Max 6.1 Crashing with Windows 8
I recently purchased Max 6.1. Anytime I try to open a patch that was created on a different computer, Windows crashes and I get a blue screen with the obnoxious emoticon. I tried updating to Windows 8.1, but it didn't help. I've been through the forum and tried to disable different applications on startup, but that didn't help.
Have you tried both the 32 bit and 64 bit versions of Max?
Yes, I'm running a 64-bit right now but I've tried both.
I was wondering if anyone has any extra knowledge about this? I'm still having issues with it. Today, I tried just creating a new patcher in the 64-bit and it crashed Windows. I've since switched to the 32-bit. I'm no longer having issues trying to create a new patcher, but I still can't open any previously created patch.
Wow, that's dramatic for an app to crash Windows. It might be driver related...Max using a driver. LIke your video or audio driver. Do you have current drivers for video and audio and do they fully function?
When windows crashes with the blue screen, it usually has diagnostic information at the bottom of the screen. I recommend you write that down. Also, when Windows reboot, there will be more diagnostics available. In the windows tray is the action center. Expand Maintenance. View Reliability History. You should see red problems on the right column (current day). Click on the day. At the bottom will now be diagnostic info. Look at it to see if you can discern what is crashing. Also doubleclick on the line of the crash itself and lots more diagnostics will appear. Sometimes in this detail you can see what caused the crash. It might list Max as the EXE but in another place will list what Max was using that actually caused the crash.
i am experiencing this, too. but only on windows 8.1 (i have another computer with win7 where no problems occur) . drivers are up to date
btw, 32 and 64 bit max do crash here... so hopefully there can be a solution.
I think, for now, I've fixed it. I had heard that it could be issues with my video driver, but it wasn't which left me perplexed. Under diablodale's suggestion, I checked my audio driver. I think that was the problem. I had been receiving an error since I updated to Windows 8.1 regarding my Dolby Audio Driver. It seems to be working for the time being. I'm using a Lenovo laptop and apparently this was a common issue with the 8.1 update. My recommendation would be to check your drivers.
yes, after using a nvidia beta driver it works... cool
thought so. now after another crash i cant start it up anymore. i get a message telling me a kernel mode debugger has been detected. what the heck is that??? i have no such thing...
No idea, but now my computer is crashing with certain patches. Maybe because it's large? Maybe because I'm pulling it off of dropbox? Maybe because it was created in a previous version?
Opening Max 6.1 on Windows 8.1 crashes my machine every time. Blue screen death.
I tried the 64-bit and the 32-bit version. I've installed a new video card driver (now = NVIDIA 9.18.13.4052), I've installed a new audio driver (now = Realtek Digital Output 6.3.9600.16384). I even physically removed the GPU (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760), but it crashes every single time.
And the crash reports in the Action Center don't provide any helpful clue ("shut down unexpectedly", BlueScreen, etc). Now i am out of ideas ...
Could it be a problem with the Pace piracy protection software? Max 6 uses that. https://www.paceap.com/
How would it test if PACE is responsible?
The registration window came up the first time i opened Max. Inputting the authorization code worked. That first time i actually didn't open any patch, i just pasted in the authorization code in and closed everything again.
And now, when starting Max, no window pops up at all, it goes straight to the blue screen.
Some ideas:
- google for "windows crash debug logging" and see how to debug and track down a windows blue screen crash
- check your event log
- hook up a debugger to the serial port...waaaay too difficult
Personally, I have Windows 8.1 x64 and Max 6 works fine for me. It is extremely difficult for an application (e.g. Max) to blue screen crash windows. Instead, it tend to be kernel mode drivers (video, sound, graphics, usb, firewire, Pace protection, etc.) that crash Windows. I suspect Max is making a very normal request but the kernel mode driver that supports/listens for that request has a bug in it.
Oh...have you run the Windows memory test tool? Google for how to do that.
Yep, Max 6.1 crashes often on windows 8.1 pro for me. It also seems buggy and often freezes. Some objects, like key don't always report keys. Other objects will act strangely as well. I've not had as many max problems before on a windows system, besides the known common limitations. In general it has had a very hard time running smoothly on 8.1. Audio drivers disconnect, opening patches through explorer will crash the program, some objects will just stop properly functioning.
8.1 has a busload of problems with everything else, so I'm not totally convinced its not a windows issue. Its very frustrating. Max is one of the main programs that I use and I'm almost unable to use it. I have to save constantly.
Same issues here on my Acer using Win 8.1 & Max 32/64 bit.
Got the blue screen twice when opening a patch I downloaded and before that when working normally with Max.
Not sure if I should go with a different Win version, try different drivers, or use a different Max version.
The message that appears on the BSOD was something like: system_service_exception win32k.sys
I might try to follow the advice on this thread: http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-2028871/system-service-exception-blue-screen.html
However, as this is a brand new laptop I am considering returning it and getting a different one, to avoid this developing into bigger problems in the future. Not sure if I'll stick to Win 8.1 though.
Just to add to this:
I can open up Max Runtime 6.1 (x64) and it doesn't crash.
But when I try to open Max 6.1 (x64) I get the blue screen.
What drivers would Max access that Max Runtime doesn't access, on startup?
any update on this? I have a student with the same issue (blue screen crash since max 6.1 was installed on her windows 8)... I know max 7 is out, but class is with max 6 so, updating to max 7 is not an option at the moment.
Does anybody solved the problem?
thanks in advance
I am also getting the blue screen emoticon page with the error: system_service_exception win32k.sys.
Has anybody had any success fixing this? Are there any links with more information on solutions?
Almost two years later, I found that it never was actually fixed. Windows is still crashing. It appears to be some sort of compatibility issue with 8.1. I've just stopped using the software. It's too much of a hassle.
@JENNROB: Same here...
How about Max 7 and Windows 8.1? I'd be interested to hear about any issues there...
Just tested with the newest version (Max 7.2.1 64-bit) and I am still getting the blue crash screen when starting it up. (On Windows Windows 8.1 64-bit)