Serious Error when opening sections

[cbukowski]

So I'm working in 2009 on a Vista x64 machine with 8gigs of RAM with a workshared file. There are only two people working in the file. Yesterday everything was working great. This morning, I open my local file, reload latest and STC to make sure that I get everything that was changed after I left last night. Now I can no longer open any sections in my file. I get this error "A serious error has occurred. It is strongly recommended that you use Save As to save your work in a new file before continuing." And my only options are to Save As and Continue or Continue Without Save. The other user can open sections without a problem. I tried Save As and it didn't change anything and my building section was totally empty. I tried Continue Without Save and the same thing happened. If I try to open a different type of section I get the same error, and with either option the section then opens just fine.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

[twiceroadsfool]

First-

Throw out your local file. Get a new one from the central file, and get a new one every morning.

Try opening a new local, and see if you still get the error.

I HAVE seen this happen on a machine that just needed Revit reinstalled... But other than that, start by ruling out the local file, and go from there.

[cbukowski]

I deleted both my original local file and the recovery file it created this morning, and created a new local and still got the same error...

[patricks]

Open the Central file and create a new local file from it. It is recommended that you do this daily, anyway. Dave Baldacchino made a file to automate this process in Revit 2009 or earlier versions, and Revit 2010 includes this automated local file creation process built in. Simply open a central file with "Make new local file" checked, and it will append your worksharing user name on the end of the file and save it in your default user file location.

*edit too late again haha. I would say try opening the Central file on another machine that you know it works correctly on, and open it using the Audit option. Perhaps do a Save As and rename the file, then try making a new local file from that.

[cbukowski]

I've now created a new central file from the old central file. Now when I create a new local file I get the serious error before the new local file even opens.

[patricks]

Did you open using Audit? This may be one you have to send to Support.

[sbrown]

There is either a corrupt topo surface visible in your section or a DWG file inserted in plan that revit can't draw in section. Try deleting or moving to a workset off by default all topo and dwgs. then reopen the section.

[cbukowski]

I've run an audit. Nothing came up.
I've rolled the file back as far as I can - no luck.

Not only can I not view sections (either clicking on them in plan or in the project browser) but I also cannot cut new ones.

After more investigation - I opened a different file and I can't view/cut sections in that project either.

There's no topo in either file. The DWGs that are in the original problem file were imported (I know I know...never again) over a year ago so I wouldn't think there'd be any issue with the DWGs.

[patricks]

Try starting a new, fresh file from your template and try to cut some sections. A re-install could possibly be in order.

[twiceroadsfool]

I HAVE seen this happen on a machine that just needed Revit reinstalled... But other than that, start by ruling out the local file, and go from there.

If the file is working fine on the other machines, and other files are not working correctly on this machine, start here...

[cbukowski]

I uninstalled/reinstalled Revit twice. Even found out that the x64 version of 2009 is only available from the Autodesk website and downloaded and installed that. Nothing has changed.

I can cut/view sections if I start a blank project using the default Revit template, but cannot do either without getting the warning using our office template.

I tried creating a local on a different computer for the original problem file, and it worked just fine over there.

[SUB]

What is the built number of your Revit version?
Maybe you have a different one on your Revit copy.


How to find it:
Open up Reivt, then go Help > Product and License Information
It's the first line you see in dialogue box.
Looks something like Revit Architecture 2009 - 20080321_1900.
That number will be different depending on how many web updates a machine receives.
It will also be different for 32 and 64 bits.

Do you have MEP/Structure Revit links? If you do, you should make sure the built numbers are the same across all disciplines.

Have you tried opening a file, using specify worksets? I use it sometimes to track down corrupted elements in a corrupted file. Remove the corrupted element helps me to create a new central file.

[cbukowski]

We have installed Web Update 3 for all licenses of Revit in the office so they're all the same build (except that I'm the only one in the office who has a x64 machine).

There aren't any Revit links in the model.

While our projects are workshared, we don't really utilize the worksets since we're a very small firm and there is hardly ever more than 2 people working on the project with a maximum possible of 4. We've never run into any issues of ownership that can't be solved by turning around and having people STC. So, that being said, we only have the default worksets.

I just went into Revit to see if the problem was still happening today, and it seems to be working fine now. I can cut new sections, and go to a section from plan view and the project browser. The only thing that has changed is that Windows did two sets of updates yesterday. One in the middle of the day when I restarted my computer to see if that would help, and one over night. I don't know what the updates were - or if they did something that would solve my problem - but it seems to be working fine now.

Thanks for all your help. If anyone has any more ideas as to what might have caused it I'd love to hear them in case it happens again.

[patricks]

You don't really make use of the Worksets? Man, we only have 3 people using Revit in our office (only 3 people total producing any drawings, actually), and we use Worksets ALL the time. My boss usually does schematic stuff and site stuff later on in CD's, our interior designer does interiors, and I do everything else LOL. Sometimes all 3 of us are working on projects at the same time.

I generally set up the same worksets in most projects: Interior, Exterior, Site, Site Demo (since grading plans have to Show All to get both new and demo topo to show up), Structure, and depending on the project, Revit Links, CAD Links, Furniture, and Floor Patterns. Those last few are usually off by default, since they are only displayed in a few views.

[twiceroadsfool]

Side Note: Id be wary of Off By Default, especially if you work with any consultants. When they link in your file they will never be able to see any of those items. If you dont mind than its no mind, but i never use the Off By Default for that reason, unless its STRICTLY an in-house-for-reference-only Workset, which we also prefix to call out as such.

To the OP: What are the other differences in specs on the machines in your office?

It now sounds like something specifically done in that template isnt agreeing with that computer. Very strange...

[cbukowski]

The 4 computers in the office that have Revit:
mine - Vista x64 with 8gb ram
comp 2- XP x32 with ~4gb ram
comp 3 - XP x32 with ~2gb ram
comp 4 - XP x32 with ~4gb ram

I agree that it's weird that it seemed to have problems on my computer. I could create a local copy on the computer with 2gb ram and it worked just fine over there. So...who knows. I'm the only one who edits the template, although I don't know that I've done any editing in it since they've updated my computer (I got it at the beginning of July).

[twiceroadsfool]

Video Cards and Drivers on all 4 computers?

[cbukowski]

Mine: NVIDIA GeForce 9500 GT 7.15.11.8250
comp 2: NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT 6.14.11.8120
comp 3: Intel 82915G Express Chip Set Family 6.14.10.3847
comp 4: ATI RADEON XPRESS 200 Series 8.172.0.0

[twiceroadsfool]

I would copy the driver off your machine (archive it), and try putting an earlier driver on it to see if that has any effect, positive or negative.

Try to find a 181 series, like Comp 2 has. Weve found Revit (all versions, not just 2010, but 2010 in particular) to be very picky about video card drivers...)

WEve been having an exceptionally tough time with nvidias, for some odd reason. Although my Nvidia card works great at home.

[cbukowski]

Fortunately, it did start working again yesterday morning - and I didn't change anything. So rolling back the video card driver at this point isn't going to tell me anything since the problem is gone.

[twiceroadsfool]

Yikes. Well good luck with that. Id be looking in to it regardless, lest you get caught with your pants down when the problem comes back. :)