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AutoCad for Mac doesn't work on older white MacBook?

59 REPLIES 59
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Message 1 of 60
mlynskey
8244 Views, 59 Replies

AutoCad for Mac doesn't work on older white MacBook?

My white MacBook has an integrated graphics card, which doesn't seem to be compatible with the new Autocad.  I get an error message upon trying to install the program that the graphics card is not supported.  I run Autocad fine on the same machine using Windows, so it should be possible...

 

59 REPLIES 59
Message 21 of 60
mlynskey
in reply to: josue_sb

You are saying I can't do it, by not letting Autocad even install on my system (MacBook 3.1) with a non-supported graphics card.  That was the frustration that originally started this posting.  I realize that I might have occasional performance issues with an older or substandard computer but I'm willing to take that risk...just let me.  I'm not trying to do heavy-duty 3D rendering, just basic drafting, and would rather do it without messing with Windows and VMWare to do so...that's all.

 

I'm downloading Vectorworks, as we speak, and intend to give that a try to see if that will meet my needs.  I'm very happy with my Mac and have no desire to use Windows, especially just for one program (Okay...two.  ArcGIS still needs to get their Mac act together).

 

Message 22 of 60
tom.stoeckel
in reply to: mlynskey

I understand your frustration and I'm sorry for it.  When we actually block installation from happening, it is because we have already identified some component in the system (in your case, the graphics card) as not being supported.  We don't block installation because a system doesn't meet the minimum requirements (as evidenced by those people - including myself - that have installed on lesser systems); we block installation because it either wouldn't work at all or would work so badly as to be unusable. In my opinion, it's better to know that ahead of time than to waste time installing and uninstalling a product that isn't going to be usable due to my system limitations.



Tom Stoeckel
Content Manager
Strategic Content & Community
Autodesk, Inc.
Message 23 of 60
pl4n-b
in reply to: mlynskey

hmm, any chance for a workaround ?

Message 24 of 60
pheyser
in reply to: tom.stoeckel

Thanks for clearing that up.  In my case, with the MacBookPro5,5, AutoCAD for Mac installed successfully.  However, when I tried to run it, it began to load, with the dock icon bouncing up and down, but then it would simply quit.  No error message of any sort.  Could you possibly shed some light as to why that happened?  Yes, the system doesn't meet the minimum requirement, but from another thread, this particular system had been tested and it ran fine, not to mention, the installer found all the hardwares to be fine enough to let AutoCAD installed.

Message 25 of 60
jmuccigr
in reply to: mlynskey

So, Tom, are you running autocad on a macbook3,1, because the installer won't run on mine, and you seem to say you are in your earlier comment.

 

Again, the frustration is that I can run autocad in emulation on this macbook and am hapy enough with the performance.

 

Where is the sense in not letting me run it natively? I could understand if it was a programming resources issue, but that's not what we're being told.

Message 26 of 60
tom.stoeckel
in reply to: jmuccigr


@jmuccigr wrote:

So, Tom, are you running autocad on a macbook3,1, because the installer won't run on mine, and you seem to say you are in your earlier comment.

 


No, what I said was that I was running on a Mac Pro 3,1 - a completely different and more powerful desktop system than the MacBook.  The issue with the MacBook 3,1 is largely the integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator card that comes with that model.  It just isn't adequate to handle the graphics needs of AutoCAD for Mac.



Tom Stoeckel
Content Manager
Strategic Content & Community
Autodesk, Inc.
Message 27 of 60
tom.stoeckel
in reply to: pheyser


@pheyser wrote:

Thanks for clearing that up.  In my case, with the MacBookPro5,5, AutoCAD for Mac installed successfully.  However, when I tried to run it, it began to load, with the dock icon bouncing up and down, but then it would simply quit.  No error message of any sort.  Could you possibly shed some light as to why that happened?  Yes, the system doesn't meet the minimum requirement, but from another thread, this particular system had been tested and it ran fine, not to mention, the installer found all the hardwares to be fine enough to let AutoCAD installed.


Can you tell me what graphics card is in your system?  Run the System Profiler app and select Graphics/Displays:

 

1438i34F8E1877A2BAAA2



Tom Stoeckel
Content Manager
Strategic Content & Community
Autodesk, Inc.
Message 28 of 60
TimOlson51
in reply to: tom.stoeckel

My bad for not fully understanding "Autodesk-speak". I feel safe to say the following statement from Autodesk

 

"Apple® Mac® Pro 4,1 or later; MacBook® Pro 5,1 or later (MacBook Pro 6,1 or later recommended); iMac® 8,1 or later (iMac 11,1 or later recommended); Mac® mini 3,1 or later (Mac mini 4,1 or later recommended); MacBook Air® 2,1 or later; MacBook® 5,1 or later (MacBook 7,1 or later recommended)"

 

implies the first model in each category is the "minimum" needed to run the software and that in parentheses is the "recommended" computer. After your explanation we're apparently left to parse what "acceptable performance" means.

 

Why not simply state which machines can even start the program and let us determine what is acceptable.

 

Tim

 

 

Message 29 of 60
pheyser
in reply to: tom.stoeckel

NVIDIA GeForce 9400M:

 

  Chipset Model: NVIDIA GeForce 9400M

  Type: GPU

  Bus: PCI

  VRAM (Total): 256 MB

  Vendor: NVIDIA (0x10de)

  Device ID: 0x0863

  Revision ID: 0x00b1

  ROM Revision: 3427

  Displays:

Color LCD:

  Resolution: 1280 x 800

  Pixel Depth: 32-Bit Color (ARGB8888)

  Mirror: Off

  Online: Yes

  Built-In: Yes

ASUS MS226:

  Resolution: 1920 x 1080 @ 60 Hz

  Pixel Depth: 32-Bit Color (ARGB8888)

  Main Display: Yes

  Mirror: Off

  Online: Yes

  Rotation: Supported

  Adapter Type: Mini DisplayPort To VGA Adapter

  Adapter Firmware Version: 1.03

 

And I have tried with both the external display connected and disconnected.  I should note that the 9400M is the same as the MacBookPro5,1, except that the 5,1 model also has a separate 9600GT chip.

Message 30 of 60
tom.stoeckel
in reply to: pheyser


@pheyser wrote:

...

And I have tried with both the external display connected and disconnected.  I should note that the 9400M is the same as the MacBookPro5,1, except that the 5,1 model also has a separate 9600GT chip.


Would you mind sending an email to me at tom.stoeckel@autodesk.com so I can talk to you offline about your machine?

 

Thanks.



Tom Stoeckel
Content Manager
Strategic Content & Community
Autodesk, Inc.
Message 31 of 60
davidh2
in reply to: dgorsman

I am not Autodesk folk, but here are the reasons:

 

1.  New software, coded from the ground up, and written for forward moving OS (therefore 64-bit).

2.  Utilized the guidelines/restrictions that Apple put on.  No secret, you walk Apple's way, for an OSX.

3.  Comparing Photoshop, Sketchup to other software is not a good comparision.  Comparing what works through Boot Camp, etc is no a good comparision.

 

I agree with the people who say that the hardware requirements were stated clearly. 

 

David Haynes

Ideate, Inc.

www.ideateinc.com

Message 32 of 60
materiology
in reply to: davidh2

Hi there,

 

I am having the same problem with running autocad for mac. Downloaded and installed it perfectly but it just won't run. The symbol starts to bounce, it starts to load and then it shuts down unexpectedly. Any workaround for this in the meantime?

 

I am on the student version and here are my specs:

 

Macbook Pro 6,2 with 2,66 GHz Intel Core i7

4GB 1067 MHz

Intel HD Graphics integrated

NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M with 512 MB VRAM

 

Screen resolution is 1680x1050 

 

Thank you very much,

 

Alex

Message 33 of 60
pheyser
in reply to: materiology

I got the same problem, Student version as well.  I don't think it's an issue with hardware requirement, since it installed fine.  Plus, a person from Autodesk actually said that even though my model doesn't meet the minimum requirement, it was tested and shown to be working fine.

 

Perhaps it's an issue with licensing.

Message 34 of 60
materiology
in reply to: pheyser

I think my hardware should meet the requirements easily. It has to be something else. I'll try to run it on an older macbook pro later today.

Message 35 of 60
pheyser
in reply to: materiology

I think the hardware check is done during installation.  If it installs, it SHOULD run.  Emphasis on "should" since AutoCAD installed on my system but doesn't run, dock icon bounces then nothing.  

 

Here's something I noticed that made me think it's a licensing issue, in Activity Monitor, when I started AutoCAD, two processes named "AutoCAD" and a License Management Utility (or something like that) started, then one of the AutoCAD processes quit leaving the other and the LMU one running.  I usually have to quit them manually.  Maybe it got stuck trying to get the license or something.

Message 36 of 60
MacCadder
in reply to: mlynskey

I honestly feel some of the users are being a bit naive thinking it's unfair for AutoDesk not to support older hardware.  CAD software was not designed to be used on entry level or power pinching hardware, which includes 98% of all laptops, both Mac and PC, there are a lot of factors. Most professional level designers are utilizing very high end equipment, and its not uncommon for an actual CAD machine to cost well above 10K, graphics alone are 3K and up.

 

The hardware is just not there in the older Macbooks, I have one too and tried it, so I know first hand. I was going to try an install it on a PowerMac G5 that's just sitting here collecting dust but installed on a new Mac Pro instead and it runs really nice.

 

 

Message 37 of 60
dgorsman
in reply to: MacCadder

10K, as in "ten thousand dollars"?  Thats a bit much.  I think you would be hard pressed to find a common CAD workstation above 5K and for the large muti-nationals per-workstation costs will be in the 2K region.

----------------------------------
If you are going to fly by the seat of your pants, expect friction burns.
"I don't know" is the beginning of knowledge, not the end.


Message 38 of 60
MacCadder
in reply to: davidh2

I'm talking high end CAD workstations, sure you can get in all the ranges. My MacPro was almost $5000 and its nothing special, these are CDN prices I'm referring to. NVidia's new Quattro 6000 is over 4K, itself. 

 

I have an acquaintance who sources out these systems for companies like Daimler-Chrysler, Tool And Die Industry, and he says it's easy to spend over $10K for these systems, I too was shocked when he told me. He never mentioned whether software was included but that could be the case too, but my main point was that CAD software is a very specific piece of software intended for certain types of hardware. Some hardware will run it great, others not so great, and then finally those that are not supported.

Message 39 of 60
dgorsman
in reply to: MacCadder

Somebody is earning their commision...  Yes its easy to spend lots of money when you overspec components.  A Quadro card costing over $3000 is overkill for the average CAD user.  Maybe (just maybe) if you are doing real-time fully rendered FEA analysis, movie-grade animations, or the like its necessary but a nice cheap FX1800 will do just fine for most.  Same with the processor; a $2000 Xeon processor will get the job done but a $300 i7 will do the same thing with virtually no difference.

----------------------------------
If you are going to fly by the seat of your pants, expect friction burns.
"I don't know" is the beginning of knowledge, not the end.


Message 40 of 60
stevejb
in reply to: davidh2

Obviously it sounds like these hardware limitations are only a real problem with 3D models. I am running a macbook 2,1 with windows 7 and autocad 2010, which runs absolutely fine for 2D.

 

The question is, will Autodesk release Autocad LT for mac with support for older hardware?

 

thanks

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