Tip [3DS Max 8] Troubleshooting common errors/glitches

3DS Max 8 is an old program. On newer systems there are bound to be errors from time to time. Here is how you can resolve those issues if/when the pop up:

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DLL Error:

In random and rare cases when opening the program you may receive a DLL error. As far as NR2003 development is concerned it has no effect.



Solution: Close the Program and reopen it. If DLL error persists system restart usually cleans it up.


Right click viewport menu rendering glitch:

Sometimes when you are editing a model you may accidentally hit right click in the viewport, while this context menu is useful on some PC's after it is opened it will cause a permanent pixel bake on your screen, even if you minimize the program it still appears:



This occurs more often in scenes you have open that have a lot of model and textures.

Solution: Close the Program and reopen it. OR minimize 3ds Max and when on your desktop press WIN + D to refresh the desktop, this should remove the pixel bake.

 

[Mystical]

A new error I found when reinstalling 3DS MAX 8 on Windows 11:

Program hangs forever on Launch screen:

3DS Max 8 hangs on the splash screen getting stuck as it loads plugins. The program will never launch regardless of compatibility mode or restarting pc.


Solution: Observe the folder directory the splash screen is stuck on. It most likely is stuck on a file called 'mentalray.dlz'. To fix follow these steps:

1) Close 3ds max 8 via task manager killing the EXE

2) Go to: C:\Program Files (x86)\Autodesk\3dsMax8\stdplugs and locate the file 'mentalray.dlz'

3) Either move this file out of the 3ds max folder directory or simply delete this file (most likely you will never be using this old program to do mental ray renders so its not important for NR2003 mod creation.

4) Start 3DS Max 8 again, program should finally load as expected.

 

[MeandMe]

A new error I found when reinstalling 3DS MAX 8 on Windows 11:

Program hangs forever on Launch screen:

3DS Max 8 hangs on the splash screen getting stuck as it loads plugins. The program will never launch regardless of compatibility mode or restarting pc.


Solution: Observe the folder directory the splash screen is stuck on. It most likely is stuck on a file called 'mentalray.dlz'. To fix follow these steps:

1) Close 3ds max 8 via task manager killing the EXE

2) Go to: C:\Program Files (x86)\Autodesk\3dsMax8\stdplugs and locate the file 'mentalray.dlz'

3) Either move this file out of the 3ds max folder directory or simply delete this file (most likely you will never be using this old program to do mental ray renders so its not important for NR2003 mod creation.

4) Start 3DS Max 8 again, program should finally load as expected.

3DS Max 8 no longer installs from scratch at all if you use Windows 11 24H2, due to a raysat_3dsmax8server failed to start error, which is related to Mental Ray. (https://www.file.net/process/raysat_3dsmax8server.exe.html) it for-fits any installation. Any fix?

 

[Mystical]

So does the installation not complete essentially?

I am on Windows 11 Pro 23H2 and had it installed for a long time. I do see raysat_3dsmax8server is in my task manager when 3ds max is launched. So I ended the task and 3ds still worked. Then I closed 3ds and went into my services and disabled raysat_3dsmax8server so it wouldn't launch the next time I started 3ds max and didn't get any errors.

 

[MeandMe]

So does the installation not complete essentially?

No.

 

[MeandMe]

I am on Windows 11 Pro 23H2 and had it installed for a long time. I do see raysat_3dsmax8server is in my task manager when 3ds max is launched. So I ended the task and 3ds still worked. Then I closed 3ds and went into my services and disabled raysat_3dsmax8server so it wouldn't launch the next time I started 3ds max and didn't get any errors.

I don't have any images but if you already have 3DS Max 8 installed like you said above, it hangs on the loading screen, but on 24H2, removing metalray does not make any difference. You then have a phony serial number of just zeros i.e. "000-00000000" (not 666-12345678) when you try to register the product the key goes through, but then it comes back in a never-ending loop.

It does not seem to go through when reinstalling, because it says "raysat_3dsmax8server failed to start error"

Highly likely I'll need to do Emulator like virtual Box with XP, because 3DS Max works totally fine on my physical XP, with raysat_3dsmax8server, which it seems to really need.

 

[Mystical]

Interesting. I'm not sure what in 24H2 would cause 3ds max installation to be messed up now. But yeah running via virtual machine may unfortunately only be the next option I can think of for you if installations on windows 11 is no longer working. I have no idea if this installation is just related to your pc or its going to affect everyone when they reach 24H2 and need to reinstall.

I am assuming you used the installation packages I had provided? I know those works as I installed 3ds multiple times across various pcs with it ranging from windows 10-11 on desktop/laptops.