crash

[phildlight]

I just installed revit 8 in trial mode, and every time I start it it crashes windows with the blue screen.

WAIT... I already searched this, and did this:

downloaded latest drivers (nvidia g-force fx 5500 256mb card)
disabled hardware acceleration
un-installed and re-installed

the gui loads, but as soon as it switches to the viewport it crashes. I haven't seen any other solutions online. Also, I tried installing it at home and got the same thing. 2 totally different pcs and same results? Software issue.

Just great. Adsk is pushing this stuff and I can't even get it to run. Did they even test this stuff? I'd like to test drive it, but I can't. Any other ideas on getting it running?

[Anonymous]

phildlight wrote:
> I just installed revit 8 in trial mode, and every time I start it it crashes windows with the blue screen.

Are you running Windows XP Pro or Home?

I've never had the problems you are having, been using Revit five years now.

But it's always been on Windows 2000/XP Pro, so...

Jeffrey

[Steve_Stafford]

You say you downloaded 8...is that 8.0 or 8.1? I think the OpenGL support line in the Revit.ini file has changed between these versions.

Either way try this...browse to:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Autodesk\Revit Building 8.1\Imperial Templates

rename the file default.rte to fixdefault.rte

It doesn't matter what you rename the file to as long as it is different. This should open Revit and give you an error when it can't find the default template file. Click OK to accept the error and then Click the Settings menu. Now choose Options, then the Graphics tab. Uncheck both:

Use OpenGL Hardware Acceleration
Use Overlay Planes to Improve display performance

The first should be the only one absolutely necessary, but the second is just to be thorough.

Now close Revit and reopen it after fixing the template file you renamed before. It should behave.

If this works you've probably run into poor OpenGL support in the video card(s) you have. It is apparently a much different animal for Revit graphics than for gaming and Revit has zero tolerance for weak implemention in the card or its drivers.

If not then you may need to take a closer look at the operating system, service pack, hotfixes and any anti-virus firewall tools you use that could affect the operation of Revit.

[phildlight]

Thanks. I gave up and uninstalled, but I'm re-installing now. I'll see how
it goes. It's windows xp pro. A precision workstation dual xeons 1gb ram.
Does the dual processor have anything to do with it? The demo is a cd my
reseller gave me. I can't tell if it's 8.1 or 8.0. Where is it listed?

wrote in message news:4943558@discussion.autodesk.com...
You say you downloaded 8...is that 8.0 or 8.1? I think the OpenGL support
line in the Revit.ini file has changed between these versions.

Either way try this...browse to:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Autodesk\Revit Building
8.1\Imperial Templates

rename the file default.rte to fixdefault.rte

It doesn't matter what you rename the file to as long as it is different.
This should open Revit and give you an error when it can't find the default
template file. Click OK to accept the error and then Click the Settings
menu. Now choose Options, then the Graphics tab. Uncheck both:

Use OpenGL Hardware Acceleration
Use Overlay Planes to Improve display performance

The first should be the only one absolutely necessary, but the second is
just to be thorough.

Now close Revit and reopen it after fixing the template file you renamed
before. It should behave.

If this works you've probably run into poor OpenGL support in the video
card(s) you have. It is apparently a much different animal for Revit
graphics than for gaming and Revit has zero tolerance for weak implemention
in the card or its drivers.

If not then you may need to take a closer look at the operating system,
service pack, hotfixes and any anti-virus firewall tools you use that could
affect the operation of Revit.

[Steve_Stafford]

Sounds like a cd that he burned for you? If it was a Autodesk CD it should have the version on the disc as part of the graphics. If what I describe makes no difference you should try downloading it from the web. It is possible that that burning the CD has corrupted some data, particularly since both pc's do the same thing. Where are you? In the States or Canada? If so you could have 8.1 if he gave it to you within the week. If outside the states you probably have 8.0.

[phildlight]

Ok, so I did what you said, and it did open, I changed the settings, and
then renamed the template. Opened it back up and it still gave the blue
screen. The cd is an authentic autodesk cd. It's just labled as revit 8.
no other identifier. I'm in pittsburgh, so it's a US CD. I'm going to try
playing with the video settings. If that doesn't work, I'll try downloading
it. Is it on Autodesk's website?

wrote in message news:4943599@discussion.autodesk.com...
Sounds like a cd that he burned for you? If it was a Autodesk CD it should
have the version on the disc as part of the graphics. If what I describe
makes no difference you should try downloading it from the web. It is
possible that that burning the CD has corrupted some data, particularly
since both pc's do the same thing. Where are you? In the States or Canada?
If so you could have 8.1 if he gave it to you within the week. If outside
the states you probably have 8.0.

[phildlight]

nope. I'll try downloading the trial online.

wrote in message news:4943586@discussion.autodesk.com...
Ok, so I did what you said, and it did open, I changed the settings, and
then renamed the template. Opened it back up and it still gave the blue
screen. The cd is an authentic autodesk cd. It's just labled as revit 8.
no other identifier. I'm in pittsburgh, so it's a US CD. I'm going to try
playing with the video settings. If that doesn't work, I'll try downloading
it. Is it on Autodesk's website?

wrote in message news:4943599@discussion.autodesk.com...
Sounds like a cd that he burned for you? If it was a Autodesk CD it should
have the version on the disc as part of the graphics. If what I describe
makes no difference you should try downloading it from the web. It is
possible that that burning the CD has corrupted some data, particularly
since both pc's do the same thing. Where are you? In the States or Canada?
If so you could have 8.1 if he gave it to you within the week. If outside
the states you probably have 8.0.

[phildlight]

While it's installing, another question... I need hardware acceleration for
3dstudio max. It speeds up vp redraw considerabley. I'm sure my video card
isn't the greatest, but it's a 256mb nvidia. Shouldn't revit use the
hardware to speed up display? Why isn't there directx support. Is opengl
the only acceleration in use for revit?

wrote in message news:4943635@discussion.autodesk.com...
nope. I'll try downloading the trial online.

wrote in message news:4943586@discussion.autodesk.com...
Ok, so I did what you said, and it did open, I changed the settings, and
then renamed the template. Opened it back up and it still gave the blue
screen. The cd is an authentic autodesk cd. It's just labled as revit 8.
no other identifier. I'm in pittsburgh, so it's a US CD. I'm going to try
playing with the video settings. If that doesn't work, I'll try downloading
it. Is it on Autodesk's website?

wrote in message news:4943599@discussion.autodesk.com...
Sounds like a cd that he burned for you? If it was a Autodesk CD it should
have the version on the disc as part of the graphics. If what I describe
makes no difference you should try downloading it from the web. It is
possible that that burning the CD has corrupted some data, particularly
since both pc's do the same thing. Where are you? In the States or Canada?
If so you could have 8.1 if he gave it to you within the week. If outside
the states you probably have 8.0.

[Steve_Stafford]

If the download makes no difference, take a look in this folder:

C:\Program Files\Autodesk Revit Building 8\Journals

Are there any files in this folder after a crash? If so they are readable in notepad. There may be clues in the journal file.

[Steve_Stafford]

You should be able to leave the hardward acceleration in windows alone, in other words restore it to what it was originally. I must admit I'm a bit confused that Revit would open and allow you to uncheck those values yet not work when you reopen.

I know you already did the driver dance but updating drivers isn't very straightforward. When I did this recently I had to uninstall the existing driver, let windows step in temporarily and install the new driver. I got mine straight from Nividia for a GeForce 6800, also a 256mb card. OpenGL just wouldn't work until I went through this and it is a brand new Dell. Sorry you're suffering just trying to try it out!

[phildlight]

finally finished installing. saving work in max before testing this. Just
curious why there isn't directx support?

wrote in message news:4943655@discussion.autodesk.com...
If the download makes no difference, take a look in this folder:

C:\Program Files\Autodesk Revit Building 8\Journals

Are there any files in this folder after a crash? If so they are readable
in notepad. There may be clues in the journal file.

[Anonymous]

phildlight wrote:
> finally finished installing. saving work in max before testing this. Just
> curious why there isn't directx support?

Not to be glib, but because there isn't. It's OpenGl. Which is just as
good, and as common, actually. Max uses OpenGL or DirectX even, and
gives you a choice as to which you wanna use.

Other thing I'd do is test your ram. I know of a guy who had a simular
issue of blue screening with Revit after he had his Ram updated, and it
was due to some bum ram he got. There's some freebie ram testing
software you can try.

It's not because of the dual processors. While I only use Revit on
Centrinos or P4 HT processors now, I did use it for a number of years on
dual systems, both Intel and AMD based, without bluescreens...

Jeffrey

[phildlight]

The curious thing is it's happening on 2 different machines. 2 totally
different setups. I installed the downloaded version, and get the same
thing. I just opened max and set it to use opengl and I typically use max
with the hardware acceleration on. Max viewport refresh and pan and zoom
works much better when using the graphics card vs. the software. I guess
what's hard to swallow is that it's only revit that's doing this. On my
home machine, I have a bunch of games, max, adt etc. and every one runs
fine. I give up. I am going to try it on yet another different machine at
work and see what happens.

"Jeffrey McGrew" wrote in message
news:4943716@discussion.autodesk.com...
phildlight wrote:
> finally finished installing. saving work in max before testing this.
Just
> curious why there isn't directx support?

Not to be glib, but because there isn't. It's OpenGl. Which is just as
good, and as common, actually. Max uses OpenGL or DirectX even, and
gives you a choice as to which you wanna use.

Other thing I'd do is test your ram. I know of a guy who had a simular
issue of blue screening with Revit after he had his Ram updated, and it
was due to some bum ram he got. There's some freebie ram testing
software you can try.

It's not because of the dual processors. While I only use Revit on
Centrinos or P4 HT processors now, I did use it for a number of years on
dual systems, both Intel and AMD based, without bluescreens...

Jeffrey

[sbrown]

Have you tried turning off hardware accelleration in your display properties. I know it stinks to do this, but I've seen multiple computers that need it turned all the way off for revit to open. The one I'm working on right now is that way. With hardware off, I can open revit, if I turn hardware on can't open revit. No blue screen just a message that says a serrious error has occurred.... revit closes.

[JeffreyMcGrew]

Hey, is there something, some tool that you run on both?

For example, on all of my Windows computers I run several things as a baseline: antivirius, a memory manager, Skype, etc.

It's strange that it would be the same on both computers, so I'm wondering if there isn't something you like to run in the background, and that you're using on both, that might be causing the problem.

(BTW OpenGL *is* hardware acceleration, just like DirectX, it's just a more open standard that a lot of stuff uses instead. The reason that I asked if Max worked with OpenGL is to see if your computer just had a general problem with OpenGL in the first place...)