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AutoCad & big drawing

Printed From: CAD Forum
Category: EN
Forum Name: AutoCAD
Forum Description: Discussion about AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT, viewers, DWG and DWF formats, Design Review, AutoCAD 360, add-ons
URL: https://www.cadforum.cz/forum_en/forum_posts.asp?TID=1272
Printed Date: 19.May.2026 at 10:51


Topic: AutoCad & big drawing
Posted By: ikus060
Subject: AutoCad & big drawing
Date Posted: 30.Oct.2008 at 22:50
Hi,

I'm an IT guys and some of my users work with big drawing in AutoCAD 2005. The file they working on is about 12Meg and AutoCad can use up to 1Gig of memory when working with those files.

All this user complain about out of memory error.
FATAL ERROR: Out of memory - shutting down

From my perspective, it's cannot be a memory problem since we have good hardware :
P4 2.8Ghz Core 2 Duo, 4Gig Ram DDR2, ATI FireGL V3600 256mb

Also, one of the user give my a print screen with the task manager when the error occur. It's clear that AutoCad used only 900Meg or Ram (Maximum is 2Gig per software).



So here my question.

To every body's working with big model (10-20 Meg) are are your hardware configuration and did you cutomize the AutoCad config to work withou problem ??

thanks

    Patrik Dufresne


Replies:
Posted By: Vladimir Michl
Date Posted: 31.Oct.2008 at 11:35
For really large drawings I would recommend the 64-bit version of AutoCAD and an adequate workstation.
 
In many cases, the /3GB mode of the plain 32-Windows will help to increase the available memory (see the Tips). Also make sure you have enough virtual memory (swap size) and plenty of free disk space on your swap disk.


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Vladimir Michl (moderator)
ARKANCE - https://arkance.world" rel="nofollow - https://arkance.world - Autodesk Platinum Partner

Posted By: ikus060
Date Posted: 31.Oct.2008 at 13:28
Originally posted by Vladimir Michl Vladimir Michl wrote:

For really large drawings I would recommend the 64-bit version of AutoCAD and an adequate workstation.

In many cases, the /3GB mode of the plain 32-Windows will help to increase the available memory (see the Tips). Also make sure you have enough virtual memory (swap size) and plenty of free disk space on your swap disk.


Hi Vladimir,

Thanks for your suggestion, I will check that computer have enough virtual memory. For available space, every one have more than 60Gig free. (Harddisk size is 80Gig).

I will take a look to this 3gig switch also ..

But, is there any configuration to do in AutoCad itself to speed up thing ? Maybe to activate usage of multiple core ?

Thanks

Posted By: Vladimir Michl
Date Posted: 31.Oct.2008 at 13:32
No, multiple cores are enabled by default. The error message indicates that there is simply not enough memory. Having 1GB more (with the /3GB switch) should help a lot.

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Vladimir Michl (moderator)
ARKANCE - https://arkance.world" rel="nofollow - https://arkance.world - Autodesk Platinum Partner

Posted By: archie.manza
Date Posted: 02.Nov.2008 at 09:55
Originally posted by ikus060 ikus060 wrote:

Hi Vladimir,

Thanks for your suggestion, I will check that computer have enough virtual memory. For available space, every one have more than 60Gig free. (Harddisk size is 80Gig).

I will take a look to this 3gig switch also ..

But, is there any configuration to do in AutoCad itself to speed up thing ? Maybe to activate usage of multiple core ?

Thanks
 
Try also to WBLOCK the drawing it might reduce the file size of your drawing.


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Once a De Molay always a De Molay.

Posted By: rufous
Date Posted: 06.Nov.2008 at 12:52
A 12 meg drawing in my experience is not a "big" drawing. I've done "big" drawings, 50 - 60mb 3D drawings, on a simple Dell 1.6 ghz with 1 gig ram without any problem.

If you're saying you have Out of Memory errors when there is plenty of memory then IMHO your problem is probably an incompatibility issue in the hardware/software. This is especially likely since you have multiple users with the same problem. I'm assuming you've got muchos gigs of space on the hard drives so there's no Swap file issue here.

Your vid card is on the approved list so it's probably an issue between the operating system and your Autodesk install. What operating system are you using? Have you checked Autodesk for fixes or updates?

Sometimes you can have a "memory leak". I've seen early releases of AutoCAD versions leak memory. They'll start swallowing more and more RAM for no good reason until they max out the machine. Keep an eye on the RAM usage to see if that's what's going on. That should be addressed in a Service Pack for your ACAD version.

If it is a OS compatibility issue you may need direct help from Autodesk or Microsoft. You may need to reinstall everything or change your OS.

Compatibility issues are always less problem if you're using top flight equipment not hobby built or knock offs. With that ATI 3600 I'd guess this is a pretty solid machine but you have to consider whether the machine is the problem. Is this a major brand computer, Windows OS and a licensed ACAD or is it a "custom built" station and hot software? Is the P4 really Intel or something supposedly equivalent?

You have some investigating to do.




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R.


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