Error: “File archive failed (code #)” in 3ds Max

Issue:

When trying to archive a 3ds Max scene file using the Archive feature, an error message appears:

File Save Error
File archive failed (code 1)

This error may be preceded or followed by another error regarding the creation of the archived MAXZIP file:

MAXZIP Error
MAXZIP Error: Nothing to do!

Environment

• Windows Operating System

Causes

There are several reasons the archive may be failing:

• Insufficient drive space
• Archive is performed within a Temp drive or folder
• Insufficient permissions in Windows to the save location
• Archive name or save location exceeds the Windows 256-character path limit
• Duplicate bitmap files found in different folders
• Special characters or non-English characters used in file or folder names (for example: @, #, $, %, &, *, +)
• Scene file or externally referenced files exceed the 2–4 GB file size limit

Solution

To successfully use the Archive feature and save a zipped folder containing the 3ds Max scene file and its external bitmap assets, review the following solutions.

Run 3ds Max as Administrator

Ensure Windows has the proper permissions for the desired save location. In some cases, permission issues can be bypassed by running 3ds Max as Administrator.

1. Right-click the 3ds Max shortcut icon (or 3dsmax.exe)
2. Choose Run as administrator

Sufficient Storage Space

Make sure the destination drive has enough free space to store the final archived file.

Duplicate Bitmap Names

Check for duplicate bitmaps that share the same filename but are located in different folders, for example:

• C:\Textures\concrete22.jpg
• C:\Textures\Ground\concrete22.jpg

To check for duplicates in 3ds Max:

1. Go to the File menu
2. Choose Reference
3. Select Asset Tracking Toggle
4. Review the bitmap paths and resolve duplicates by deleting or re-pathing assets so only one version is used

Windows 256-Character Path Limit

In the Asset Tracking window, ensure bitmap paths do not exceed the Windows 256-character limit. Deeply nested directories or long filenames can cause the archive to fail.

Example of a problematic path:

\\Manager Machine\Textures\Project XYZ\XYZ-099876\<Today’s Date>\Building Textures\Concrete\Rough\New_07\Concrete Aggregate Pebbled Gray ABCDEFG.jpg

Recommended solutions:

• Shorten directory paths
• Move all bitmaps to a single folder such as C:\Textures\ProjectName
• Re-path assets using the Asset Tracking dialog

To extend the Windows 10 path limit, see:
How to change the default 256 character path limitation (MAX_PATH) in Windows 10

Special Characters in File or Folder Names

Ensure external assets do not contain special or non-English characters in file or folder names.

Example of invalid path:
C:\!Textures@

Rename affected files and re-path them using the Material Editor or Asset Tracking dialog.

Avoid Temp Folders

Make sure the archived file is not being saved to a Temp folder.

Scene Data Exceeding 2 GB

If the scene file or externally referenced assets exceed 2 GB, the archive may fail.

Recommended actions:

• Remove unused scene components, materials, or maps
• Reduce bitmap resolution where possible
• Optimize the .max scene and geometry

For more optimization tips, see:
How to optimize performance in very large 3ds Max scenes

See Also

• Autodesk Products Crash On Launch Or Login With CER
• Cannot Create Shortcut For 3rd-Party Plug-In In 3ds Max 2020.1
• Super Renders Farm

Source: Autodesk