maxmetalman
09-03-2008, 01:35 PM
This is a guide to people wanting to install 3dsmax or any other Autodesk product on a 15" Macbook Pro with OSX 10.5 leopard and Boot Camp 2.1 with Windows XP SP3.
First be sure to run Boot Camp Assistant. Be sure it is Boot Camp 2.1 before you try to install Windows XP SP3. That is very very important.
Choose to either make a small 32GB FAT32 partition (can't have files over 4GB in size), or split your hard drive down the middle for an NTFS partition (good for everything).
Also keep in mind when using NTFS you will need to install on Mac OSX:
MacFuse http://code.google.com/p/macfuse/ and
NTFS-3G driver http://macntfs-3g.blogspot.com/ to be able to copy files from your Mac hard drive to your windows hard drive.
You will be propted to put the Windows Disc in, a reboot, and the familiar install of Windows will begin. Install Windows to the partition named BOOTCAMP, and continue. After the install is complete, put in the second OSX 10.5 disc for the remainder of the drivers to be properly installed to your Mac. Reboot and all should be good.
Install and authorize 3dsmax.
Legal copies of Autodesk software will present you either immediately, or after a few uses that you have a license error, and that you must re-authorize. Which will fail.
Even if you had made a system restore point, and restore to before that error, the problem will persist. You can try to uninstall, clean the registry and even defrag the hard drive after a new install which may work. Formatting and reinstalling Windows will work (not fun when using Boot Camp). And then, again after a few uses the license error will again occur.
There are many theories as to how this happens. Some say it's from it being the EFI on a Mac motherboard versus a PC motherbaord, to how the SATA hard drive interfaces with the other Mac hardware, creating a hiccup that scare to the Autodesk product.... triggering the license error. People have reported that installing the Windows, and or 3dsmax to another hard drive solves the problem altogether.
Autodesk's position on the subject is:
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/item?siteID=123112&id=9602818&linkID=9240617
If you even call them and mention Boot Camp, they will not assist you.
The easiest solution that came after much testing, and forums searching was simply this. Go to
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Autodesk\Software Licenses
delete the file in this folder and restart 3dsmax. It will ask you to re-authorize as usual but this time, it will work.
Boot Camp is far from perfect. This is Apple's fault. Autodesk shouldn't have to try to make a fix for %8 of the computing world, of which 1% probably even uses Boot Camp, of which 0.05% actually uses Autodesk products in this manner. Hopefully over time, it will be fixed somehow. But for now this is all I can say on the subject.
This took a long time to research and get the information together, but hopefully it will help people trying to uses one of the best 3D programs available.
First be sure to run Boot Camp Assistant. Be sure it is Boot Camp 2.1 before you try to install Windows XP SP3. That is very very important.
Choose to either make a small 32GB FAT32 partition (can't have files over 4GB in size), or split your hard drive down the middle for an NTFS partition (good for everything).
Also keep in mind when using NTFS you will need to install on Mac OSX:
MacFuse http://code.google.com/p/macfuse/ and
NTFS-3G driver http://macntfs-3g.blogspot.com/ to be able to copy files from your Mac hard drive to your windows hard drive.
You will be propted to put the Windows Disc in, a reboot, and the familiar install of Windows will begin. Install Windows to the partition named BOOTCAMP, and continue. After the install is complete, put in the second OSX 10.5 disc for the remainder of the drivers to be properly installed to your Mac. Reboot and all should be good.
Install and authorize 3dsmax.
Legal copies of Autodesk software will present you either immediately, or after a few uses that you have a license error, and that you must re-authorize. Which will fail.
Even if you had made a system restore point, and restore to before that error, the problem will persist. You can try to uninstall, clean the registry and even defrag the hard drive after a new install which may work. Formatting and reinstalling Windows will work (not fun when using Boot Camp). And then, again after a few uses the license error will again occur.
There are many theories as to how this happens. Some say it's from it being the EFI on a Mac motherboard versus a PC motherbaord, to how the SATA hard drive interfaces with the other Mac hardware, creating a hiccup that scare to the Autodesk product.... triggering the license error. People have reported that installing the Windows, and or 3dsmax to another hard drive solves the problem altogether.
Autodesk's position on the subject is:
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/item?siteID=123112&id=9602818&linkID=9240617
If you even call them and mention Boot Camp, they will not assist you.
The easiest solution that came after much testing, and forums searching was simply this. Go to
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Autodesk\Software Licenses
delete the file in this folder and restart 3dsmax. It will ask you to re-authorize as usual but this time, it will work.
Boot Camp is far from perfect. This is Apple's fault. Autodesk shouldn't have to try to make a fix for %8 of the computing world, of which 1% probably even uses Boot Camp, of which 0.05% actually uses Autodesk products in this manner. Hopefully over time, it will be fixed somehow. But for now this is all I can say on the subject.
This took a long time to research and get the information together, but hopefully it will help people trying to uses one of the best 3D programs available.