Truly at wit's end....again!

I'm not looking to start a big PC v MAC debate here, I am only stating the facts as I know them from personal experience.

I have absolutely, truly had it up to HERE with Windows UNreliability! :x

I cannot for the life of me think of anything else it could be. I run 2006 and 2008 on a Dell machine at the office with a Xeon 3.2G processor and 1G RAM with XP Pro and I crash on the average 3-4 times a week. I say on the average because there are days when it runs flawlessly and the next day it turns to sh*t; same machine, same files, same software...nothing has changed! Our IT guys are clueless and it is costing me a ton of man-hours in lost work. I audit, I purge, I do everything I know how and it makes not a bit of difference. I do a fair amount of 3D work but not a lot of materials/rendering- mostly just wireframe and shaded views. The files I work with shouldn't even be scratching the surface of what these specs can handle. Somebody please tell me what is wrong!?!?!?

I love AutoCAD; it's a great program. But Windows sucks a**, plain and simple (this statement is not just limited to recent CAD issues; from my past experiences Windows has sucked from Day 1) and if I can find a comparable and RELIABLE CAD alternative, I will gladly make the switch to MAC. I don't know if this is the proper forum to ask this but does anyone use MAC-based programs and if so, what would you recommend?

Maybe the fact that you're running a system with only 1GB of RAM might be a clue?

XP Pro? Are you up-to-date with all critical updates?

Do you need to share drawings with other firms who might be using AutoDesk related products? Do you get drawings from outside sources in .dwg format?

'Only 1GB RAM'?

Seriously? I'm not a computer genius by any means but I thought that would be plenty to run the stuff I do. My max file size is about 5M...

As far as I know, I'm updated. And yes, I do share drawings back and forth with others- but it's the day-to-day inconsistency that has me so frustrated.

Maybe the fact that you're running a system with only 1GB of RAM might be a clue?

 

XP Pro? Are you up-to-date with all critical updates?

 

Do you need to share drawings with other firms who might be using AutoDesk related products? Do you get drawings from outside sources in .dwg format?

You know it's funny I sometimes have to use a laptop with 512mb of RAM and it manages to work OK WITH IT LOL

computers have minds of there own im sure! haha

We'll set aside the memory debate for the moment.

What are the nature of the problems you seem to be having? When AutoCAD crashes what error messages display?

Did you ever stop to consider that you may have a faulty machine?

Personally, I would consider...

...adding more RAM (at least another 1GB).

...increasing virtual memory.

...freeing up disk space via disk cleanup.

...defragging the hard drive.

...detecting and repairing hard drive errors.

I'd also consider maybe you have spyware, malware or a virus on your computer.

Is anyone else in the company, who uses AutoCAD, having the same problems?

Re: 1GB RAM. When you run AutoCAD you are not doing it in a vacuum. Other software is running as well. Your OS and any anti-virus run concurrently thus drawing resources away from AutoCAD.

yeh remarks correct, do CTRL ALT DEL. and see which processes are active and running constant from intial start up.

.exe's etc

Mac CAD software options...

http://guide.apple.com/action.lasso?-database=MacOSGuide&-layout=cgi_search&-search&-response=ussearch/hitlist.html&-maxrecords=20&-noresultserror=uscategories/noresultscat.html&cfc=196

If you go Mac then I'd seriously consider TurboCAD Mac Pro as it does both 2D and 3D. I think you need to investigate how drawings may be shared if you are using Mac software and the other person or company is using AutoDesk software. I'm sure it can be done I just don't know how reliable or good the method/results might be.

Minimum system requirements for running AutoCAD 2008 per AutoDesk. Personally, I would not even consider 512MB of RAM but that's strictly up to the user.

For 32-bit AutoCAD:

• Intel® Pentium® 4 processor, 2.2 GHz Recommended
  
• Microsoft® Windows Vista™, Windows® XP Home and Professional (SP2), Windows® 2000 (SP4)
  
• 512 MB RAM
  
• 750 MB free disk space for installation
  
• 1024x768 VGA with True Color
  
• Microsoft® Internet Explorer® 6.0 (SP1 or higher)

No error messages specific to CAD- the processor goes up to 100% and I just get the typical 'Not Responding' message in the task manager. It just locks up. And

I'm the only one in the company that does CAD so nobody else to compare it to. I've done cleanups and defrags and the IT guys have Trend virus installed. They've finally relented and agreed to rebuild the machine from scratch next week.

I'm sure there's something with the machine...but let's be honest, Windows doesn't have the best reputation for reliability. And I personally have run into more problems over the years than I can count- this is just the culmination of years of past bad experiences. There's a reason things like this exist...(not trying to be funny, just proving a point):

Like I said, I really like AutoCAD and am not looking to relearn an entirely new program. If I can get some stability, I'd love to stick with it. Perhaps if enough people out there tell me I'm over reacting, I'll concede.

Truely mind-boggling. Microsoft's minimum system requirements for WinXP Pro published back in August 2001 list 128MB of RAM! That's just great. I guess they did not expect users to run any Windows based programs. Just stare at that beautiful screen and the MS logo. What a laugh. Hey, MS, this isn't the good old days of DOS anymore. Get a serious clue. 128MB of RAM? Who are we kidding here? I'm sure that there were people who took this advice seriously too.

I'm a bit slow in responding and fallen behind.....when I start my computer up in the morning and open email- just email, nothing else- I have 47 processes running; another peeve of mine. I've asked IT why this is the case and received no explanation thus far.

You find yourself at the opposite end of the spectrum than someone like myself or even JD Mather. I'm running XP Pro and AutoCAD 2009 and have never experienced a problem. JDM is running Vista and Inventor and reports not a single problem. My personal opinion is that many problems are self-inflicted.

I think a robust system setup, good computing habits, and strict adherence to loading/using only what I need contribute to my lack of any substantial problems.

I'm a bit slow in responding and fallen behind.....when I start my computer up in the morning and open email- just email, nothing else- I have 47 processes running; another peeve of mine. I've asked IT why this is the case and received no explanation thus far.

now find out how many out of the 47 you actually use/need

now find out how many out of the 47 you actually use/need

Iv'e got 29 running

How??? They all have totally uninformative names like alg.exe, TmPfw.exe, smss.exe...I don't know what any of this crap means.

41 running and that includes AutoCAD, Outlook and my digitizer. We too use TrendMicro and IT has it set up that it cannot be disabled by the local user.

alg = Application Layer Gateway

tmPfw = trend micro network/security component

ssms = Session Manager Subsystem

these are located in the C in your system leave these alone, most of them basically have what they are in them, iexplore.exe - internet explorer. taskmgrexe - task manager, adobe_updater.exe - obvious

ONLY A FEW OF MINE are ones that i can't tell so i just google them, you'll find all the main stuff supposed to be running will be at the bottom of the list working there way upwards, and the newer possible add ons/spyware etc are at the top, just browse through and think do i use that? do i need it? what exactly is it? i was suprised all of the stuff i had running when i first went through mine, like windows mssgr.exe and crap you dont need!

bare in mind this is not the inital answer, this may help or might be it's just a suggestion that will help. but have your wits don't just delete stuff, like i say i dont know what type of programs and applications etc that you use regually!