Revit crashes my PC on loading

[scatter529359]

Gah! Help please. Desperate help... I've got files to get to a mechanical engineer like three hours ago.

I don't know what or why this has happened as I have changed nothing. Yesterday, Revit was working perfectly, today, when as soon as it finishes loading the default template upon starting the program it reboots my PC. Inexplicably when the machine reboots none of my hard drives are available in the BIOS. I switch the machine off for a few seconds, and the drives are back fine.

I'm using Revit 8.1 and have downloaded the R9 demo and the exact same thing happens. All of my hardware drivers are up to date (and even if they weren't, I KNOW they haven't changed since yesterday), and like I said, nothing has been installed or uninstalled from my machine.

I've run Lightwave and 3DS fine, Revit is the only program that is crashing. Any ideas?

[Steve_Stafford]

Try renaming the template that Revit is trying to open so it can't. Once Revit is open it will complain that it can't find it, don't browse for a file just let it open with no document. Choose the Settings menu from the few that are listed and then Options. Next look at your graphic settings and uncheck the Open GL option and Use Overlay Planes. Does it run now?

If it worked yesterday fine and not today then it doesn't sound possible that "nothing" changed. Do you have automatic update enabled for Windows? Did it update your computer last night or this morning. Does IT push out updates or other software installations? Did your PC stumble and force a restart and revert to some default graphic settings that conflict perhaps? Any other software that might have automatic updates enabled?

Good luck! Hope you have another PC to get your deadline met if you don't get this one going!

[scatter529359]

ok. progress of sorts.

the pc doesn't crash now coz there's no template loaded - so we're obviously on the right track. but the options you've told me to change are already set that way: OpenGL is unchecked, overlay planes IS checked. should i change them?

[scatter529359]

right, i've tried various combinations of those options and the problem is still the same.

i'm guessing the cause is my video card and opengl. gawd damn. :(

[scatter529359]

gahahaha... i don't believe it. windowsblinds (a simple windows gui program by stardock) was the problem.

all that stress for that!

[m.thomas]

Just saw this message.
I too had this crashing problem caused by Windowblinds. Took me a long time to find the cause.

I seem to recall someone else having a problem with an Alienware pc as it was running another type of shell replacement program.

Would be nice if someone from the factory could advise whether this is easily fixed , as when i was evaluating Revit it kept crashing on me which is not a great first impression for software. Windowblinds is popular........ wonder how many people with windowblinds have downloaded revit crashed away and thought what a buggy program?

Ideally on install there should be a warning stating use of a shell replacement program may cause instability in Revit ?

Anyway glad you sorted your problem.

mies

[scatter529359]

i think the better question would be why a simple shell program should interfere with opengl, and it's one that stardock should be addressing.

i would never have found the problem but for two things - it was causing opengl errors in archicad as well, and i remembered at the last minute that i had loaded it to show my son a gui...