2017/2018 Max crashes

[OPEN_RANGE]

I have been having problems that are frequent enough that it's causing a real impact on my workflow. It seemed to start with Max 2017. Now I have moved to Max 2018 and vray 3.6 but the problems persist.

I have a pretty recently built workstation, specs are below. I strongly suspect video card/driver but I'm not sure how to determine this.

I get a lot of "Program not Responding" freeze ups. It seems to happen when working in a shaded viewport using High Quality or Standard with Realistic Materials with maps or Shaded Materials with maps. Have to quit Max and re-start.

1) How can on even know which of these is in use? There is never a check that appears by any of these showing which is selected.

I also have another symptom that happens not as frequently but often enough to be a real problem. If I click anywhere on the VFB too soon after render end - total system lock up and need to use re-set button to restart computer.

I have read this thread, I am not using GPU renderign so not sure if it applies to my situation but maybe I need to try that suggested driver?:
https://forums.chaosgroup.com/forum/...reators-update

This thread also offers some possible advice:
https://forums.chaosgroup.com/forum/...isplay-texture

Anyone have system similar to mine and having these troubles...or not? These problems are killing my productivity. I need some advice on how I might go about fixing this.

[vlado]

The next time you get this lock up, and while 3ds Max is still locked up, can you run Process Explorer (https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/...rocessexplorer), right-click on the 3dsmax.exe process, select Create Dump > Create Minidump and send it to me at vlado@chaosgroup.com ? The minidump file might contain more information on what is going on in the program.

Best regards,
Vlado

[Deflaminis]

And on the Autodesk side, submit your CER log with your email address and post a thread on the area forums and I'll look it up from that end.

[PIXELBOX_SRO]

Unfortunatelly as ive found lots of the freezes are caused by the graphics drivers.
not sure what happened at nvidia but majority of them are proper useless and winx is not helping either

[OPEN_RANGE]

Thank you all for your reply and offer to help!. Just now - I had in Max Display>Lights >Hidden. ( I only have 1 light , vray sun). I selected/unchecked the hide lights and ....... "Program Not Responding". I had to restart Max. Frustrating, killing my ability to get my work done.

Deflaminis - Is the CER file you mention the same as the mini dump file that Vlado is giving instructions on how to create?

I looked in C:\Users\<yourname>\AppData\Local\Temp\3dsmax_mini dump.dmp to see if an 3dsmax mini dump file was created -----I could not find one.

I will follow your instructions and create/send the log files next time it crashes........ which probably won't be too long from now.

[OPEN_RANGE]

Vlado,

I have sent you an email. I think I created the mini dump file correctly thru the Process Explorer but its 258 MB. Maybe to big to email to you?

Deflaminis - I'm un sure of how to create or find the CER log. Can you explain how I may do that?

Thanks!

[OPEN_RANGE]

Probably 12+ crash-freeze up in past 3 hours on relatively simple exterior arch viz scene. Seems to happen randomly when clicking in viewport. Doesn't seem to make any difference if viewport is in shaded or wireframe or whatever mode. also happens when clicking n dialog boxes, vfb, etc. Not new to Max 2018 same thing was happening in 2017. Extremely frustrating and costing me serious time and making clients freak out.

[KiboOst]

Seems that lot of such problems comes from dx12 under win10. Try Nitrous dx11, there is also some dll fix on the net for this

[Deflaminis]

Hello Open Range, the CER window may not come up if you are having freezing issues. It is the minidump plus a couple other files. However, there is a problem right now with drivers for DX11, so switching to DX9 would probably alleviate your problems for now. The issue was supposed to be fixed recently but it seems it's persisting. It's being investigated. Sorry I didn't reply sooner, I must have missed the notification email.

[OPEN_RANGE]

Thank you Deflaminis. You are correct, the CER window does not come up with the freezes that I am experiencing.

I'm not very welll educated on managing drivers and DX versions for video card. It sounds like you recommend switching /downgrading to DX 9 versus trying different drivers as suggested in one of the links I put in the post above? (at this point I suspect demonic possession and may need a computer exorcist)

A couple of questions:

1) Is the change from DX 11 to DX 9 made from within the Max preferences or thru the computer wide nvidia,control panel? Same question for changing which nvidia driver would be used if I go that route?

2) can you recommend where I might stay tuned to find out if this gets resolved and I could start using the most current DX versus a version that is 2 or 3 versions old?

hope you get notice of this reply. FWIW, same as you indicate, I did not receive any notice of your replies to this topic either.

Thanks for your help!

[Donald2B]

1) Is the change from DX 11 to DX 9 made from within the Max preferences or thru the computer wide nvidia,control panel? Same question for changing which nvidia driver would be used if I go that route?

2) can you recommend where I might stay tuned to find out if this gets resolved and I could start using the most current DX versus a version that is 2 or 3 versions old?

hope you get notice of this reply. FWIW, same as you indicate, I did not receive any notice of your replies to this topic either.

Thanks for your help!

1) Yes. This can be changed in the Max Preferences -> Viewport Tab -> Display Drivers -> Choose Driver -> Choose Nitrous Direct3D 9 (This will require a Max restart)

[OPEN_RANGE]

Thank you Troy! I am going to try using 9. Not sure what, if any, downside there is to reverting to the older version?

I'm still not receiving email notice of replies to this topic. I am getting email notice of replies to other topics I am subscribe to. I did have a "notification" of your reply at the top of the forum page/header

[Donald2B]

There are some noticeable changes for those who are used to the Nitrous Direct3D 11, but coming from 2012, I don't know if you will notice much of a difference. NOTE: This is a noticeable drop off in performance on my machine when switching over to Nitrous Direct3D 9.

I'm still dealing with the disappearing geo in shaded mode on 2017, so I've had to revert to using Direct3D 9. I don't have that issue in 2018 and the viewport performance has improved compared to 2017, so I'm excited about that.

[OPEN_RANGE]

I have switched to Direct3D 9. I haven't been using for very long this morning but so far no freeze up. I am experiencing the disappearing geometry which is a new problem and not good. But I will trade that for the ever repeating demonic freeze ups. sheeeesh!

>>I did get an email notice of your reply<<

[Donald2B]

Can you describe the disappearing geo problem with Direct3D 9?
I haven't experienced that yet. Other than some slow to refresh viewports, it is much improved over 2017.