Opening "bloated" dwg without loading Xrefs

[rdomke69]

I have a bunch of "bloated" drawing files with multiple layouts in each that take a long time to open and regenerate due to large xrefs attached that were created with Civil 3D. I want to break down the multi-layout files into single-layout files and eliminate all but one of the layouts in each file. To save time, once the file is open, I unload all the xrefs and then delete each layout (one-by-one). However, I'd still like to eliminate the initial time it takes for the files to open before I can unload the xrefs.
Is there a command switch that will enable me to prevent the xrefs from loading when I call each file to open; and can it be set up in a script somehow? I've been using AutoCad for about 12 years now and this is the first time I've had occasion to need to do this. I'm still very inexperienced with Civil 3D (2006), but I realize the load this stuff imposes on file processing is tremendous (unless I just don't know the tricks to get around my old-fashioned working methods).
Any help will be appreciated.
-Richard Domke-Miami, Fl.
(Long time and rapidly growing obsolete AUGI member.)

[Opie]

Temporarily rename the XREFs. After you are done, rename them back to their original names.

You can use the Reference Manager to get the file names of the XREFs.

Just a thought.

[bcowper]

Rather than renaming the Xrefs temporarily, you could use reference manager to rename the path of all Xrefs.

Assuming all Xrefs are in the same location - open Reference Manager add your drawing with the linked Xrefs, select all Xrefs you don't want loaded, right click over selected Xrefs, select Edit Selected Paths, the current path will be displayed (e.g. C:\plans\xref), rename path to something else, doesn't have to be a real folder (e.g. C:\plans\xref2), select Apply Changes.

Now when you open the drawing all edited path Xrefs will not load. If your Xrefs are in multiple folders you'll need to select only the Xrefs stored in the same location and repeat the process for each Xref folder location.

[tmoser]

Maybe the Partially open command can help you.
If you can jest want to look at part of the drawing you can use that.