Where are the Max 2018 service packs?

[garry]

Where can I find the Max 2018 service packs?

I've just paid my maintenance and there are no service packs on my account page.

Is there anywhere I can just download Max 2018.4

Why does this have to be so hard?

[irishman_team_kilber]

google is your friend. or click on the help then it should say "3ds max on the web" then click on update

[brentscannell]

hi @garry

Sorry if you had trouble getting access to the service packs. Hopefully I can guide in you in the right direction here 🙂

You have 2 options:

-Use the Autodesk Desktop App (probably running in taskbar, its an Autodesk logo with a red star in the corner when updates are available). This app should let you know when you need updates, but if you have multiple version of 3ds Max I've found it sometimes won't be so obvious to hone in the exact update you're looking for.

-Navigate to manage.autodesk.com and click on the available downloads for 3ds Max 2018. Once there, you can navigate to the "Updates and Add-Ons" section and it should list what is available. Updates are cumulative so you can jump right to 2018.4 Update even if you didn't install 1,2, or 3 yet.

If its not listed there, there may be an issue with your current entitlements/maintenance subscription and I would recommend contacting support (https://knowledge.autodesk.com/contact-support/downloads-upgrades)

Regards,

[garry]

Thanks for the help Brent,

The desktop app just presents a blank screen, so that's no help.

My Maintenance has just been paid, and the details of this payment are updated on my account page. But no downloads for the software that I just paid for. Max 2018 is there and every service pack for every other version but no Max2018.1-Max2018.4. I know I only need the most recent one, but they should all be there.

Very frustrating, I've got my Dealer and AD support on it but nothing yet.

[brentscannell · Accepted solution]

I've seen this pop up a few times so I decided to dig a little deeper, and it turns out is also disappeared from my own page when I know it was there a few days ago 🙂

I checked with some people who manage the releases and there is indeed a known issue with the 2018 updates being displayed right now on manage.autodesk.com. I'll update this post as soon as I hear that it's back up. For the time being, I would recommend trying the Autodesk Desktop App - at least for me the update still seems to be accessible there.

[brentscannell · Accepted solution]

hi guys, just an update, the 2018 updates seem to be available once again on manage.autodesk.com

[garry]

Yep, they've shown up in my account now.

🙂

[pilot69]

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@brentscannell wrote:

hi guys, just an update, the 2018 updates seem to be available once again on manage.autodesk.com

---

Hi,
I don't know what is the reason (maybe because I'm form Poland??) but I still don't have access to download service packs on my account? Both on autodesk.account and desktop Autodesk app. I have access only to download things like Inventor View, Autodesk License Service 5.1.5 HotFix1 (x2), 3ds Max Interactive 2.0 and Arnold Renderer but no any service packs. Any ideas what should I do to get access to it? 

[brentscannell]

Hi @pilot69

At the manage.autodesk.com account portal, under 3ds Max, does it mention your license type? Does it say subscription or maintenance?

[pilot69]

Hi  brentscannell,

thanks for your reply, I have 1-seat perpetual single-user licence

[brentscannell]

That would explain it then: updates are only available to maintenance plan holders or subscription customers.  Were you ever on one of these plans?

[pilot69]

I was an maintenance plan user for many years but I had to resign. But still during the period of validity of my maintenance plan when it was still active, after I have upgraded to 3ds max 2018 I had no access to service packs. It was in time when already 2 service packs was released. And I hadn't any option to download it from my account.

So right now as I understand, I don't have access to fixes even though I'm a legal Max user? This is incomprehensible to me. I can legally download and install 3ds max but I can't access to the fixes that change this version to working one. Am I right?

[pilot69]

brentscannell,

really thank you very much for your help and explanation.

At least now I know why I do not have access to the fixes 😞 

Regards

[Leonard.Pihlblad]

WELL!! THEY ARE ALL GONE AGAIN!! Cant download anywhere. Cad you please fix this??

[brentscannell]

@pilot69 if you think that you may have missed out on installing certain updates while you were still on maintenance, there might be an underlying issue that can be looked into. It's a bit of a catch 22 situation because as far as I know, access to installation and licensing support is reserved for current subscribers. I'll see if I can get some more info.

@Leonard.Pihlblad I'll ask the same question as I did to pilot69: what kind of license type is currently displayed in your manage.autodesk.com account portal?

[mcak105 · Accepted solution]

To clear all misunderstandings written in here: 3DS Max 2018 service pack 4 is accessible to me, even as a single-user Student license holder. It's just really well-hidden in the https://manage.autodesk.com pages, follow these instructions to locate the download:

1) go to https://manage.autodesk.com, logged in

2) do not click "product updates", as the main problem misleading everyone is that it's not there, wrong location

3) go to the correct location: "All products & services" > click 3ds Max 2018 (in my case says: "1 seat, student, single user) and then click "View downloads".

4) in the "view downloads" tab, you select "Updates and add-ons" sub-tab.

Now, you will see the Service Packs like: 

3ds Max 2018.4 Update

Update (230.3MB). Released Dec 6, 2017

and carry out a "Browser download", then install the package to your PC.

If anyone still doesn't understand, here are images of each step in navigation through pages (the things you'll have to click will be circled red):

So if you know where to find it, the process is easily done. But the placement (or lack of placement in other places one would expect it) can make it confusing for people so they think it's not offered. This in part is due to it also not being available on https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/3ds-max/downloads for 3DS 2018, where it was for earlier versions. This may add to the confusion.

[pilot69]

Hi mcak105,

you are a lucky man, in my case there is no such position to download 😞
But how brentscannell explain, as long as I was a active licence user I should have access to all updates (which in fact I never had). Now when I decided do not prolong my maintenance plan Autodesk left me only with useless 3ds Max 2018 without any important fixes.

I'm really disappointed with Autodesk and the way how they treat their users 😞 

ps: I was using of maintenance plan from 2010 Max version, if it has any meaning...

[mcak105]

oh, well - i hope im allowed to post this (I think so, because they traditionally offered all service packs in the open) but here is the download link for official 3DS Max 2018 latest update: https://up.autodesk.com/2018/3DSMAX/3dsMax2018.4_Update.exe

You should be able to apply this update to a valid installation.

If its not intended to be posted, moderator feel free to remove this : )

[arcofwind]

Hi  mcak105,

Thanks for the SP4 link.
If I didn't install sp1 sp2 sp3, should I find and install, too?

[brentscannell]

Updates to 3ds Max 2018 are cumulative, meaning that if you install 2018.4 Update, you get everything that was included in 2018.1, 2018.2, 2018.3