CFD 2013 With Windows8

[office]

We have this big problem when instaling CFD 2013 in windows 8. Not just that in want install itself it screw all other Autodesk programs (Inventor,3ds MAx) and they want start and you can not export licence.It won't uninstall or reinstall.

I give you screnshoot and log file.By the way the CFD 2012 worked OK

[Jon.Wilde]

Hi,

We do not presently support Windows 8 so would not expect this to work.

Our QA team are aware of this.

Kind regards,

Jon

[Anonymous]

Since Windows 8 has now officially launched I think it is a good time to revisit the question from this older post. 

Is there a timeline or estimate available for when Windows 8 might be supported for Simulation CFD?  We run Simulation CFD along with Invetor and Autocad, so we pretty much can't upgrade to a new operating system until Autodesk moves to it.

[apolo_vanderberg]

As Jon mentioned previously, this is something that our QA / development is aware of, however, I do not have a specific date taht I can give out at this point.

One item taht I'm just noticing in your previously attached log is that you were intalling this from a mapped network drive (N:)

Just as a thought did you try installing with the installation media locally (on the C:)?

From a permissions stance, we may not always inherit the same permissions for reading/accessing remote directories that the user credentials has as some processes spawn under the "System" account.

Apolo

[Royce_adsk]

Just as a side note. You will probably have more success with installing 2013 SP1, but Win8 is mostly untested and unsupported at this time.  If you discover some workarounds that you can share that would be excellent for the community. If no workaround are necessary that would be great to know as well!

-Royce 

[office]

Hello Royce, the problem is not in the software its self but in licensing system. As you now differently from CFD 2012, 2013 had only network licence which obviously have some problem when used on windows 8. The problem is so huge that once when one tries to install it its remove licences from all other Autodesk software on that OS and you need to reinstall OS again as well because you cannot activate any Autodesk product even you try to reinstall it. I think that you really need to make licensing system the same as for other Autodesk software which required serial and activation code, we tried again and now we need to reinstall it again, as well as other software, ask for activation codes again completely unnecessary. If someone really want to crack software it will do it anyway, like this you simple leave bitter taste within your licensed software community. Just because of it software which I would normally grade with 8 or 9 from 1-10 scale I would grade with 4 or 5. Let us know when you solve problem with licensing on windows 8 until then CFD 2013 on windows 8 is non-usable. Best, Nenad Paunovic co-owner and CTO Poduhvat Ltd. Address: Cacanska bb., D. Vrezina City: Nish; post code: 18000 Country: Serbia Tel: +381 18 572 322 Mobile: +381 64 325 45 62 www.poduhvat.com

[office]

In addition to my previous answer we were so angry about stupid licensing system that we try again on windows 8 professional and we had struggle this time not only to install 2013 version but 2012 as well. We did it with 2012 but honestly I do not have a clue what exactly we had done. It is about our 20  time installation so we know what we did before but that didn't work out. If just following instruction from web it won't work. We are now struggle with 2013 will let you know if succeed. WHY NOT JUST GET RID OF THAT STUPID FLEXERA SOFTWARE it really destroying great simulations software. If you don't run installation in compatibility mode installation process completely block entire OS so one need to restart PC manually and then it is impossible to uninstall half installed software so  pain stacking process of deleting every single Autodesk file including in register need to be done on order to reinstall software again. You also must shut down any internet connection with different physical address than the one on which is licence register (like WIFI or blue tooth) if not incredible "clever" Flexera will collect that physical addresses like server physical addresses as well and licence file become useless. It have no words how this activation process which suppose to take couple of second and be very simple level down impressions - it is really very frustrating and completely unnecessary.

[Anonymous]

Hi Office,

I hope you dont mind me asking two questions....

1. Why to heck would sombody, who presumably has to make his living from working with a software like CFD 2013, install it on a OS that is not officialy supported?
2. And for what reason do you think should sombody from Autodesk offer any advice?

Regards

Matthias

[apolo_vanderberg]

Guys,

   Thank you for your posts.

Nenad,

   As we mentioned in the previous posts Windows 8 is not supported. Many of the aspects that you are mentioning are items that our QA and Devekopment would be going through to understand why they happen and how to improve the installer to support the new Win8 structure.

It seems that you've figured quite a bit about running in compatibility mode and getting bits moving forward. But at this time many of us in Support still run with Win7 so it makes it difficult for us to try the same stumbling to give advise on how to proceed.

Considering you did get 2012 working, if you do have any tips or tricks that you remember, I'd appreciate it if you can post them here so that others can learn from this as well incase they happen to go through a similar path of updating to an unsupported operating system.

Thanks

Apolo

[office]

Hi Matthias,

because, the heck, presumably CFD 2013 as product of one of the best 3D software companies out there and because of it, it should be in time synchronization with latest OS happenings regardless is that Windows, Linux or some other OS.

And considering your second question - maybe because that is their job? and maybe because is that in their direct interest to make their product as better as possible in shortest time possible?

If some other software form same and completely different branches can work on W8 without any problems isn't normal to expect the same from one of the best software companies on the world?

And again I suspect that is nothing to do with Autodesk part of the job unless Flexera isn't part of the Autodesk?

The problems with authorisation appear in windows 7 as well, just for the record. By my opinion that is junk software and significantly affect customers decision about purchasing Autodesk CFD software and I am not the only one who thinks like that.

Isn't the customers opinion which count the most? I am present and, if Flexera goes out, future customer as well.

Regards,

Nenad

[office]

Ok Apolo for the community (and maybe to help you little bit):

when installing CFD 2012 sometimes installation process go smoothly sometimes not so if there is any problem run in compatibility mode (for windows 7) by selecting within properties menu, when mouse hover over setup file, also run it in administrator mode. Remove all connections from PC which have different physical address from the one which you used when creating your licence files (because of rubbish flexera licensing software which is used in licensing CFD software which will collect all that address). You can see which connection have which physical address when open cmd window and type command ipconfig /all.

Then follow instructions from Autodesk installation video for 2012 CFD installation. When install it run software to check will it work, probably won't. There is no rules will it going to work or not by try next go to C-Program Files-Autodesk Network License Manager (it is almost always on C disk (primary disc)  run adskflex in administrator mode (right click run as administrator). After this go to LMtools utility and go to start, stop reread, menu press stop server, mark window below "by force" because its newer stop by fine, start server again (left button) and then reread licence file button, should work now but if not you may need to go to config. services menu and re-path all three items there and then try to run software if not succeed try this operations in different order you might succeed eventually. 2013 which suppose to be optimise for W8 it is even bigger problem we still didn't run it on W8.

Piece of cake isn't it, probably couldn't be any easier!

Regardless if  CFD 2012 or 2013 are optimised for some OS or not this is simply ridiculous way to licence a software, if want to base software licensing on computer physical address why not make a software which will automatically recognize computer physical address and do all the licensing  automatically.

It is so below Autodesk standards (as seen by me). 

[apolo_vanderberg]

Nenad,

   Thank you for the information.

With what you outlined (aside from the Run in Win7 Compatibility mode)

Those directinos are essentially what we outline for the installation of softare on Windows 7.

Running as an Administrator is required as we set up processes under the System account so that you can solve on your machine.

FlexLM (which is not an Autodesk product) is widely used across many companies for licensing. Ensuring that you have the correct physical acddress is important for licensing and registering the product.

From the sounds of what you are describing it reminds me of when Windows Vista came out with all the new (now common) security settings such that people weren't using the "Run as Admin" as they were logged in as an Admin and thought that is was sufficient. I'm not sure if Microsoft has changed UAC such that there are new security aspects that are contributing to some of the problems you are seeing.
I know if Win7 you can disable UAC such that just being an administrator is sufficient. You may consider looking in to similar on your Win8 machine.

Thanks

Apolo

[office]

It is Ok Apolo,

but this small differences which I mentioned means all the world when try to use CFD 2012 (hypothetically 2013 as well) on Win. 8. UAC was already disabled on my machine.

Also if not run installation in compatibility mode as I already mentioned by the end of installation entire OS completely block, like you had installed some virus and that can only be related with FlexLM licensing system for Autodesk CFD 2012 and 2013 applications. In addition completely block licensing for all other Autodesk software so you cannot import or export licences.

All other Autodesk products like 3ds max 2011, Inventor 2011, Show Case 2011, Algor Sim. 2011 work and licensing without any problems in Win 8, only CFD 2012 and 2013 are problem and that is I am sure exclusively related with licence system. I am aware that other software companies use FlexLM software but I think that Autodesk is big enough not to follow what everybody else do but have its own way.

If everybody else jump into the well will you do the same?

Seriously Apolo that FlexLM software as given and incorporated in your CFD software is huge repellent in purchasing these product of Autodesk, for me for sure.

Best,

Nenad

[Royce_adsk · Accepted solution]

I know this has already been discussed, but a timely article was recently posted for future reference.

As soon as the SimCFD product line supports Win8 it will be added to this list.

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=19048377&linkID=9240617

Thanks,

Royce

[office]

With already mentioned and explained installation and licensing problems CFD 2013 works also on windows 8.

Best,

Nenad

[office]

Correction:

CFD 2013 works correctly on W8 only for simple shapes, when shapes are more complicated or from assembly CFD2013 start simulation but want display, report some error. Inventor also has problems will not activate directly from part icon but only if part opened directly from Inventor 2011. I do not know for other versions of Inventor.

[Anonymous]

same problem with me.

you mentioned that Simulation CFD 2012 worked ok.

from where did you get this Simulatoin CFD 2012 ?

I couldn't see any link to download 2012.

can any support staff guide me what to do in order to proceed.

regards

Ehtesham

[Anonymous]

Any update on using Simulation CFD 2013 on Windows 8?  

Thanks,

Roger

[Jon.Wilde]

I suggest Royce's tip on using the Supported Platforms page is best here. It still states that only CFD 2014 is supported with Windows 8, do you have the option to upgrade at all?
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=19048377&linkID=9240617

Kind regards,
Jon

[office]

Not really. I using CFD 2012 on Win8 works without any problems. In CFD 2013 rotating regions wan't work in Win 8. CFD 2014 works OK and better than 2013 version but 2012 version have some features better than both 2013 and 2014.