I am having the same problem max keeps over-righting the same files is there an over-right feature you can turn off in the preferences? i have looked in the files but i cannot find it, i have had 3 crashes on my AEC building i have used the + and that crashes the files cannot open when i make a new scene file it over rights the back up ones

error message says “file open failed C:\Documents and Settings\Anthony\My Documents\3dsmax/AEChouse01”

This is becoming annoying now

Cheers
Anthony

Computer engineer, 3ds max freelancer
3ds max used currantly using max 9 (7, 8)
poser using 8 (5,6,7)
windows xp sp2
512 memory
40 and 80 gb hard drives
sis mirage 3 VGA Card
Asus motherboard

No Doughboy12 i mean when that files crashes and does not open you can usually go to the autobackup file in the documents but when i start a new models they backup files get over-written with the new model is there not a way to stop this.

It does not matter what number i set the files to they still get over-written by the new file. cannot you uncheck or untick a feature that does not keep over-righting the backup;s

Computer engineer, 3ds max freelancer
3ds max used currantly using max 9 (7, 8)
poser using 8 (5,6,7)
windows xp sp2
512 memory
40 and 80 gb hard drives
sis mirage 3 VGA Card
Asus motherboard

Customise > Configure User Paths. You can change the location of the Autobak folder (on a per-project basis).
You could also change how many autobak files are created and how often. Customise > Preferences > Files (tab).

Max 4.2 through 2014, Composite 2014.
XP-64 (SP2).
nVidia 9800GTX+ (512MB) (Driver 314.22).
i5-3570K @ 4.4GHz, 8Gb Ram, DX9.0c.

Steven
I Don’t want to change the file location i just want max to stop over-wrighting the auto backup files with a new project or model.

Computer engineer, 3ds max freelancer
3ds max used currantly using max 9 (7, 8)
poser using 8 (5,6,7)
windows xp sp2
512 memory
40 and 80 gb hard drives
sis mirage 3 VGA Card
Asus motherboard

You can’t. Autobak files are simply copies of the current scene taken at intervals. You open a different scene, the autobak files will all eventually be overwritten by copies of the scene you just opened. That is exactly how they were designed to work.

Either use SaveAs then the “+”, or create separate projects for your different scenes, at least that way the autobaks won’t get overwitten by a different scene, but you’ll have to change project every time you want to open a different scene.

SaveAs is much better - relying on autobaks is definitely not best practice.

Max 4.2 through 2014, Composite 2014.
XP-64 (SP2).
nVidia 9800GTX+ (512MB) (Driver 314.22).
i5-3570K @ 4.4GHz, 8Gb Ram, DX9.0c.

Okay thanks

each time i use the plus sign the scenes keep crashing I’m not sure why. it just becomes annoying.

somethings i get an unhanding error due to a memory dump and then max crashes i have updated my VGA drivers added the latest pack. i never had this problems on max 7

Cheers
Anthony

Computer engineer, 3ds max freelancer
3ds max used currantly using max 9 (7, 8)
poser using 8 (5,6,7)
windows xp sp2
512 memory
40 and 80 gb hard drives
sis mirage 3 VGA Card
Asus motherboard

I suspect that “512 memory”, assuming that means 512MB, is the cause of a lot of your problems. Windows needs that much on its own before you even load Max. While it may technically be sufficient, it is certainly a bare minimum.
I should say that the “+” works fine here, on multiple versions (including Max9), and did so on my previous system (a Pentium 4 with 1GB of RAM) up to Max2008, so it’s either your system, or your scenes, which are causing the problems, not Max itself.

Max 4.2 through 2014, Composite 2014.
XP-64 (SP2).
nVidia 9800GTX+ (512MB) (Driver 314.22).
i5-3570K @ 4.4GHz, 8Gb Ram, DX9.0c.