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[whitebirchstudios]

Something is seriosuly wrong with MAX 2013/Windows 11, and toolbars. I create a toolbar, populate it, and it is gone! I insatll Chaos Vantage, and Vantage is gone. Clean install of both Windows and MAX. I have full administratove rights, Windows virus protection, and no facy plugins or scipts in MAX.  

[darawork]

Hi,

Just checking, did you mean 2023 or 2013?
Windows 11 only supports 2022 onwards afaik.
My 3DSMax 2020 doesn't even start up with Windows 11 😞

Regards,

[whitebirchstudios]

Sorry... MAX 2023

[darawork]

Hi,

Ok thanks.

I've Windows 10 here at home, and 11 in work. Unfortunately I only have 3DSMax 2023 at home on 10.
Asides from this, presuming it isn't a Windows 11 problem, here is my recent test:

I have tried to save custom toolbars and locations on screen just now and it worked ok. 
Here are the steps:

#1 I start Max with the default empty scene. I customise the GUI.
#2 I save the customisation (MaxStartUI.musx) as an overwrite of my existing one.
(This file gets saved into the ENU folder. I just leave it at default save location).

I save the file as "MaxStart.max" in the location listed in the 'Customise Project Paths...' dialogue under the 'Customise' filemenu dropdown. Not "Configure User and System Paths...". Although this would make more sense. I already know this is a trap, and MaxStart.max can not be set from there. Even if it seemed like it should be.

I close 3DSMax 2023 down. Restart and it's looking exactly like where I left off. Cool, It works. Phew.

I already have my 'Workspace' saved, up at the top right corner. I'm logged into Autodesk with my home account.
Switching workspaces, via the dropdown, reverts to other defaults. When switching back, the prior customisations come back. 

Basically whenever Max has a [Save] button at the bottom of any settings window I'll always save before exiting it. It's a habit. I just overwrite what was there before. In the default locations, as listed in the 'Customise' paths listings.

It shouldn't have to be this hard though. It's a complete nightmare moving to a new version of 3DSMax, and trying to keep User Customisations. It's far too complicated. I've been using 3DSMax for over 20 years, and I still get confused trying to set up a new years release.

Here is the official literature on the matter: https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/3ds-max/getting-started/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2022/ENU/3DS...

If you would like to vote towards my 3DSMax Idea concerning the hardships of customisation and product migration, please vote here: https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/3ds-max-ideas/product-customisation-tied-to-log-in-credentials/idi-p/...

My home PC, personal machine, system specs are below.

Ancient Intel Core i5 6600.
16GB Ram. 
nVidia GTX760 (474.14 Driver).
Home build ASUS with Corsair water cooling.
Not overclocked.
All latest drivers.
Windows 10 Home (21H2) - Build: 19044.2486
3DSMax: 2023.3 Update
25.0 - 25.3.0.3640

I hope you get this sorted. And I hope something above might be helpful.

Regards, 🙂

[whitebirchstudios]

I do just that, except for saving over the MaxStart.max file. Recently I crashed MAX while it was opening (picked MAX by mistake) and when I did open MAX is said that files were corrupt and to reset to factory, which I did. I reset and rebuilt my menus. Everything is okay so far, but it usually is at first. It seems like Windows makes system changes often, when they have their updates, and breaks MAX again. I wouldn't be surprised if AD doesn't have a WIN11 PC running in their development team. Every plugin issue I have the developer always say that they don't have Windows 11  (or the latest at the time). 

[darawork]

Hi,

I feel your pain. And unless I absolutely need to run the latest versions of everything, I don't (except for drivers and service packs/security updates). Especially when it comes to paid work. We're running software at least two versions back where I work. It's prohibited to run the latest versions, it makes sense. I only run the latest versions at home. If everything worked 100% of the time forums like this one wouldn't exist. I'm even a believer in the old fable that we should never install odd numbered versions of software. 11 / 13 / 23...? Asking for trouble.

Windows 11 latest version broke my perfectly nice, and well tweaked 3dsmax 2020 installation. In work. That's not on. Should not have happened, but it did. And it's still broken. Been on to support, and there's nothing that can be done to bring it back to life. It's just taking up space on my harddrive now. 

Windows 11 has mucked with the group policy settings, even for administrators. In a bad way. One test you can do is simply press the start button on your keyboard and type to search for anything, as you would on W10. W11 can't even do that consistently yet, it hangs about 90% of the time. It's trying to work out what the user can and can't see. Can you imagine what it's doing to software? It's a miracle Max even starts. 

It also uses up more ram on my pc, runs slower and starts up Max slower. Max crashes a lot more this year, than last year. I'd get rid of W11 in work if I could, but can't. Windows 11 is still in the lab-rat stage of programming imho.

I thought Windows was supposed to stop at 10? There would be no 11? They lied.
https://www.theverge.com/2015/5/7/8568473/windows-10-last-version-of-windows

I digress. You mentioned "except for saving over the MaxStart.max file".
I'd look into that. Save it local, in a new folder. A dedicated folder on your C:/Drive. 
And change the 'Project Paths' seek location to your new folder.

And... if you ever kill the 3DSMax.exe process prematurely, on purpose, you can expect weird stuff to happen.
Especially upon first run. If Max launches sucessfully, I straight away navigate to the ENU folder and make a '-copy' of it. So as I have a last working state that can be reinstated if I mess up the installation. I keep the ENU-Copy folder right below the most current generated ENU.


Imagine having to explain this to a Parent or elder Relative? Nightmare. 😮
https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/3ds-max-ideas/product-customisation-tied-to-log-in-credentials/idi-p/...

Regards,

[whitebirchstudios]

I am not finding any trace of a maxstart.max and nothing in my User and System Paths for it.

[darawork]

Hi,

Upon first launch with 2023 I had the same problem, no MaxStart. Max used
to create it with the ENU folder before. I think it used to create it.
Now it seems it's supposed to be in Users/Documents/3DSMAX Scenes/ by
default. In the .project folder, which nobody ever uses anymore. And
there's nothing there. So you have to save your own, as the very first
thing.

Just set up your initial scene as you want it to start up each time, save
the MaxStart.max into your Onedrive, Local folder or wherever.
Just as long as the 'User Project Paths..' Config points to it. 🙂

Regards,

[whitebirchstudios]

Yes, I just did that, opened max back up, and it didn't use the maxstart I created in my One Drive. I need to find out where the start up template is coming from.

[darawork]

Hi, here is where my setting is located.
Is there anything in there for yours?
Press Modify and set your own personal path.

Regards,

[whitebirchstudios]

Okay, another boot, and it used the file I created. Let's see if menus stick.  The last thing today was my snaps were not staying selected (endpoint... midpoint..)

[darawork]

Hi, 

Cool. Let's hope it sticks. 

BTW snaps and other stuff not saved in the workspace (for unknown reasons) are best customised throughout the Max.Ini file with Notepad instead of going through the menus.

Because apparently, it's quicker that way:

 https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/3ds-max/getting-started/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2022/ENU/3DS...

"[ObjectSnapSettings]

Settings associated with snaps." 

Please vote here, so as to end this cruelty 🤕:
https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/3ds-max-ideas/product-customisation-tied-to-log-in-credentials/idi-p/...

Best Regards, 

[whitebirchstudios]

Short-lived! It stopped using the maxstart I set up.