes you hanker for the days of Windows 3.1 doesn't it? No? Well I am getting on a bit...

Bacon Blue

[davidlanier]

Hi,

There was a shader cache problem for the viewport that was causing a hang in Max. This was fixed in Max 2019, can you please try with Max 2019 or later to check if the hang is still present ?

Thank you.

Regards,

[davidlanier]

Thanks for trying with Max 2019.

Could you try the following :

Close all applications

Add an environment variable named :

3DSMAX_SHADER_CACHE_FILE_DISABLE

And set its string value to "on" (without the double quotes)

Then try to start Max, if it starts then it comes from the shader cache file which is corrupted.
If not, then it's something else and we will continue to investigate.

You can also post your Max log file which is in :

C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\Autodesk\3dsMax\2019 - 64bit\ENU\Network\Max.log

Thank you.

Regards,