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Running Autocad 2000 on 64 bit Windows 7


Stanier

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I have just upgraded my PC to a new model running 64bit Windows 7 Home Edition. On my old PC running Windows XP I was able to run CAD2000 in a compatibility mode and I understand that it may be possible to tweak Windows 7 to do the same. Has anyone done this recently and are able to pass on some useful tips.

Kind regards

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Interesting. Then why not consider making a move to a less dated software? Have you heard of the FREE 2D CAD program, and AutoCAD-clone, called Draftsight by Dassault Systemes. DS is the maker of Solidworks which is a very reputable program in its own right. Draftsight is enough like AutoCAD that the transition would not be that problematic. Dassault also offers a FREE Getting Started Guide and they have their own Draftsight forum for those seeking help with specify problems. The program will read drawings created in AutoCAD up to 2010 and write to the same DWG file format so nothing really changes in that regard. And best of all, it is available in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions that work well with Windows 7. I run a copy on both my home and work computers (64-bit) using Win7 Pro and Ultimate.

 

One last thing. To maintain your free copy of Draftsight users must confirm their registration (very quick process) once a year. That's it.

 

Find out more here...http://www.3ds.com/products-services/draftsight/download-draftsight/

 

Should you feel disinclined to make the switch there is a program called the Longbow Converter that will help users run older 32-bit versions of AutoCAD on Windows Vista, Win7 & and Win8.

For more information...http://www.longbowsoftware.com/Home_Page.php

 

While you are there take a look at their Tips and Tricks.

Edited by ReMark
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Hi - As a follow up question to my query above, can anyone tell me if AutoCad 2000 is a 16 or 32 bit system as I understand that this may be key to getting an emulator program to run on my 64 bit version of Windows 7 (Home Edition)

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I believe it is 32-bit but the installer is 16-bit which would explain why it won't load on your 64-bit machine.

 

Check out this thread....http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?45838-Acad-2000-with-Windows-7

 

Look at the first post by Seacher. He says he was able to do it. I can't verify whether his method works or not. Feeling lucky? Then give it a try. I'd create a Windows Restore point first just in case you screw things up. Good luck.

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I ran my copy of AC2000 for many years. Needing something to run on my 64 bit machine without having to spend a bunch of money or jump through hoops to get it to run, I found Draftsight. Although I haven't run it in a couple years, I'm sure you sill find it to be better than AC2000 in many ways.

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Apparently as of yesterday Stainer was still attempting to find a way to run AC2000 as he was inquiring if anyone here was familiar with a program called DOSBOX which is an x86 emulator. I've read that some people use it to run Win95 on newer computers.

 

I think Stainer would be doing himself a favor by moving to Draftsight given he does not do 3D drawings nor does he make use of lisp.

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Hi Remark - Yes I would agree that Draftsight may well be one possible solution but as somebody on this thread has already pointed out being in possession of a package valued at a small fortune when first introduced it is well worth exploring all possible avenues to keep it serviceable. Another reason for staying with AC2000 apart of course from the hassle of getting to grips with any new system is that it continues to offer a range of plotter drivers which are no longer available on the newer systems. :)

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Yes, I realize that 14 years ago you paid a small fortune for AutoCAD 2000 and would like it to remain functional another 14 years or thereabouts. Problem is how much money are you losing every day you can't run your old software on your new computer? What is it costing you per day to find a fix for the situation you now find yourself in?

 

Re: plotter drivers. I'm guessing your plotter is almost as old as your software. Yes?

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Just curious, what do you do that requires you to be able to print to "a range of plotters" and what are these plotters?

 

Have you checked any of the other options to see if they can plot to these plotters?

 

I'm not trying to be rude but sometimes you just have to let go of the past and look for other solutions.

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A fair question. I am running a simple DOS era CAM system in my home workshop which apart from providing machine axis control of my CNC milling machine can also be used to do some simple CAM machining e.e. cutting profiles and machining circles. Originally the CAM package was designed to work with the freebie drawing system called DraftChoice which in turn used the HPGL plotter driver HP7474 to output to file but after switching drawing packages the nearest driver available in AC2000 became HP7475A which works in a very similar way. Essentially the plotter driver o/ps data in a stream of plot-relative commands of the form PR(x,y) which after some further processing my workshop system interprets as x, y and z movements of the milling cutter.

In time, I will explore using ReactOS as this would appear to answer my question.

 

All jolly good fun you note but I would admit a million miles from current industrial practice. As to letting go of the past - what ever next - where would we be without the finest machine that man has ever invented - the steam locomotive!

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How often do you drive your steam driven car?

 

Wish you had mentioned the CAM system in your first post. Might have made a difference.

 

So you will be switching to ReactOS. I suppose you'll be doing this so you can run AutoCAD 2000. Have you confirmed this is possible? In other words, has anyone come forward to say they are actually doing so right this very minute?

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I was not expecting that you were running old equipment like that. I was stuck on plotters and thinking that it wouldn't cost much to replace a plotter with one that is probably quite a bit better. I know next to nothing about that machinery or how much it would cost to replace with stuff so you wouldn't have to jump through hoops to get the desired output from a newer computer.

 

I have a warm spot in my heart for old machinery so I can understand wanting to keep it running. When it comes to old computers my feelings aren't so warm. Yeah, it's hard to give up one that's treated you well for many years when it starts to fail. But there comes a point when it's cheaper to by/build a new one than it is to fix the old one.

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No - not steam cars - rather 5" gauge model steam locomotives although not quite sure what difference it might have made if I had mentioned CAM in my first post!

 

I have only just discovered the existence of ReactOS from another thread on this forum and yes, I would be very interested to hear of some recent experiences in using it as a possible solution to the problem. However, I cannot altogether sympathise with the argument that old software should be discarded without making some effort to sort it out, especially as in my case, time and business requirements are not at stake and apart from avoiding extra costs, old software and especially AC2000 can have many miles left in them. Its all a question i suppose of how you choose to spend your time. My experience with computers is that almost all things are possible - it is simply a question of finding the right source of information and this is where the forum is so helpful :)

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The steam car reference was me ribbing you about old technology.

 

I believe you will definitely make some sort of effort to sort it all out and would be very much interested in reading about your experiences doing so. Would you update us from time to time? Makes me wonder though, why didn't you just go on craigslist or eBay and find an old computer just like the one you replaced? I know they are out there as I see people trying to sell them all the time. Why did you spend money on a new 64-bit computer when you obviously don't need one? Call me curious.

 

What were the specs on the old workhorse that you replaced? Was it an Intel Pentium III (500/550/600MHz)? Were you running Windows 98SE?

 

I can get you a Pentium IV with 1GB of RAM running WinXP for $100 in the next town over from ours. It would probably take me 30 minutes round trip. You pay the shipping charges. BTW...it is a Dell Dimension 2400. I bet that baby really rocks. Forgetaboutit. Found you a better deal....

 

http://hartford.craigslist.org/sys/4243392657.html

 

OK...all kidding aside the point I am trying to make is this. You are wedded to old technology due to the software you want to run and the equipment you are using it with. You should have just replaced the old computer with one that was similar. The switch would have been seamless. Instead, you, in trying to squeeze more out of AC2000, eschewed that course of action and instead decided to upgrade to newer technology (64-bit). You shot yourself in your own foot.

Edited by ReMark
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There is one other option which I don't seem to find in this thread. You can load VMWare on your Windows 7 machine and then use it to create instances of much older OS'es. I think I even heard of one place which had some legacy stuff which needed the old DOS 6.2 to work. They used VMWare and would run an instance of the old DOS OS to do it. I had an old HP Scanner which would only work with Windows XP and below. I hated to throw the thing in the trash so I used VMWare to do this and it did just fine. Once my new scanner got online I finally mothballed the old HP Scanner (5100c). Anyone wanna buy it. I can let it go real cheap? :D

 

No doubt that getting with the newest copy of AutoCAD is the best way to go but sometimes budgets just don't allow for that. And VMWare is free so you can pursue this method without much cost.

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  • 3 months later...

There is a way of getting AutoCAD 2000 to run on the 64-bit version of Windows 7, at the moment there is support going for getting older software to run on newer versions of windows:

 

http://cad97for64bit.hostei.com/AutoCAD2k/

 

AutoCAD 2000 appears to be on the list along with the LT 97 version, hope that helps.

Edited by learner19
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Anyone trying to use LT 97 on a 64-bit system is wasting their time when they can download, for free, a true 64-bit CAD program called Draftsight. The drawback is it is only 2D but then again so is LT. DS is available from Dassault Systemes.

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