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Max Design 2009+Vray - Crashomatic?


Geoffc
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Busy restarting Max 09 again right now. Lets see, for the 26th time today? Working with my usual workflow, model in Acad, file link to max, render with Vray.

 

It might just be after I performed a render, but almost any time I pan or zoom or rotate it crashes. This is a big file, but I even removed all of the heavy portions out and Max would still crash. Besides, I've had much heavier files with the same workflow, same PC before.

 

system:

dual xeon 5160 3.0's

8 gigs ram

win64

max 2009 design 64 bit

vray 64 bit rc2

 

Anyone else having this trouble?

Could it be the newest Vray being unstable or not as compatible as it should be with the latest Max?

 

I'll do more tests including other files, rendering without vray, etc later.

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I haven't had this problem yet. I just used design 2009 64 bit and 1.5 sp2 64 bit for a medium sized project with no problems. In the past, file linking has been very buggy for me so I avoid it like the plague. Perhaps you could try importing the dwg file directly into max to see if you encounter the same problems? I'm just guessing. Good luck.

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Hi Geoff, unfortunately I don't think this is a VRay specific problem; I am starting to get quite frustrated with Max Design 2009 and Mental Ray as well. I have more or less the same HW as yours, so the system recourses should not be a problem. The scenes render well with very simple override Arch+Design materials, but when I switch to the final material set up, Max crashes quite frequently. I also experience the same instability during panning and zooming. I think these are issues that all users should adress through their Autodesk channels. Good luck, cheers from Knut

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...and; try to optimize all your materials, (glossy reflection/refractions are a pain), run scripts that divide your rendering job into tiles, get rid of system junk from AutoCAD. My heavy scenes render fine without reflections (in Mental Ray) , try to reduce the number of reflection bounces to a low setting.

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I'm guessing it must be video card related too.

 

Now, I have a Quadro 1500, brand new, since my last one died on me a few weeks ago (thanks to Boxx, I had a next day delivery replacement).

 

I believe I had just installed the latest Quadro drivers while trouble shooting the last 1500, but I can check.

 

I will also check which driver I'm using in Max 2009. Perhaps that is just what is wrong and all will be well with some tweaks.

 

edited to add: ok, I'm using the latest Quadro for win64 and Direct 3d.

I'll search, but is anyone using opengl with better luck?

 

I'm also starting a new project today. I'll do this in max2008, vray rc2 and see how stable it is. If it is confirmed stable, I'll then open it with max2009 and see how it does with the same file.

Edited by Geoffc
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So I've been working with a new project in Max 2008, but the new vray rc2, same workflow as above, with no crashes at all yet. That being said, I dont have the poly count yet of the 2009 model, and will get there soon after I add landscaping.

 

I plan to saveas near the end of this project a copy into 2009 and see if it crashes. I'll let you know.

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Well, I think I can safely say it is Direct3d in 2009.

And, it pretty much only happens after I render, then go to pan, zoom or rotate in any window. If I modify objects without changing the view in any way, no crashes.

 

A couple reasons why I think this has to be the issue:

I rendered a similar project (as I mentioned above) in 2008, latest vray, with Direct3d and had ZERO crashes.

 

And, in the 2009 file where I first noticed this issue, I switched to OpenGL and had no crashes. Even with panning/rotating after renders. BUT, OpenGL performance is slllllllllloooooooooooooooww.

 

A couple factors as mentioned above that should be known:

This is using Vray. I haven't tried a scanline file.

This is Max 2009 "design" edition.

Windows 64, Quadro 1500, latest Quadro drivers.

 

So now, I basically have to restart after every check render so I can rotate views again. Real nice. Well worth the subscription price... :mad:

 

Edited to add:

So knowing about the crash probability after a render, I restarted Max 2009 since I needed to add a bunch of heavy-poly 3d plants/trees to my scene. I must say, since I didn't force the issue with a test render, I spent at least an hour of crash free manipulating of the scene adding these plants, and the Direct3D worked extremely well during all the rotating, zooming, etc. Who knows, perhaps this is all Vray compatability with 2009.

Edited by Geoffc
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  • 2 weeks later...

Geoffc.... have you posted your issue on the Chaos Group forums at all? Vlad may have some info if its a known VRay issue.

 

Here at the office, we are planning to upgrade to '09 soon, but get a bit scared when we hear of issues with VRay and Max. But if you have singled out Direct3D, then great.

 

I had a project late last year that was huge, and max 8 was giving me all sorts of viewport crashing issues whenever i tried to work in shaded mode. I had to work exclusivly in wireframe the entire time. In the end my files ended up messed up and woudl only display solid object colors and not materials.

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  • 3 weeks later...

same deal, but open gl crashes for me as well. the file itself seems pretty light at 30megs and is only using about 3.5gbs of ram.

 

running....

mac pro dual xeon 3.2

10gbs ram

nvidia 8800gt

vista 64

max 2009

vray sp2.

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  • 1 year later...

Simple go to view and to ViewCUbe submenu...

Turn off the bloody thing ... and Mr. Max 2009 will never crash again ...

 

I hate the fancy things that reduce performance ....

I was so annoyed by this problem that i had to post the solution here ....

 

Regards,,,

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  • 2 weeks later...
Simple go to view and to ViewCUbe submenu...

Turn off the bloody thing ... and Mr. Max 2009 will never crash again ...

 

I hate the fancy things that reduce performance ....

I was so annoyed by this problem that i had to post the solution here ....

 

Regards,,,

 

Thanks for your suggestion. I have been testing it with mixed results so far. Sometimes max will crash, sometimes not.

 

I tried to open up the very poly-heavy project I did in max 2009 to test it without the cube, but now all the project files crash for some reason. great.

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Ok i agree my last solution improves the crashing problem but it doesn't correct it ....

 

Fortunately for me installing the latest hotfix for 3ds max 9 have done wonders ... I have been working on a project for about 20 days now with almost no crashes.

 

Hope this helps

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  • 3 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...

I did that, a missing file or plugin message appears every time i open a file or start max, and max still crashes... BTW, i didn't find the file viewport.gup, but i erased ViewportManager.gup, i don't know if it's the same, but i think it is. Anyway, my max 2009 still crashes!!!

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I did that, a missing file or plugin message appears every time i open a file or start max, and max still crashes... BTW, i didn't find the file viewport.gup, but i erased ViewportManager.gup, i don't know if it's the same, but i think it is. Anyway, my max 2009 still crashes!!!

 

No, that's the wrong file, you need that one! The file you need to change is "AutoCamMax.gup" located in C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2009\stdplugs

 

But all that being said.....This problem was fixed in a service pack for 2009. If you have your software up to date you shouldn't have this problem any more. (I'm still not a fan of the steering wheel, and I turn it off even though it's fixed)

 

you should always install service packs, it will save you headaches down the road even if it's not causing you any problems now

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