Microsoft Surface Book Revit 2014, 2015 & 2016 problems

[VJGnewman71]

Is anyone using the new Microsoft Surface Book with I7 processor and 16 GB RAM? I was able to install three versions of Revit (2014, 2015 & 2016).

The problem is that all versions of Revit flicker and hangup while trying to use it. It seems like a graphics driver issue with just Revit.

AutoCAD 2016 works fine. 

[dzanta]

have you verified that the graphics card is certified to run Revit?

did you download the latest graphics driver from the manufacturer of the card?

did you download the latest graphics driver from Microsoft?

did you download the latest graphics driver from Autodesk for that specific card?

[DarrenP]

is this with the keyboard attached or detached?

[VJGnewman71]

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@dzanta wrote:

have you verified that the graphics card is certified to run Revit?

did you download the latest graphics driver from the manufacturer of the card?

did you download the latest graphics driver from Microsoft?

did you download the latest graphics driver from Autodesk for that specific card?

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The Microsoft Surface Book was recently introduced by Microsoft several weeks ago. The graphics cards is definitely not certified by Autodesk.

The latest graphics drivers from Microsoft was installed. Even when hardware accelleration was turn off, All versions of Revit hangs and flickers.

[dzanta]

unfortunately, since you are running an unsupported operating system and an unsupported graphics card for Revit, the software may/may not install/function properly.

you can perhaps try to install a VM with Windows 7 Pro within and then install the Autodesk products within this VM for your new tablet.

[VJGnewman71]

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@DarrenP wrote:

is this with the keyboard attached or detached?

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Revit works when the keyboard is detached.

I guess the integrated Intel graphics driver works better than the NVidia one in the keyboard.

I went into the NVidia Control Panel and forced all software to use the integrated Intel graphics.

Eventhough the hardware acceleration is still turned on all Revit versions.

[Anonymous]

Guys (Autodesk) you just can't say .."unfortunately, since you are running an unsupported operating system and an unsupported graphics card for Revit, the software may/may not install/function properly....", in stead why don't you contact microsoft and resolve the issue, I downloaded trial version on my surface book and have the same problem, surface book is 3K laptop and it is microsoft's flagship laptop, because of the nature of this laptop obviously tons of Revit users were waiting for surface book to be released and buy it to use it with Revit. So in stead of politically correct statement get to work and fix the issue, your software is not cheap and laptop isn't either, provide solution, test new graphic card and issue patch for Revit and get it working, that is the approach people who pay that high subscription expect from corporation such Autodesk.

[dzanta]

i understand the comment you made.  Look at the perspective....Revit 2016 came out way before Microsoft Surface Book.  In order for any software to work with new hardware, that software must take into consideration what hardware it will function with at the time of the creation of the software...not a future piece of hardware that isn't created yet.

That being said, I am sure Autodesk and Microsoft are working diligently together to get both hardware and software compatible.  It isn't just the laptop hardware and OS that needs to function, it is also the graphics card and driver which involves NVidia and ATI as well.

Writing code for software of this nature (Revit) or any high level software takes tons of man hours and millions of lines of code.  IT TAKES TIME....

Lastly, before anyone buys a workstation of any nature to function and work with a particular software, it is ALWAYS ADVISEABLE AND BEST PRACTICE, to verify the software is sanctioned and tested fully on the workstation you are about to buy.  If it doesn't meet the specifications and isn't designed to function with the software, then you are taking your chances.

This applies to ANY SOFTWARE FROM ANY COMPANY

[KARLLUNDIN4864]

I have been looking for just this discussion so thanks for guinea pigging. I have been waitning for the Surface 4 for years and once I saw the book I thought it doesn't get better.

Did I understand correctly that Revit works fine with the Surface Book screen detached running on it's own graphics? 

If that is the case, then in this point in time would it be better to run Revit on a Surface Pro i7 16GB ram platform than the Surface Book??

Thanks for any feedback

Karl

[Anonymous]

It still freezing on mine, even when detached

[VJGnewman71]

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@KARLLUNDIN4864 wrote:

I have been looking for just this discussion so thanks for guinea pigging. I have been waitning for the Surface 4 for years and once I saw the book I thought it doesn't get better.

Did I understand correctly that Revit works fine with the Surface Book screen detached running on it's own graphics? 

If that is the case, then in this point in time would it be better to run Revit on a Surface Pro i7 16GB ram platform than the Surface Book??

Thanks for any feedback

Karl

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Karl,

I am the BIM manager for our office. One of the Associate Principals was very interested in purchasing the Surface Book and using it for work. Our Business Manager agreed to let him buy it for the office from the Microsoft Store. We are currently running Revit 2014, 2015 & 2016 with Windows 10 on all of our existing HP notebook computers. We thought that the Surface book would fulfill the need for a ultra portable computer for Revit use in the office, at home, at the job site or anywhere.

So far the Surface Book seriously needs to have its NVidia graphics driver updated. Revit will work when the NVidia graphics card is disabled entirely. However according to the Microsoft Store support people, Revit is forcing to download and use of NVidia graphics hardware even when in each Revit program it is turned off.

Having the keyboard detached, Revit works fine for one day but reverted back to hanging up and flashing again.

No matter what you need to use Revit with the keyboard.

This graphics driver issue is nothing new. We experienced this same graphics hardware driver issue with a brand new HP notebook computer with having both an integrated Intel graphics and an AMD ATI graphics card. We had to wait for six months before the right graphics driver came out.

I had a conversation between myself and our IT manager. He prefers the Surface Book over the Surface Pro 4 since it has better battery life, larger screen, includes a keyboard (not a separate purchase) and docking hub to connect a network cable into it. With any Windows 10 computer, you have to enable dotnet 3.5 in order for any current Autodesk software to install properly.

Regards,

Leo

[KARLLUNDIN4864]

Thank you Leo!

I may just have to stay with my current laptop until I am convinced this will work. I have seen Revit on the Surface Pro 3 and seemingly worked just fine. But I went through some buggery upgrading to windows 10 on my desktop and graphics issues. It seems I have a Nvida update about every other week since the transition and random Revit crashes. I have to look into the dotnet 3.5. Not sure what that is just yet.
Karl

[VJGnewman71]

Karl,
I have been satisfied with just turning off hardware acceleration in most Revit installations (75%) in our office notebooks. We have no more crashes and the graphics is just as good or more than acceptable. However, the Surface Book seems to override the graphic settings in the Revit application to just have hardware acceleration all the time.
Leo

[Anonymous]

Any news on how soon we may expect fix for Revit on microsoft surface book? Still freezing on my surface book i7 with 16GB RAM, both modes - screen attached and detached.

Thank you

[chrisplyler]

Try turning down the Windows Display Scaling feature to about 150% or less.

I've seen dozens of threads on "flickering" issues, and it pretty much always involves high-res screens where Windows has defaulted to a Display Scaling setting of 200% or more.

[Anonymous]

Turning it down to 150% seems to have solved most of my problems.  I can even use graphic hardware accelaration.  The only thing that isn't working properly now is the quick access toolbar.  It doesn't display. The tool tips pop up if I hover and it works otherwise, just not ideal.

[CraigTaylor4588]

Has Anyone found a work around to this.  I just installed Revit 2016 on a Surface Book and it simply does not run.  It freezes as soon as I open a file.

Craig

[Anonymous]

Craig,

Turning the display manification down to 150% or less seems to solve all the problems.  The default is 200%.  Everything has worked fine since I've done this including hardware accleration.

[Anonymous]

Scaling down worked on mine

[CraigTaylor4588]

Thanks. I tried this but does not seam to work in my case. Will keep trying because everything else about the Surface Book is wonderful. How have you found the performance of the GPU with Revit? Craig Taylor ARCHITECT AIBC | MRAIC President TKA+D TAYLOR KURTZ ARCHITECTURE+ DESIGN INC. P. 604.569 3499 | M. 604.614.5710 | WWW.TAYLORKURTZ.COM