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3ds Max Error Messages And Meanings

This is a collection of known 3ds Max error messages and their meanings, as well as possible solutions. We want to keep this list as up to date as possible, so if you run into an error message that isn't listed here, please email Deadline Support and let us know.

Note: When an error occurs in a Max render, we parse the Max render log (Max.log) for any messages that might explain the problem and include them in the error message. Some examples are:

  • ERR: An unexpected exception has occurred in the network renderer and it is terminating.
  • ERR: Missing dll: BrMaxPluginMgr.dlu
  • ERR: [V-Ray] UNHANDLED EXCEPTION: Preparing ray server Last marker is at .\src\vrayrenderer.cpp

3dsmax startup: Error getting connection from 3dsmax: 3dsmax startup: Deadline/3dsmax startup error: lightningMax*.dlx does not appear to have loaded on 3dsmax startup, check that it is the right version and installed to the right place.

If you're running Deadline 2.7, please see the important notice for 3ds Max users here.

Could not delete old lightning.dlx... This file may be locked by a copy of 3ds max

Usually this is because a 3dsmax.exe process didn't quit or get killed properly. Looking in task manager on the slaves reporting the message for a 3dsmax.exe process and killing it is the solution.

3dsmax crashed in GetCoreInterFace()->LoadFromFile();...

There are a number of things that can be tried to diagnose the issue:

  • Try opening the file on a machine where it crashed. You may already have done this.
  • Try rendering a frame of it on a machine where it crashed, using the 3dsmaxcmd.exe renderer. This will make it open the file in slave mode and possibly give an idea of what's failing.
  • Submit the job to run in workstation mode. In workstation mode there's often more diagnostic output. There's a checkbox in the submission script for this.
  • If you're comfortable sending us the .max file which is crashing, we'd be happy to diagnose the issue here (please send it to deadline-support@franticfilms.com
  • Try stripping down the max file by deleting objects and seeing if it still crashes then.

Trapped SEH Exception in CurRendererRenderFrame(): Access Violation

An Access Violation means that when rendering the frame, Max either ran out of memory, or it touched memory that it shouldn't (although this is usually a result of the former anyways). Try stripping down the max file by deleting objects and seeing if the error still ocurs.

3dsmax: Trapped SEH Exception in LoadFromFile(): Access Violation

An Access Violation means that when loading the scene, Max either ran out of memory, or it touched memory that it shouldn't (although this is usually a result of the former anyways). Try stripping down the max file by deleting objects and seeing if the error still ocurs.

RenderTask: 3dsmax exited unexpectedly (it may have crashed, or someone may have terminated)

This generic error message means that max crashed and exited before the actual error could be propagated up to Deadline. Often when you see this error, it helps to look through the rest of the error reports for that job to see if they contain any information that's more specific.

RenderTask: 3dsmax may have crashed (recv: socket error trying to receive data: WSAError code 10054)

This generic error message means that max crashed and exited before the actual error could be propagated up to Deadline. Often when you see this error, it helps to look through the rest of the error reports for that job to see if they contain any information that's more specific.

3dsmax startup: Error getting connection from 3dsmax: 3dsmax startup: Deadline/3dsmax startup error: lightningMax*.dlx does not appear to have loaded on 3dsmax startup, check that it is the right version and installed to the right place.

This error is likely the side effect of another error, but the original error wasn't propagated to Deadline properly. Often when you see this error, it helps to look through the rest of the error reports for that job to see if they contain any information that's more specific.

3dsmax startup: Max exited unexpectedly. Check that 1) max starts up with no dialog messages and in the case of 3dsmax 6, 2) 3dsmaxcmd.exe produces the message 'Error opening scene file: ""' when run with no command line arguments

This message is often the result of an issue with the way Max starts up. Try starting 3ds Max on the slave machine that produced the error to see if it starts up properly. Also try running 3dsmaxcmd.exe from the command line prompt to see if it produces the message 'Error opening scene file: ""' when run with no command line arguments. If it doesn't produce this message, there may be a problem with the Max install or how its configured. Sometimes reinstalling Max is the best solution.

The 3dsmax command line renderer, ...\3dsmaxcmd.exe, hung during the verification of the 3ds max install

Try running 3dsmaxcmd.exe from the command line prompt to see if it pops up an error dialog or crashes, which is often the cause of this error message. If this is the case, there may be a problem with the Max install or how its configured. Sometimes reinstalling Max is the best solution.

3dsmax: Failed to load max file: "..."

There could be many reasons my Max would fail to load the scene file. Check for ERR or WRN messages included in the error message for information that might explain the problem. Often, this error is the result of a missing plugin or dll.

Exception: Failed to render the frame.

There could be many reasons my Max would fail to render the frame. Check for ERR or WRN messages included in the error message for information that might explain the problem.

An error occurred in StartJob(): 3dsmax: Trapped SEH Exception in LoadFromFile(): Integer Divide By Zero
Process: C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2009\3dsmax.exe
Module: C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2009\stdplugs\AutoCamMax.gup

There are known issues with the new steering wheel plugin (AutoCamMax.gup) in 3ds Max 2009. See this link for more details. Upgrading to the latest 3ds Max 2009 service pack or disabling the plugin as described in the link has been known to fix this problem.