Should I get a new Graphic Card or not?

[johk]

Hi,
I have had a problem in AutoCAD - when I for example switch between model space and paper space or between 2 dwg files the whole screen freezes - sometimes up to 7-8 sec. I have tried to see if it is on just some files or older dwg files etc etc but I have not been able to narrow it down to anything specific that would cause it. That is why I lean towards it might be a graphic card issue (or setting). My boss is getting very frustrated and told me to get a "bloody new graphic card" as every time I need to show him something on the screen the freeze thing happens. This happen both on AutoCAD 2007, 2008 and also Autocad2006LT.

I am moving more towards using Revit (working on my first major project now) but will still be working with AutoCAD as everyone ells in the office (at this stage) is using it. I have been browsing through the forum and it seems that a FireGL card is the way to go.

Sometimes when I zoom in annotations etc is disappearing but it is not consistent ie it is not happening all the time. I run Revit in OpenGL mode and followed Wes and David's recommendations for the settings.

I guess my questions are firstly: the problem I have with AutoCAD do you think it could be related to the graphic card or could it be something ells? Are there any tests I can run to be certain if it is the graphic card?
Secondly: Are there any known compatibly problems between motherboards and graphic cards? If I get any PCI-e card it will work with my motherboard or are some cards working better with some motherboards?

ASUS P5VD2-MX
2.5 GB RAM
WIN XP
GeForce 7300 LE 256MB/128MB GDDR2

Thanks for any suggestions.

Jonas

[Wes Macaulay]

Sounds like driver problems, but it's hard to tell. What driver version are you using?

[johk]

I am using driver 6.14.11.6375 which I downloaded from Nvidia's site.

Thanks
Jonas

[Wes Macaulay]

The GeForce cards are not designed for CAD work and you might consider getting the base model FireGL card. We've had some views that would just not open with a GeForce card that the FireGL model had no trouble with at all...

[iru69]

When did you download it? It might be an old driver.

If you go to the nvidia website and look for the latest driver for the GF 7 series, it should be: 169.21 (12/17/2007).

You're using the GF 7300 port and not the motherboard's built-in vga port, correct? I know that's a silly question, but you never know. The built-in video on that motherboard is garbage. I'm not trying to sound mean, but the mb itself is the bargain-bin special - I wouldn't be surprised if it is related to the problem. Is your motherboard's BIOS up-to-date?

BTW, it really doesn't get worse than the 7300LE card. That's about the bottom of the barrel for video cards as well. However, that being said, it really shouldn't be that bad (if it's working correctly) - while I wouldn't recommend it, it should be serviceable.

I'm a little confused how you ended up with 2.5GB of RAM? That mb only has 2 DIMM slots. Not having the same size and speed DIMM in each DIMM slot can cause performance problems.

What kind of CPU and speed?

Does this delay happen no matter what size the file or only with big files or what? What size AC files are we talking about here - e.g. how many elements? You're working in 2D AutoCAD? Did this always happen with this computer, or did it just start happening?

Revit has all sorts of problems to varying degrees with all sorts of video cards, but AutoCAD has always been pretty idiot proof - in fifteen years of using it while servicing countless workstations, I have yet to find a mainstream video card that doesn't work just fine with it.

But, you can waste a lot more time (money) trying to fix something like that than just buying a new one.

I am using driver 6.14.11.6375 which I downloaded from Nvidia's site.

Thanks
Jonas

[johk]

I did re-visit Nvidia's site earlier and realized they had an newer version of the driver. After I installed it fully stuffed my Revit up. Couldn't zoom or hardly move my courser with in the workspace without Revit crashing.

Regarding the problem in AutoCAD it has happened even if I only have one line in the dwg. I created a test dwg once just to seen if it had to do with the amount of elements in the dwg. Sometimes it freezes sometimes it doesn't. And yes we only work in 2D cad.

When I started here, a little more than a year ago I got this machine. It had 1GB of Ram but when I started to use Revit I pointed out that I needed more Ram. We bought one stick that has 2GB as we assumed that it was one 1GB stick in the computer. As it turned out it was 2 512MB sticks hence the reason I have 2.5GB. I had the problems with Autocad before I got the additional Ram and they are still here. I can though notice a major difference in Revit with the additional Ram.

If that is the case ie that he m/board and v/vard are in the lower range I will see if I can hit the boss up for a new computer instead. Even if I get a new v/card I could basically still have the same problem. So fare the computer is working OK with Revit which is starting to be the pogram I use the most now.

Intel Core 2 1.86GHz

Thanks,
Jonas

[jmctamney]

I'm currently running a Dell Dimension 3.2Ghz Pentium D with 2GB ram and a 256mb ATI Radeon X600. Autocad runs like a dream although after upgrading to 2008 I've noticed a few display quirks here and there. Revit on the other had takes forever to open and it's very dificult to navigate (pan/zoom) in a moderately sized model (30-50MB) We just ordered more RAM and a new 128mb ATI FireGL V3400. I'll Keep you posted on the improvements (if any)

[iru69]

Jonas - here's an idea: Use the built-in video port on the computer and see if the problem is still there. Depending on the specifics of that MB, it's possible you would first have to change the BIOS settings and enable the on-board video/disable the nvidia video card (or even temporarily remove the video card altogether). If the built-in video has the same problems, then it's more likely that the problem is bigger than your video card. If the built-in video works "okay", then it's more likely that the problem is the 7300.

That Core 2 1.86GHz CPU is pretty slow by todays standards (it was actually kind of slow when it was released), but isn't slow enough to account for the issues you're having.

I'd be careful about sinking too much money/time into this system - if you're going to really be transitioning to Revit, it may be time to just get a new computer.

[jmctamney]

I'm currently running a Dell Dimension 3.2Ghz Pentium D with 2GB ram and a 256mb ATI Radeon X600. Autocad runs like a dream although after upgrading to 2008 I've noticed a few display quirks here and there. Revit on the other had takes forever to open and it's very dificult to navigate (pan/zoom) in a moderately sized model (30-50MB) We just ordered more RAM and a new 128mb ATI FireGL V3400. I'll Keep you posted on the improvements (if any)

Got the new video card in today. WHAT A DIFFERENCE!! Now, it's not heads and tails above my old card but it is definitly noticable. Just opening the model takes about half as long. Regens are much quicker. Basically everything is about 2/3 quicker. If it took 5 seconds to open a view it now takes 2-3. I know we're talk just a couple of seconds but it does make a difference. I still get model elements dissapearing when zooming or panning but not as many and it regens much, much quicker. More memory will be going in next week. We'll see how that goes.