How to start Subscribing ?

[Anonymous]

I have been using AutoCAD LT, a 2008 version, for many years and recently had a computer failure which has left me in a "start over" situation.

I need to load the program on my new computer and was contemplating upgrading to a newer version. But everything is different from when I first started using AutoCAD- now it is subscription based and I am not clear as to what support that provides. I used to subscribe to a third party for support but found it pretty much useless.

I read there is support with the subscription and I will be needing a lot. Not sure what problems I am going to encounter. I do recall having a lot of problems at first- everything from getting a good PDF finally writer installed to getting pens assigned correctly.

Where do I start?

Thanks in advance,

Wayne

< Edited Content for better support. > 

[rkmcswain · Accepted solution]

wmrdesign wrote:

Where do I start?

When you rent the current version of AutoCAD LT, it comes with the following support options.

Read more here.

[Johanna_Esteban]

Hello,

I suggest downloading directly from the Autodesk web, in the following link you will find the 2018 trial version and the option for the MAC, the serious ones or activation of the verification and / or update with a provider.

https://www.autodesk.com/products/autocad/free-trial

In the drop-down list you have the option for pc or mac.

I recommend using the Download Manager if you have an internet connection is not stable or if you need to take breaks in the download.

I'll be watching if you need help with something along the way.

Greetings.

[natasha.l · Accepted solution]

Hello @Anonymous,

Thanks for becoming a member of the community!

Autodesk provides support for 2015-2018, subscription customers have access & support to these versions with their subscription of the software they select. 

Here is a good link to get you on your way: Autodesk Subscription

You can review the system requirements for your operating system & purchase AutoCAD LT on the Autodesk website.  After you purchase & subscribe you should receive the products in your Autodesk account in 24-48hrs, you can locate the download use Browser Download Method from Autodesk Account. 

Let us know how this turns out & if you have some more questions. 

Please "Accept As Solution" if a reply has helped resolve the issue or answered your question, to help others in the community.

[natasha.l · Accepted solution]

Hello @Anonymous,

Let us know if you found what you were looking for, we would like to know how you are doing. Hope all is well! 

I also see you wanted to get information on getting started with using AutoCAD, you can subscribe or view just about anything you need technical how to information on the AutoCAD YouTube channel.

Please remember to"Accept As Solution" if a reply has helped resolve the issue or answered your question, to help others in the community.

[Anonymous]

I downloaded a trial version and can not open it...no shortcut on my desktop or exec file in the 2018 A Cad folder I downloaded and installed.

This already is a going very badly.

[Mark.Lancaster]

@Anonymous

I'm only speculating but it sounds like your installation failed and never installed anything.

I would recommend that you follow these steps

Download and install per:

1.  Clean out your personal temp (%temp%) folder.  Set Windows UAC to never notify, full admin rights, and if possible disable your Anti-Virus/Malware scanning utilities. Also the download should occur over a hard wired connection to the Internet and not over WIFI.

2. Access the Autodesk Virtual Agent and follow the download links to your product.

3. Download all of the parts (some applications only have a single part to download) for your product first. Do not continue until all of the parts have fully downloaded.
4. Navigate to your download folder location and extract (double click) part _001_00X.sfx.exe (or the single file download).
5. In a few seconds the extraction will start and prompt you to extract to C:\Autodesk.
6. Once the extraction is finished, the installation will automatically start.
7. Follow the installation steps for your product.  At this point you could cancel the installation or create a deployment.

However if the installation does fail using this method, please post your installation log file here so we can review it.  Posting info: Sometimes installation log files contain personal information such as your serial #.  Prior to posting your log file please make sure to remove such info.

Good luck on your installation and report back on your progress.

[Anonymous]

Mark, with all due respect, I will not go down another rabbit hole.

I found a Folder that is titled, date stamped and contain many files and folders related to a 2018 A CAD download- which I requested.

I witnessed this process.

I am dumb but not that dumb. Been using A CAD for over 12 years but when a tangible program disk was involved- which in my opinion is superior to the multiple maneuvers that must be done with a download.

Can you speak to this?

Confirm the program loaded or not?

That would be more helpful than directives based on assumptions.

Thanks in advance.

[Mark.Lancaster]

What folder are you even talking about? How am I supposed to confirm it's working? I have no access to your machine or knew what happened when the installation occurred. I wasn't there.

[Mark.Lancaster]

If you don't find a desktop icon or anything to launch Autocad LT in you start menu or the software in add remove programs in Windows than the software didn't get installed

[natasha.l · Accepted solution]

Hello @Anonymous,

Sorry for the frustration this has caused. When you download a trial you usually only receive the Install Now option & this download method is not as reliable as other methods. The Browser Download Method that Mark.Lancaster & I offered is the most reliable one. 

You can uninstall this unsuccessful download attempt & start fresh with a more reliable download to make sure nothing is missing. Please run through the steps below: 

1. Conduct a Clean Uninstall of the program use MSfixitTool to complete the uninstall 
2. Log in as an Administrator 
3. Empty your TEMP folder. To open the TEMP folder, type %TEMP% in the address bar of Windows Start Menu and hit Enter 
4. Temporarily disable your Antivirus software & Firewall
5. Temporarily disable UAC:  Windows 7 , Windows 10 
6. Use Browser Download Method from Autodesk Account (disable your pop-up blocker) 

Keep us posted on the progress. 

Please "Accept As Solution" if a reply has helped resolve the issue or answered your question, to help others in the community.

[rkmcswain]

natashal84 wrote:

When you download a trial you usually only receive the Install Now option & this download method is not as reliable as other methods.

Can you please run this up the chain of command there at Autodesk and find out why Autodesk is pointing potential customers to the least reliable method of downloading and installing a trial version of your software?

Why would the company want to start out with a failure, with a potential customer? It's not logical.

[Anonymous]

Hi Natasha and thank you for your insight.

I have abandoned the 2018 version for now. I have to get to projects running again. I was able to get an activation key from Autodesk finally.

I will pursue 2018 in a few weeks with your very clear directions when I get caught up.

I did notice a major obstacle when I installed 2008 on the new computer- something I dealt with at the beginning. The PDF writer loaded was crappy. I had a friend in the tech industry who helped me find an Adobe PDF writer that excellent. So at this point I can draw but I can not create a PDF. Makes things hard to print though I could send the DWG drawing to the printers but have never done that. ill ask.

I may consult you on this one. Working on it at the moment.

Thanks again.

Wayne