Settings keep getting Reset!!! Extremely annoying!!!

[Anonymous]

So, no matter if I save my own workspace, custom UI, and my button configuration; every so often 3D Max resets to its factory settings. I even get that annoying window that pops up to link to some tutorial video. My buttons are gone, so I have to set them up again. I use about 18 buttons, setting these up takes time and its extremely annoying to have to do this every week. Even if I choose to use my saved workspace, this doesn't alleviate the fact that my buttons are reset, and the proper link to my custom script buttons break.

This is extremely annoying, and the first time in my 10 years of using 3d Max that I have to deal with it. My current version is Max 2015 17.0 SP1 Commercial

[jens.diemer]

Max saves the settings on closing. Maybe the 3dsmax process haven't the file rights to save the settings?!?

[CAMedeck]

Miguel,

My team also experiences this on occasion (we're still using 2014).  What we have done is tracked down the 3dsmax.ini file (C:\Users\*username*\AppData\Local\Autodesk\3dsmax...) and made a copy of it once we have our presets and other settings to our liking.  Then, if for some reason it becomes corrupt (which is the case when it reverts back to defaults) we can delete the new file Max created and make a new copy of our version, renamed to 3dsmax.ini.  This file holds several settings that we like having different from the defaults.  

The other thing you'll want to do is once you've got your UI looking right, save it (save the whole scheme) and then copy those files as well.  Then your UI files are backed up, and you can do the same as before if something gets corrupted again.

I know, it is kind of a pain.  But a heck of a lot better than recreating everything from scratch.

[jonathan.matthews]

Hello.  I have also done what camedeck has suggested.  Miguel can you please report the issues you are seeing and what you have tried to the following site: http://download.autodesk.com/us/support/report_a_bug.html?SelProduct=3dsMax

Once you have reported it please let me know what the BSPR case number is so that I can track it internally. 

Also, I see by your message that you are using SP1 for 2015.  Please attempt updating to SP3 located here:  http://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/3ds-max/downloads#?sort=score

Thank you for your time and reporting the error.

Have a great day.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for all the replies! I will definitely try the ini file thing. I will also report this to the recommended link, and will upgrade to SP3. Thanks!

[jonathan.matthews]

Thank you for your reply.  The case that was opened for this forum posting with Technical Support will be closed internally, but I will continue to follow up with you via this forum as needed.  Please have a great day.

[jens.diemer]

This happens to me, too. Now with 2016 and SP3...

Any news here?!?

[CAMedeck]

I just recently had my UI settings reset again (2015) and realized what may have caused it.  I had two instances of 3ds Max Design 2015 running, and was comparing files.  Then I closed them both, at the same time.  After giving this some thought, it occured to me that both instances of Max were trying to write to those UI files, which is likely what caused the corruption.

Any chance you may have done something similar when yours when corrupt?

[Anonymous]

Hi, 

Im struggling with the exact same issue. max doesnt remember any settings or paths between sessions what so ever, incredibly annoying.

Max2016 sp2/ext2

[Anonymous]

There some good logic behind your comment, but alas, mine just reset with only one instance of MAX being used.

...sorry

Dean

[lightcube]

This happened to me last week in 2016 SP3. It may be that in my case it happened after an incident of the R6025 pure virtual function call bug. I didn't write it down to know for sure, but i had both incidents last week.

[jens.diemer]

I have reported this in the past with case 10131318 on 28.10.2014 and create a new case with ID 11631477...

I have a start-maxscript that will detect if settings are reset and set some own defaults after this. Without it, i can't work! Extremely annoying!!!

[shannon_clark_90]

This happens alot at work for me. While there is no solution I can find, an easy workaround to deal with it is to, after you set up all personal settings, save out those settings on a folder in your desktop. Buttons and everything. Then, when it does its random reset, you can just reload them instead of going one.by one. You find this in the Customize User Interface option in the Customize panel. Load and Save are on the bottom right. I save personal buttion menus like this as well, and our office has one script that reloads all scripts. 

I hope this makes the bug a little more tolerable!

🙂

[jens.diemer]

I add this to my list here: https://github.com/jedie/3dsmax_bugs/#settings-reset

Does anybody know the affected max versions?!? and how long this bug has been made public?

[Anonymous]

I have this problem too. I've restricted my habit of opening another max because I've experienced lost work in the past. But this is unacceptable. The only work around for me is to run another instance of max on another computer. My files are usually too big to save, close, work on a different file, then reopen my original file. Anyone else have any suggestions?

[Anonymous]

besides backing up the ini

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello everyone,  (post edited to make it less wordy)

I can see that this is an open issue for a while now, and I want to do my best to address it. 

1) Saving your UI and Toolbars is a great way to insure yourself from losing cycles having to rebuild your interface, if this problem does indeed occur.  To keep this post informative and useful, I have included links to the knowledge network about saving out the UI here, here, and here. 

2) This problem has bee logged as 3 separate cases.  They have all been closed because the issue was not able to be reproduced.  It was not ignored, as there are over 100 comments between the support specialist and the developers on this issue. 

3) The file in question seems to be 3dsmax.ini.  This is referenced in earlier posts in this thread, and also here.  From this link we see the line:

"3dsmax.ini: This file gets updated when you start and exit 3ds Max, as well as when you change most Preferences settings." 

There are a couple things we can try in the meantime:

1) Before closing max, check to see if you have multiple 3dsmax.exe processes in windows.  You can do this easily by right clicking on your taskbar in Windows and selecting "Start Task Manager" in windows 7.  (I apologize that I don't use win8 or 10, but I assume that the process is similar.)  Once you have done that, arrange the processes on the process tab by name, and max is usually on the top there.  Make sure there is 1 process for each copy of max that is currently open. 

2) When you close a copy of max (or one crashes) make sure that the process isn't still in the Task Manager.  If one extra is still there (and it shouldn't be) right click on it and End the Process.  Once you are sure, close 1 copy at a time and make sure that the process is shutting down before closing the next.  

"But what if I'm not sure which process is the currently open one?"  This is a good point, you can check by going to the Task Manager and clicking on the "Applications" tab.  Right click on the open copy of 3dsmax there, and select "Go To Process"  The currently open copy of max will be highlighted, and the 'stuck in I/O shutdown" one will be the other. 

If this doesn't work, or doesn't solve your problems, please list whatever symptoms or conditions might have occurred during your usage.  I appreciate your patience and help in getting to the bottom of this. If you can somehow reproduce this issue on command, please let me know how you did it and we'll go ahead re-enter it into the tracking system.  I just need to be able to reproduce it so I can give them all the info they need to solve it.  Thank you!  In the meantime, save your UI as this is the best solution for now. 

Best Regards,

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the prompt reply. We look forward to a better max soon!

[Anonymous]

The real problem is: Using one file without any file-locking mechanism is a bad idea in a multi process environment... In the past (many, many years ago) this was ok. Everybody starts max only once at the same time. Because of limited system resources...

IMHO the complete "save user profile settings" must be rewritten.

It would be also very helpful to implement http://3dsmaxfeedback.autodesk.com/forums/80695-general-feature-requests/suggestions/9778623-backup-...

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Thank you for your feedback.  @jens.diemer has linked to an important page regarding user feedback and feature requests.  For anyone unaware, the feedback forum is here, and I strongly urge everyone experiencing issues or that have general usability idea to post them and vote on them so that they get implemented in future versions.  Thank you!

Best Regards,