Max 2015 won't launch

[Anonymous]

Hello, I have an issue with Max 2015 not launching. Clicking on the shortcut/exe initiates the program so that it shows up in task manager, but no splash screen appears nor does the executable load past ~15mb of used RAM regardless of how long it is left.

Recent changes were a graphics card (GTX 470s to a 1070 Ti) and .net update (4.6 to 4.7, since rolled back to 4.6). As far as I know it had worked up to around this point.

I've tried clean uninstalls then removing all remaining folders/files before re-installing, with and without service packs, virus sweeps, and rolling back .net to 4.6 and have not had any success. The oddity is that, on a fluke, I created a new windows user profile and it starts up perfectly fine in that one. Which seems to rule out .net, the new card, and the security software as an issue (which I had tried disabling anyway to no avail). Dumping the exe from task manager and running it through the !analyze -v command in WinDbg reveals a crypt32.dll fault, if that helps.

AutoCad 2015 is also installed on this system and has not suffered any issues while this has gone on, nor has any other program.

The obvious option would be to transfer over the files to the new account, but my client prefers that only be done as a last resort.

The system specs are as follows:

Win7 Ultimate 64-bit SP1

i7 4820k

GTX 1070Ti (WHQL 398.11)

16gb Ram

.net 4.6

[irishman_team_kilber]

see if this help on how to fix https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-fix-crypt32-dll-not-found-or-missing-errors-2623209

IF you are using nortons AV then that could be another cause! https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/crypt32dll-is-missing-from-your-computer/d84d7...

how to fix video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p57lQMqKOgw

[Anonymous]

@irishman_team_kilber I'd already covered most of those, but ran through the one I hadn't and no change. Perhaps I should clarify also, there's no popup or error around this behavior; the program simply fails to fully launch. The bit about crypt32 was from a debug scan run on a dump file created via task manager.

As far as I can tell the issue is tied to the windows user account, as a fresh account on the same computer doesn't have this issue.

[irishman_team_kilber]

have you tried microsoft easy fix tool https://fix-it-center.en.softonic.com/ this fixes most problems with window. if there is a problem wih windows.

If this doesn't help then i would open a support ticket with autodesk or see if any of the Autodesk empolyees will chime in @hagen.deloss or @brentscannell maybe they can help you more.

I did my best i think

[hagen.deloss]

Hi @Anonymous

Thanks for mentioning me @irishman_team_kilber, I hope that I can help! 

From my understanding of the issue, the user profile that you are currently using is looking for the Crypt32.dll that isn't there, and the fact that creating another user account works lines up with that. I am not sure of how, or why 3DS Max needs this file to start up...but I would say resolving that issue could help your copy of Max to start up 😄

It may not hurt to contact Microsoft support and see if you can resolve this Crypt32 issue. 

Another route you can take is to try launching 3DS Max using a different display mode, here is an article walking through the steps on how to do so. It behooves me to remind you to update your new graphics card drivers. Here is the 64bit version of the driver that came out on october 11th. 

Looking forward to hearing back on this!

Please select the Accept as Solution button if a post solves your issue or answers your question.

[Anonymous]

Thanks @irishman_team_kilber. I tried running the fix-it tool but it kept failing to download the troubleshooters. It did this on both accounts on the machine in question and support for that issue is a whole other rabbit hole. Even after running the fix-it checker suggested (and fixing issues with windows update) it won't download the troubleshooters.

Thanks for the suggestions and effort Irish, I appreciate you taking the time.

Hi, @hagen.delossSorry if I'm not being very clear but the crypt32 file isn't missing. It exists in both System32 & SysWOW64, as well as in several winsxs sub-folders.

With crypt32 being a system file (located in C:\windows\System32 and syswow64 folders), wouldn't every user account on that machine access the same files? So if it works on one account, wouldn't that rule out the file itself being bad?

Trying to use the "Change graphics mode" exe and the "-h" shortcut flag both result in the same behavior as launching from the standard exe/shortcut. Momentary hour circle and then nothing, doesn't even reach the splash screen.

I'll try updating the graphics driver now. Is the idea that if it works, that it was a graphics driver setting local to that particular user account?

Will post back once I've updated the driver.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

@hagen.deloss @irishman_team_kilber

It turns out that it was Malwarebytes that was causing the issue. Despite the settings and exclusion lists being exactly the same in both user accounts, Mbam was blocking Max from running on the original account but not the newer account while not producing any log info. It also turns out that even if you exit Mbam and then terminate all associated running processes and services it continues to operate at some level and continues blocking Max.

It took disabling it completely, and not letting it start on boot to get past it, which allowed Max to load up properly.

Sorry for the inconvenience and thank you both for your time. I'm off to the Malwarebytes forums to get this sorted so I can finally get this client off my back! Thanks again.

[hagen.deloss]

@Anonymous

Thanks for the update! I am familiar with the frustrations not being able to access software, so I'm extremely happy you found the cause of the issue! This is also super helpful information for other folks encountering similar issues 😄