HELP ! - old project back to life.... can't upgrade file...

[wboyanton]

Ok, having a big problem... We have an "old" project we did in REVIT 2009 MEP and this project is back to life after a few years and the project is being redesigned.

My problem is I can open the file fine in REVIT 2009 (other then the lic. is screwy but that's another problem) BUT anytime I try to open the file in REVIT 2010/2011 or 2012 it crashes at about the 70% +/- during the converting. I get a popup that says upgrading is in progress at 50% +/-... then it continues for a bit and at about 70% is crashes and a popup askes me if I want to save the recovered file, but nothing is saved and REVIt crashes / closes.

I can open up the Architect's Model that we linked in and it will open and convert to the new REVIT file format. But our MEP file that we need to redesign will not convert. I'd like to use at least 2010 if not a newer REVIT, but unless I can bring in the existing REVIT model I'm looking at starting completely from a blank file.

This is BS.... AutoDesk has to make some major improvements in the file format transportability from version to version.

And here I thought REVIt was getting better..... I hope I'm wrong and this is a simple fix.

I've tried to compact / audit / etc the MEP model but still no luck.

Anyone have any suggestions / solutions?
Anyone with the same sort of problems bringing in old REVIt files?

[stimmo520]

Ummm..same thing happened to me going from 2009 to 2010 on a project..and I never got a workaround. Just couldnt do it. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Unless you have a super computer laying around..I think its an upgrade bug personallly.

[Jrobker]

Upgrade the links first.
Rename the links so they won't load in your file.
Upgrade your file.
Reload the updated links.
This is how we had to do it, because the exact thing happened to us.

[matt__w]

(backup all files first)

If you still have 2009 installed perform an AUDIT on all files first (be sure to save them).
Then open each of the LINKED files and save them in the 2011 format.
Now open your audited MEP model in 2011. Does it work?

If you don't first upgrade the links, Revit will do that for you on the fly, in the background, until save them in the 2011 version. That alone could possibly be killing your performance (depending on the size of the models and available RAM).

[matt__w]

Upgrade the links first.
Rename the links so they won't load in your file.
Upgrade your file.
Reload the updated links.
That's a neat little tip to speed up the loading/upgrade process. (it's always the simple things)

[stimmo520]

Brilliant..thanks for the tip JR

[wboyanton]

I tried all the above with the same results.... crash.
ARCH model upgrades fine, no problems.
MEP model crashes with and without the links.
After Audit, same results. After Compacting, same results.

Even deleted 2/3's of the model we didn't need. (Original project was two buildings with a new connector between them. New project is just the smaller building.) The remaning MEP items we need remained but still crashed.

Tried on mutiple i7 computers, same results. Crash. One has 6GB ram the other 12GB ram.
MEP file doesn't seem that large, full file is about 19mb. Full Arch model 56mb and it converted fine.

Is it just me? or does REVIT 2012 seem like it runs like a greesed pig vs. REVIT 2009. At least the overall preformance is getting better. But please Autodesk doo something about the file updating / conversion process!!!

[bcgatti]

Have you tried opening a Support Request with Autodesk?

When we had the same issue a few releases ago they were able to upgrade the problem files for us.

[Jrobker]

Sounds like your running out of options.
Have you tried removing all of your worksets?
Eliminating most of the warnings?
Are you upgrading from the server? If so, save to a desktop than upgrade. 19MB is smaller than our template.

So no links, No central file (no worksets), no errors on the desktop of your fastest machine.

Thats all I got.
Have you tried contacting Ade$k support?

[wboyanton]

Well, I'll try removing the worksets; I didn't try that yet.

I get no errors or warnings in REVIT 2009 when opening / working on this file.

During conversion when trying to open the file in REVIT 2012 I get one message about the conversion process taking some time, etc. (at the 50% mark), it continues up to around the 70% mark and gets a fatal error, REVIT askes to save a recovery file, but it never asks for a recovered file name or creates one.
When opening REVIT back up it never asks to recover the file.

Yes, I've tried in both with the central file on the server and also detached and on my local machine.

I've got to admit running a i7 - 6gb - SSD is a nice way to run REVIT. Saves are a blink of an eye.

I sent off a Support Request, we're on subscription.

[wboyanton]

Problem solved. I sent off our model to Autodesk and they sent it back upgraded to version 2012.
Thanks Autodesk!
I guess that's one advantage of being on subscription.

Thanks for everyones help, even though I was unsuccessful with your suggestions; it was nice that everyone chipped in.

Autodesk didn't say what was wrong with the file. I'd like to know so I don't repeat the same mistake. Maybe they will email me back with the solution they came up with.

But in any case it's in version 2012 now and we're ready to rock.
This will save so much time now that I don't have to start completely over.

[Jrobker]

Please respond back when you find out what they did.
This would be valuable information.