Dialog box not showing, Inventor not responding

[gordow]

I had an issue crop up last week that I can't find a solution to.  It first appeared when I tried to do a Replace All command.  The cursor turns to an arrow and plus sign, but no dialog box appears to make a selection.  Inventor is locked up.  I can't use Escape to clear the command, I can't do anything to close Inventor.  I can right click the icon on the tray but selecting Close Window does not close Inventor, neither does using the "X" in the upper right corner.  I have to use Task Manager to kill the task.  The Inventor process says Inventor is "Not responding". 

I have found that the Open and Save commands will not work, either.  I can start a new Iventor file, but when I try to save it, locked up.  I have tried to see if the dialog box is off screen, but it doesn't seem to be.  I have tried Alt-Tab to see the dialog box, not there.  A couple of times, while fussing around trying to get something to work, it suddenly does start working and the dialog box appears.  I found I can open a file by double clicking the file in Windows Explorer.  Other commands that call a popup box seem to open fine, like Measure. 

Work IT folks pushed out updates last week before the problem started, but I have tried opening and saving files from other programs, Excel, Acrobat, Snipping Tool, and they work as expected, so I can't say the Windows calls for dialog boxes are broken. 

I checked for Inventor updates.  I was running 2023.4.2, updated to 2023.5.2, the latest.  I tried the Inventor Reset Utility to no avail. 

Something is broken that occasionally decides to fix itself.  Not sure where the problems lies.  Any suggestions or thoughts appreciated.  Thanks. 

gordow

Windows 10 Enterprise

Inventor 2023.5.2

[kacper.suchomski]

Hi

Is it possible that the dialog box appears below the program window?

Are you using a second monitor?

[gordow]

Thank you for your reply.  I am using two monitors, but I have tried many ways to find the missing dialog box.  While it could be under the Inventor window, I can't move the window.  I don't believe the dialog box appears.  If there was a waiting dialog box, Escape should cancel it. 

[IST-WK]

Hi @gordow ,

Just out of curiosity, how much RAM is in your workstation?  This sounds very much like a RAM starvation issue to me.

[gordow]

The machine has 32 GB.  It is a Dell Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-9750H CPU @ 2.60GHz 2.59 GHz.  Been using the machine since 2020 or so.  No prior issues like this. 

I will add another data point that occurred during lunch just now.  I started a Replace command and Inventor locked up, but did not get the "Not responding" for the process in the Task Manager this time.  When I came back from lunch, the dialog box had appeared, and it has worked properly a second time.  Perhaps there is a Windows component to the issue. 

[IST-WK]

Okay, I am going to go ahead and say it.  32GB in a modern workstation is not enough RAM.  Bare minimum you should have 64GB, and the minimum speed of that RAM should be 3200MHz.  Everyone likes to say that 32GB is fine, and it is - if you're doing word processing or working with AutoCAD.  It is NOT if you're doing any kind high-end CAD like Inventor.  Additionally, you should have a graphics card that is also capable of working with graphics-intensive software like Inventor.  Those two things can make-or-break a CAD workstation.

For what it's worth, I don't believe there's any problem with your OS, it's your workstation's hardware that is the issue here.

[gordow]

I'll just say, it hasn't been a problem going on five years.  OS update the night before the problem came up tells me it could be an OS issue. 

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! Please make sure all critical Windows updates are installed and the graphics driver is updated. Make sure both monitors are using the same resolution. Lastly, make the monitor hosting Inventor the primary monitor.

Many thanks!