Functionality Issues in AutoCAD

[Anonymous]

I currently work for an MSP and have a single client with 3 issues with AutoCAD.

1) A running issue where the RAM usage build up reaches 2.5 GB and then crashes the system. The device has 16 GB memory and the automatic Virtual Memory assigned. The PC is Enterprise standard with i3 CPU, NVIDIA Quadro P100 GPU. The end user is a seasoned AutoCAD operator and has created default pallets using AutoCAD 2017 as the linchpin, as the pallets are made available to all the users in the company (Use of AutoCAD 2014 right up tho 2018 throughout the building). All standard checks have been made and changes therein, with the issue still persisting.

2) A second PC (same specs as above), also running AutoCAD 2018, gets to a point during the drawing & plotting process where it literally freezes, but fails to show any errors. In Task Manager its process acts as if the program is still running without interruption. However, the back GUI window stays static, while any open GUI menus seem to float, motionless. All other functions of the PC act as expected, as if nothing has occurred. The end user can open another window/program and pass it between the two frozen screen sections of AutoCAD, i.e. on top of the main GUI window and behind the floating GUI menu. Closing the program through Task Manager works for a while before the system persists. At no time are errors generated by the system, and nothing appears amiss in the Event Viewer logs.

Has anyone come across these errors/issues before? If so, is there a work around or solution to them?

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> A running issue where the RAM usage build up

>> reaches 2.5 GB and then crashes the system

Can you upload the dwg-file that needs 2.5GB memory? It might be as simple as the drawings need that mass of memory because they are so big, then 16GB memory is not enough, or the structure of the drawing could be organized better (therefor we need to look into the dwg-file).

>> The PC is Enterprise standard with i3 CPU

i3 is not built for hard cpu stress.

>> Use of AutoCAD 2014 right up tho 2018 throughout the building

Working with AutoCAD releases that use different DWG-fileformat versions is a bad decision. AutoCAD 2018 uses a newer dwg-format than 2013-2017. You should avoid mixing them (at least transfer data between them).

This could be one of the reasons why more memory is needed than it could be in optimal environment.

>> running AutoCAD 2018, gets to a point during the

>> drawing & plotting process

Do you use network paths for plotter settings (PC3 and PMP)?

If so do the older AutoCAD versions use the same path as the newer ones? If so, avoid that.

HTH, - alfred -

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the info Alfred.NESWADBA. However, as I represent an MSP and the client the post is about is currently on a festive season break, I will have to wait until they are back at work at the beginning of January before I can broach the items you highlighted with them.

[Anonymous]

Functionality Issues in AutoCAD (update)

This is an updated list against the original post from Friday 28th December.

1) A running issue where the RAM usage build up reaches 2.5 GB and then crashes the system. The device has 16 GB memory and the automatic Virtual Memory assigned. The PC is Enterprise standard with Intel Xeon E5-2620v2 @ 2.10GHz, NVIDIA Quadro P1000 GPU. The end user is a seasoned AutoCAD operator and has created default pallets using AutoCAD 2017 as the linchpin, as the pallets are made available to all the users in the company (Use of AutoCAD 2014 right up tho 2018 throughout the building). All standard checks have been made and changes therein, with the issue still persisting.

2) A second PC (16GB RAM, Intel Xeon E3-1240v6 @ 3.70GHz, NVIDIA Quadro P1000 GPU), also running AutoCAD 2018, gets to a point during the drawing & plotting process where it literally freezes, but fails to show any errors. In Task Manager its process acts as if the program is still running without interruption. However, the back GUI window stays static, while any open GUI menus seem to float, motionless. All other functions of the PC act as expected, as if nothing has occurred. The end user can open another window/program and pass it between the two frozen screen sections of AutoCAD, i.e. on top of the main GUI window and behind the floating GUI menu. Closing the program through Task Manager works for a while before the system persists. At no time are errors generated by the system, and nothing appears amiss in the Event Viewer logs.

Has anyone come across these errors/issues before? If so, is there a work around or solution to them?

[Anonymous]

This is an updated list against the original post from Friday 28th December.

1) A running issue where the RAM usage build up reaches 2.5 GB and then crashes the system. The device has 16 GB memory and the automatic Virtual Memory assigned. The PC is Enterprise standard with Intel Xeon E5-2620v2 @ 2.10GHz, NVIDIA Quadro P1000 GPU. The end user is a seasoned AutoCAD operator and has created default pallets using AutoCAD 2017 as the linchpin, as the pallets are made available to all the users in the company (Use of AutoCAD 2014 right up tho 2018 throughout the building). All standard checks have been made and changes therein, with the issue still persisting.

2) A second PC (16GB RAM, Intel Xeon E3-1240v6 @ 3.70GHz, NVIDIA Quadro P1000 GPU), also running AutoCAD 2018, gets to a point during the drawing & plotting process where it literally freezes, but fails to show any errors. In Task Manager its process acts as if the program is still running without interruption. However, the back GUI window stays static, while any open GUI menus seem to float, motionless. All other functions of the PC act as expected, as if nothing has occurred. The end user can open another window/program and pass it between the two frozen screen sections of AutoCAD, i.e. on top of the main GUI window and behind the floating GUI menu. Closing the program through Task Manager works for a while before the system persists. At no time are errors generated by the system, and nothing appears amiss in the Event Viewer logs.

Has anyone come across these errors/issues before? If so, is there a work around or solution to them?

[beyoungjr]

Guessing you are running Win10?

Please check the PC's to be sure that the Quadro graphics are being used and not an onboard graphics engine.  Some of our workstations never got changed in BIOS so that the onboard graphics would be disabled and users plugged into the wrong HDMI even though the dual-port cards were obvious to most of us.

Blaine

[Anonymous]

Blaine,

Thanks for the suggestions. However, everythign is set as expected. Quadro the main and only active display card. Everything is updated within AutoCAD. Now systematically checking for compatibility issues with specific partnered software, i.e. Tekla, Masterseries 2018, Hilti PRFIS as well as the Tekla Structural Licence Service and Sentinel RMS Licence Manager.

The client has other workstations with exactly the same programs and add-ins installed without any error or crashes.