Massive X VST3 unloading crashes Maschine when switching projects (VST2 stable)

Hey all- I’ve identified a reproducible crash (for me) in Maschine 3 that occurs when switching projects but ONLY if the project contains an instance of Massive X VST3. If I start from an empty project or disable each instance of Massive X on the Sound level, the crash doesn't happen either. The issue doesn't occur with the VST2 version of Massive X. Here is a paste of the related Windows event:

Faulting application name: Maschine 3.exe, version: 3.4.1.0, time stamp: 0x69121bca
Faulting module name: Massive X.vst3, version: 1.6.1.0, time stamp: 0x68c7d85a
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x0000000000025e44
Faulting process id: 0x10C8
Faulting application start time: 0x1DC83F890CFE254
Faulting application path: C:\Program Files\Native Instruments\Maschine 3\Maschine 3.exe
Faulting module path: C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\Massive X.vst3
Report Id: 0a970701-c44d-4d38-b167-6a20006b4cf8
Faulting package full name:
Faulting package-relative application ID:

It doesn't seem to be a database, scan, or corruption issue for Maschine or Massive X- I've exhaustively gone through all of the troubleshooting options available from what I can tell, including disabling Memory Core protection and several different adjustments of GPU settings. Here's my full config:

Windows 11
Maschine: 3.4.1
Massive X: 1.6.1
Plugin format: VST3
CPU: Intel i9-13900K
GPU: NVIDIA RTX 3090

I REALLY don't want to export and reload each instance with the VST2 version. I CAN just load a blank project if I'm using Massive X in my current project and the crash doesn't occur, or even close out Maschine and reopen it every time I open a new project, but it's not ideal. Seems like a bug.

Any ideas? Devs?

Thanks all!

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Comments

solsta

well well well, so massive x is crashing my maschine 3.4.1 on export, vst3

I haven't switched it to audio unit cos I lose a bunch of automation but I may just give that a try if all else fails.

just duplicated the project with a different name to see if any issues , it seems to have exported fine BUT when I quit maschine, it crashes on exit, I suspect it is again massive X

chatgpt had this to say after reading my crash logs

"Duplicating the project likely did one or more of the following internally:

Rebuilt the project graph (new object IDs)
Reinstantiated Massive X instances
Cleared stale pointers to UI / scope / voice objects
Reset export job state"

apparently the crash is related to "A Massive X DSP / scope update bug triggered during Maschine’s audio export process, leading to invalid memory access on an audio worker thread."

Your crash is:

EXC_BAD_ACCESS (SIGSEGV)
Invalid memory address
Inside Massive X RMS / scope update code
Triggered during export, not playback

Try close all massiveX windows on exit or export but I think we have the same issue which indicates a massive x bug specifically, nothing to do with your system or DAW:

ChatGPT again says:

All three actions — exporting, switching projects, and quitting the DAW — share a critical behavior:
They trigger plugin teardown or memory cleanup while audio processing or UI timers may still be active.

Typical flow:

DAW stops audio engine
DAW unloads plugin
Plugin destructor and UI cleanup happen
Plugin tries to update scopes / RMS / voices during cleanup

If the plugin isn’t properly synchronized, a worker thread can:

✔ still fire during export

✔ still run a scope update

✔ reference buffers that no longer exist

✔ crash

nvaleri

@solsta Thanks for responding! Sorry that this the first time I'm seeing it, my notifications aren't working correctly.

I had many rounds with ChatGPT also, and then a few with NI support. Apparently this is a known bug. Here is the response I received from NI Support:

***************

This issue where

Massive X VST3

causes a crash during project unloading in Maschine is a known behavior often linked to how the VST3 version handles memory deallocation within the Maschine software environment.

To resolve this and prevent your projects from crashing when you close them, please try the following steps:

VST2 version of Massive X can be more stable than the VST3 version when unloading projects in Maschine.

Open your project and replace the VST3 instances of Massive X with the VST2 versions.
Save the project and attempt to unload it; if it closes without a crash, the issue is specifically related to the VST3 "handshake" during the closing process.

Also, a corrupted plugin database in Maschine can cause it to "hang" or crash when trying to release a plugin's resources.

Close Maschine and Massive X.
Navigate to ~/Library/Application Support/Native Instruments/Maschine 2 (macOS) or %AppData%\Native Instruments\Maschine 2 (Windows).
Delete the file named komplete.db3.
Restart Maschine; it will perform a full scan of your plugins, which can fix broken links that cause unloading crashes.

Also, please make sure your Maschine and Massive X are up to date. So pleas echeck your Native Access in case there is an update for these products.

I hope this helps. If the issue persists, please let us know so we ca help you further to solve that.

***********

I responded to them and they wrote back again to say there are no updates as yet. The issue is confirmed that it is with the VST3 version only. Database corruption is not the issue, I've rebuilt the Komplete, Maschine and Massive X databases multiple times to no avail.

solsta

I'm in the process if migrating it to the Audio unit version (I am on Mac) and then seeing if it works, I can't use vst2 plugins anymore I don't think. at least not on Mac unless I am running them in rosetta mode.

We shall see if this resolves my problem! currently migrating it now. the automation is the most annoying part of the process

solsta

I'm still testing, but it may be possible that just loading a functional instance of massive x (vst2 or audio unit) will stop the crash from happening. Not sure how or why, but since I've been adding the audio unit version and copying over midi and automation, it has strangely not crashed once, so that may be another possible fix. maybe try load another functional instance of massive and see if it stabilises the project

solsta

vst3 is still in the project at this time so I am unsure if I am just getting lucky or the other instance has resolved some memory issue

nvaleri

@solsta I'm on Windows so you might have more success than me. Thanks for checking it out!

maschuser1

I have the same issue if I repeatedly unload/reload Massive X in a Maschine project, here is the stack, in particular the offset is at Massive_X!GetPluginFactory+0x19744. This is in the VST3 version 1.6.1 on Windows.

Access violation - code c0000005

00000000`0014fb88 00007ffb`d7c6869f : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000400 00000000`00000000 00000000`08b23100 : Massive_X!GetPluginFactory+0x19744
00000000`0014fb90 00007ffb`d7c6840c : 00000000`00000400 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`000306dc : Massive_X!GetPluginFactory+0x15bf9f
00000000`0014fbd0 00007ffc`83657846 : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000001 00000000`00000000 : Massive_X!GetPluginFactory+0x15bd0c
00000000`0014fc20 00007ffc`8365539d : 00000000`0014fe20 00007ffb`d7c683c0 00000000`000306dc 00000000`00000000 : USER32!UserCallWinProcCheckWow+0x356
00000000`0014fd80 00000001`42bd069f : 00000000`0014fe20 00000000`040b7968 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : USER32!DispatchMessageWorker+0x1dd
00000000`0014fe00 00000001`41be3320 : 00000000`005a8af0 00000000`0014fe90 00000000`0014fea0 00007ffc`81d372c8 : Maschine_3!boost::serialization::singleton<std::set<boost::serialization::void_cast_detail::void_caster const * __ptr64,boost::serialization::void_cast_detail::void_caster_compare,std::allocator<boost::serialization::void_cast_detail::void_caster const * __ptr64> > >::is_destroyed+0x33e9bf
00000000`0014fe60 00000001`442e4670 : 00000000`00000002 00000001`00000002 ffffffff`fffffffe 00000000`00588afa : Maschine_3!boost::archive::detail::pointer_oserializer<portable_binary_oarchive,NI::MASCOMMON::DATA::AudioModule>::save_object_ptr+0x346920
00000000`0014fe90 00000001`442b147e : 00000000`00000002 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : Maschine_3!boost::serialization::singleton<std::set<boost::serialization::void_cast_detail::void_caster const * __ptr64,boost::serialization::void_cast_detail::void_caster_compare,std::allocator<boost::serialization::void_cast_detail::void_caster const * __ptr64> > >::is_destroyed+0x1a52990
00000000`0014ff20 00007ffc`8416e8d7 : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : Maschine_3!boost::serialization::singleton<std::set<boost::serialization::void_cast_detail::void_caster const * __ptr64,boost::serialization::void_cast_detail::void_caster_compare,std::allocator<boost::serialization::void_cast_detail::void_caster const * __ptr64> > >::is_destroyed+0x1a1f79e
00000000`0014ff60 00007ffc`848ec53c : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 000004f0`fffffb30 000004d0`fffffb30 : KERNEL32!BaseThreadInitThunk+0x17
00000000`0014ff90 00000000`00000000 : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : ntdll!RtlUserThreadStart+0x2c

Helene Kolpakova

similar issue in Cakewalk Sonar on Windows 11

started happening in recent versions delivered around New Year

My project contains 3-4 instances and project load fails consistently on the 3rd instance. There's clearly some memory management frick up taking place because once in a blue moon the project fails. And significantly realigning the memory in OS, e.g. starting a browser with 100 tabs, might spontaneously help to load the project.

*******************************************************************************

*                                                                             *

*                        Exception Analysis                                   *

*                                                                             *

*******************************************************************************


*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for Sonar.exe


KEY_VALUES_STRING: 1


    Key  : AV.Type

    Value: Read


    Key  : Analysis.CPU.mSec

    Value: 1281


    Key  : Analysis.Elapsed.mSec

    Value: 20299


    Key  : Analysis.IO.Other.Mb

    Value: 0


    Key  : Analysis.IO.Read.Mb

    Value: 1


    Key  : Analysis.IO.Write.Mb

    Value: 103


    Key  : Analysis.Init.CPU.mSec

    Value: 500


    Key  : Analysis.Init.Elapsed.mSec

    Value: 24819


    Key  : Analysis.Memory.CommitPeak.Mb

    Value: 373


    Key  : Analysis.Version.DbgEng

    Value: 10.0.29507.1001


    Key  : Analysis.Version.Description

    Value: 10.2511.5.1 amd64fre


    Key  : Analysis.Version.Ext

    Value: 1.2511.5.1


    Key  : Failure.Bucket

    Value: INVALID_POINTER_READ_c0000005_Massive_X.vst3!Unknown


    Key  : Failure.Exception.Code

    Value: 0xc0000005


    Key  : Failure.Exception.IP.Address

    Value: 0x7ffe98cb5e44


    Key  : Failure.Exception.IP.Module

    Value: Massive_X


    Key  : Failure.Exception.IP.Offset

    Value: 0x25e44


    Key  : Failure.Hash

    Value: {7d4a013e-8686-382c-17c9-fd4ff1168076}


    Key  : Failure.ProblemClass.Primary

    Value: INVALID_POINTER_READ


    Key  : Faulting.IP.Type

    Value: Paged


    Key  : Timeline.OS.Boot.DeltaSec

    Value: 809930


    Key  : Timeline.Process.Start.DeltaSec

    Value: 55


    Key  : WER.OS.Branch

    Value: ge_release


    Key  : WER.OS.Version

    Value: 10.0.26100.1


    Key  : WER.Process.Version

    Value: 31.12.0.50



FILE_IN_CAB:  Sonar.exe.11400.dmp


NTGLOBALFLAG:  0


APPLICATION_VERIFIER_FLAGS:  0


CONTEXT:  (.ecxr)

rax=00000000f3b97080 rbx=000000010135f8d0 rcx=000000010135f810

rdx=0000000000010000 rsi=0000000090db17a0 rdi=000000010135f810

rip=00007ffe98cb5e44 rsp=000000000015ca48 rbp=00000000008d5940

 r8=7ffffffffffffffc  r9=0000000000010000 r10=0000000000040aca

r11=0000000000000246 r12=0000000000000000 r13=0000000000000000

r14=0000000000040aca r15=0000000000000000

iopl=0         nv up ei pl nz na pe nc

cs=0033  ss=002b  ds=002b  es=002b  fs=0053  gs=002b             efl=00010202

Massive_X!GetPluginFactory+0x19744:

00007ffe`98cb5e44 488b4808        mov     rcx,qword ptr [rax+8] ds:00000000`f3b97088=????????????????

Resetting default scope


EXCEPTION_RECORD:  (.exr -1)

ExceptionAddress: 00007ffe98cb5e44 (Massive_X!GetPluginFactory+0x0000000000019744)

   ExceptionCode: c0000005 (Access violation)

  ExceptionFlags: 00000000

NumberParameters: 2

   Parameter[0]: 0000000000000000

   Parameter[1]: 00000000f3b97088

Attempt to read from address 00000000f3b97088


PROCESS_NAME:  Sonar.exe


READ_ADDRESS:  00000000f3b97088 


ERROR_CODE: (NTSTATUS) 0xc0000005 - The instruction at 0x%p referenced memory at 0x%p. The memory could not be %s.


EXCEPTION_CODE_STR:  c0000005


EXCEPTION_PARAMETER1:  0000000000000000


EXCEPTION_PARAMETER2:  00000000f3b97088


STACK_TEXT:  

00000000`0015ca48 00007ffe`98df869f     : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000400 00000000`008d5940 00000000`90db17a0 : Massive_X!GetPluginFactory+0x19744

00000000`0015ca50 00007ffe`98df840c     : 00000000`00000400 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00040aca : Massive_X!GetPluginFactory+0x15bf9f

00000000`0015ca90 00007fff`d7516b46     : 00000000`00000000 00000000`008d5940 00000000`00000001 00000000`00000000 : Massive_X!GetPluginFactory+0x15bd0c

00000000`0015cae0 00007fff`d751660c     : 00000000`00ce51b0 00007ffe`98df83c0 00000000`00040aca 00000000`00040aca : user32!UserCallWinProcCheckWow+0x356

00000000`0015cc40 00007ffe`d72082b3     : 00000000`00040aca 00000000`0015d070 00000000`00000000 00000000`00040aca : user32!CallWindowProcW+0x16c

00000000`0015ccb0 00007fff`d7516b46     : 00000000`00000000 00000000`0015d070 00000000`00000001 00000000`00000000 : mfc140u!_AfxActivationWndProc+0x173

00000000`0015cd90 00007fff`d751459d     : 00000000`0015cfa0 00007ffe`d7208140 00000000`00040aca 00000000`00000000 : user32!UserCallWinProcCheckWow+0x356

00000000`0015cef0 00000001`409084d6     : 00000000`0015cfa0 00000000`6308da40 00000000`00000006 00000000`00000060 : user32!DispatchMessageWorker+0x1dd

00000000`0015cf70 00000000`0015cfa0     : 00000000`6308da40 00000000`00000006 00000000`00000060 00000000`00000001 : Sonar+0x9084d6

00000000`0015cf78 00000000`6308da40     : 00000000`00000006 00000000`00000060 00000000`00000001 00000003`00000004 : 0x15cfa0

00000000`0015cf80 00000000`00000006     : 00000000`00000060 00000000`00000001 00000003`00000004 00000000`00040aca : 0x6308da40

00000000`0015cf88 00000000`00000060     : 00000000`00000001 00000003`00000004 00000000`00040aca 00000000`00000400 : 0x6

00000000`0015cf90 00000000`00000001     : 00000003`00000004 00000000`00040aca 00000000`00000400 00000000`00000000 : 0x60

00000000`0015cf98 00000003`00000004     : 00000000`00040aca 00000000`00000400 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : 0x1

00000000`0015cfa0 00000000`00040aca     : 00000000`00000400 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 0000066a`30467d50 : 0x00000003`00000004

00000000`0015cfa8 00000000`00000400     : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 0000066a`30467d50 00000000`000002e9 : 0x40aca

00000000`0015cfb0 00000000`00000000     : 00000000`00000000 0000066a`30467d50 00000000`000002e9 00000000`00000007 : 0x400

Jeremy_NI

Hey everyone, sorry for not catching this up earlier. We were not aware of this issue, I can't reproduce it on a Mac but reported it to the Synths and the Maschine team.

@nvaleri It seems that my colleague was a little confused here. This issue was not reported yet, sorry about that.

Helene Kolpakova

would appreciate a downgrade link to MX 1.6.0 or 1.5.x to unblock my project - I tried hiding VST3 to force Komplete Kontrol try the VST2 instead, but it fails to load the MX with an exclamation mark.

Jeremy_NI

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/256387#Comment_256387

You can find the previous versions installers in your Download Manager: https://www.native-instruments.com/account/downloads

How to use the NI Download Manager

Helene Kolpakova

Thanks, downgrading to 1.6.0 solved the issue. Hope the devs will find the memory pointer issues in 1.6.1

complexprocess

I think this might be fixed in the latest version of Maschine 3. From the changelog:

Stability: Resolved a crash that occurred on shutdown if a plugin window was left open.

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/50028/what-s-new-in-maschine-3-4-2

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