Guys use many AutoCAD versions (2002 - 2008), both LT and full ones, even Civil 3D. The problem is that the software works very slow. Different versions are installed on different machines, but almost every user has the same problem.
That's why we want to ask if is there any way to accelerate AutoCAD? What we should pay attention to choosing new hardware - video cards, RAM, processors? What is the most important if it comes to the speed of work? Now there are quite good dual core machines with Athlon x2 and 2GB RAM, new disks, ATI video cards, XP Pro OS.
They are doing only 2D work - maps, roads and bridges. Files that they use can be really big and can contain a lot of information - imagine that the guy have some map, on which he have to place details of road, all the infrastructure (using xrefs), add to it photomap and AutoCAD significantly slows down. The result is that panning is not fluent and it can take even few minutes. The true is that the drawings are really extensiwe (small town for example). If they use big zooms, it works quite fine, but it's impossible to move some bigger view. Can you please dissolve our doubts:
1. is 2 GB RAM to less for that kind of work? can additional 2GB help and make the AutoCAD work faster?
2. are there any AutoCAD settings than can help in this case?
3. video cards are 128-256 MB RAM, would 512 RAM card make it faster?
We simply don't know what components have the real impact on speed of work, and if it can help with such a large drawings. If it prove necessary we will make the sample drawing available for you to download ASAP.
We will be grateful for all your suggestions.