#Corrupted .PRJ?
11 messages in this thread
I was attempting to save my project as I do often but when I did it
once the whole computer hung. I had to warm boot the computer. When I
attempted to reopen the project 3D Studio stated that it was an
"Invalid Project File". I got some of my work back by renaming the
temporary file but not all.
My specs are:
3D Studio: Version 3.0
Vibrant: Latest version downloaded from this forum.
Processor: 486 DX2 66 Mhz
Hard Disk: 420 with 35M free
Memory: 24M(19M available in 3D Studio)
Display: MAG 17"
Graphics: Matrox Ultima
Mem Manager: HIMEM.SYS and SMARTDRIVE(DOS 6.2)
Can you tell me how I can get the project file back, since it contains all the
shapes I was using! How can I prevent this happening again. I have been using
the program for more than 4 months on the same system and this is the first
time it has ever happened. The project contained about 22,000 faces.
Thanks.
Yeesh… Unless you've got a backup of the file somewhere, you're pretty much
out of luck. It sounds like it was corrupted during a file-write operation.
– G
<<Yeesh…>>
More like MERDE! There goes a weeks work.
<<Unless you've got a backup of the file somewhere, you're pretty much out of
luck. It sounds like it was corrupted during a file-write operation.>>
But have you any ideas why?
PMJI, David I think I remember your first message on this problem, correct me
if your wrong. You were working in 3DS and you quit the program then reset your
system to load your Windows configuration. If this stands correct, you might
have shut your system down without giving your system enough time to finish
writing the CACHE buffer on the *.PRJ file. If this is what happened you would
of ended up with a file without enough information for 3DS to recognize it.
Just a thought.
Mike Morgan, CAD Forms Inc.
<<PMJI, David I think I remember your first message on this problem, correct me
if your wrong. You were working in 3DS and you quit the program then reset your
system to load your Windows configuration. If this stands correct, you might
have shut your system down without giving your system enough time to finish
writing the CACHE buffer on the *.PRJ file. If this is what happened you would
of ended up with a file without enough information for 3DS to recognize it.
Just a thought.>>
No, I was running 3DS under DOS, I then attempted to save my project. The text
"Saving objects + animation"(can't remember the exact text) came up at the top
of the screen as always. But this time the program hung. Normally the save
operation takes a few seconds(20,000 faces). I waited at least three minutes
and still nothing. The hard disk wasn't being accessed(the light wasn't
flickering as it normally does). I tried pressing various keys but still
nothing. In my experience this is a "hang". So I rebooted the computer and
tried to access the project file but it was by now corrupt. I looked at the
file in DOS and it showed a file size of 0. This indicates that it wasn't saved
properly since I had to reboot. At no time did I attempt to load Windows or any
other program.
Since no-one can offer an explanation for this phenomenon I will simply more
backups as I go.
Thanks.
Sounds like an HD controller problem, from the way you describe it.
– G
MikeM's response re shutting your system down before giving it enough of a
chance to finish writing the cache is just one of the many ways to get a
screwed-up file. None of them have anything directly to do with 3DS… they're
all system-related.
Note that (also as suggested) if you've got the backup file system ON, there's
a chance that your PRJ.BAK file contains the data you need (but that would only
be the case until you've written another PRJ file).
– G
David, I've had this happen once or twice on the same system I've been
using for years, so it does happen. I don't really know why, and
frankly haven't really tried looking since it's been so rare. Have
you tried renaming the PRJ.BAK to whatever name your file was? Like
rename it to test.prj. I've been able to recover doing it this way.
Give it a try. Other than that, I'd just let things go for now, and
if this becomes a more frequent problem, start looking at things like
caching software, your HD controller itself, etc. Good luck.
<<David, I've had this happen once or twice on the same system I've been using
for years, so it does happen. I don't really know why, and frankly haven't
really tried looking since it's been so rare.>>
Although it is rare. This is the first time it as happen to me it doesn't give
me much confidence now knowing that Damocles sword is hanging over my head as I
go to press the save button.
<<Have you tried renaming the PRJ.BAK to whatever name your file was? Like
rename it to test.prj. I've been able to recover doing it this way.>>
I haven't been saving a backup. Yes you can slap me across the hands for that
but I am still very surprised that it happened at all. After all I wasn't doing
anything other than trying to save the project, something that I HAVE to do.
<<Other than that, I'd just let things go for now, and if this becomes a more
frequent problem, start looking at things like caching software, your HD
controller itself, etc. Good luck.>>
Yes luck is something I'm going to need. I think I'll just make a billion
backups each time I save to be extra sure. But I now have a seed of doubt in my
mind regarding the stability of 3D Studio.
Thanks.
No need to doubt the stability of 3DS when writing files… I personally
guarantee that there are ABSOLUTELY no problems there. But since we have no
control over what's happening in your system environment, we can't manage what
your environment does on its own.
– G
PRJ.BAK is automatically saved every time you save a PRJ file. It should be
there in your PROJECTS directory. Just rename it to something.PRJ and you
should be able to load it in 3DS.
Michele