It is obvious that a bigger file is more likely to give you agonies in some ways: Lags in working, low performance and even sudden death of the application. So downsizing your MAX file can be a good option. If you've already got a big single file, consider splitting it into smaller ones so that each contains up to 15 iterations.
1. Select some objects to be spun-off. Click each of them holding CTRL key or draw a rectangle covering all of them.
2. Click the 3ds Max logo and choose Save As-Save Selected.
3. Double check if those selected models have been moved into the new file correctly. Now it's good to delete them from the original file.
4. If you need a "family reunion" for any occasion, use Import-Merge.
DO NOT forget to BACKUP your files in any case.
