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Inventor 2013 on MacBook Pro using VMware Fusion

8 REPLIES 8
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Message 1 of 9
deelip
4176 Views, 8 Replies

Inventor 2013 on MacBook Pro using VMware Fusion

I have Windows 7 installed on my MacBook Pro using VMware Fusion. Today I installed Inventor Professional 2013. It starts up fine but when I go to create a new part (basically start a graphics window) it kills Windows. No, not a crash. VMware tells me that Windows 7 plan and simple died.

 

Turning off 3D Graphics Acceleration in VMware settings solved thsi problem. I could create a part and the graphics worked just fine. Next I started Inventor Fusion and it failed on startup complaining about not be able to initialize the graphics sub system. Turning 3D Graphics Acceleration on fixed this problem.

 

So basically to have Inventor working I need to turn 3D Graphics Acceleration off and to have Inventor Fusion working I need to turn it on.

 

Is anyone else facing this problem? Has anyone found a solution? Any pointers as to what may be going on will be helpful as well.

 

Thanks in advance

 

Deelip Menezes

 

 

www.deelip.com
8 REPLIES 8
Message 2 of 9
monroedinh
in reply to: deelip

I have it running on my macbook pro too but I used the native 'Boot Camp' installation of windows 7.  I'm not a computer genius but if I'm correct the software you used is a 'virtualization' and not comparable to an actual install.  After you install windows through Boot Camp, you must install the driver package that was downloaded through Boot Camp.  Inventor runs beautifully on my macbook though so I help this helps.

Inventor 2013
Message 3 of 9
Phil.E
in reply to: deelip

There are a lot of variables here. Can you tell me more about your system? Which OS version, build date, VM Fusion version, and graphics card.

 

In the mean time, a couple of notes:

 

  • It seems that VM Fusion is not handling the graphics very well, having to turn off hardware acceleration. I see some known issues with the latest build of VM Fusion regarding 3D accelleration searching for known issues with it. Also, this VM may not be supported by Inventor, I have to look into that.

 

  • Try running Inventor in Software Mode: Tools > Application Options > Hardware Tab > select or check Software graphics. This will hopefully bypass the VMware Fusion graphics driver/software and use Windows software rendering.

 

  • Inventor Fusion does not have any kind of “software rendering” option.

 

This is not likely, unless the system is older, but it reminds me of an old issue with Parallels where it wasn't even using the installed video card. It simply couldn't see it. That's gone now, but from reading the release notes for the latest VM Fusion, it seems that virtualization can still have big graphics problems.

 

"VMware Fusion Virtual machines may crash while using certain 3D applications. VMware Fusion users should refrain from applying "MacBook Air and MacBook Pro Update 2.0". For more details and work-around please read the following KB article. KB 2040249 "

 

Got that here.

 

 

 

 

 





Phil Eichmiller
Software Engineer
Quality Assurance
Autodesk, Inc.


Message 4 of 9
deelip
in reply to: deelip

VMware Professional Version 5.0.2 (900491)

Windows 7 Professional (Version 6.1 Build 7600)

 

The "Software graphics" box is already checked

 

Deelip Menezes

 

www.deelip.com
Message 5 of 9
Phil.E
in reply to: deelip

VMware Fusion is supported.

 

Did you read the KB article I linked? It sounds like you may have put this update on, and thus cannot run full graphics.

 





Phil Eichmiller
Software Engineer
Quality Assurance
Autodesk, Inc.


Message 6 of 9
deelip
in reply to: Phil.E

Whenever there's an update from Apple I usually apply it. If I did then this was before I installed Inventor on VMware anyways.

 

I'm relatively news to OSX. Where do I look to find out whether I have this update or not. And how do I remove it?

 

Deelip

www.deelip.com
Message 7 of 9
Phil.E
in reply to: deelip

Deelip,

 

I misspoke. Inventor is only supported with hardware on Parallels. To run Inventor and Inventor Fusion together in VMware Fusion you must use software graphics for both.

 

Also, it turns out you can set Inventor Fusion 2013 to run in Software mode. (Application menu > Options)

 

Regards,





Phil Eichmiller
Software Engineer
Quality Assurance
Autodesk, Inc.


Message 8 of 9
bklow21
in reply to: deelip

i am spending some hard earned money for a laptop that will have to last me for few years.
I am hesitating between the HP EliteBook 8570w B8V72UT#ABA and a Macbook Pro R
Both of these come with almost same price (about 2200$)

I want to use the laptop for machine design with about 1000 of parts and running with inventor 2013.

The laptop will be kind of desktop replacement as it will be on downloading hours and also browsing the net.

If you have anything else in your mind please let me know.

here is some elitebook specs:
HP EliteBook 8570w B8V72UT 15.6" LED Notebook, Core i7 i7-3610QM 2.3GHz, 8GB DDR3, 750GB HDD, Blu-ray Writer, NVIDIA Quadro K2000M, Bluetooth, Fingerprint Reader, Windows 7 Professional
(B8V72UT#ABA)

Message 9 of 9
blair
in reply to: bklow21

The business side tends to lean toward the Windows based machine and Inventor looks for MS-Excel for thread functions, so Office is required. There has been some success with OpenOffice for the thread portion but is not supported by ADSK


Inventor 2020, In-Cad, Simulation Mechanical

Just insert the picture rather than attaching it as a file
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