Autocad Release 12 for DOS

[erickm2773810]

I am a technician for an engineer. He wanted a new pc so he got a dual boot system. WIn 98 and Win XP. I installed autodesk in dos mode (release 12). No error messages, yet it won't start. I start the interface by typing AWCD at the command prompt and I get the interface. I click on Autocad release 12 for DOS and the screen goes black for 3 seconds and returns to the autodesk interface.

The PC is a P4 3.2 GHZ HT processor and 1 GB of RAM. I made the entries in config.sys regarding files and buffers as the textbook suggested. I've tried a VGA and a SVGA driver and got the same results. I know this should be able to work but I need some assistance. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Erick

[mjfarrell]

It is possible that you have too much RAM
and that is causing you some problems.
R12 for DOS, hmmm fond memories.....AME
paper space (for the first time).........somebody
wake me up.....before I buy a pen plotter...
and a digitzer....:wink:

[srsherrill]

DOS versions of AutoCAD needed a batch file to set environmental variables, paths, etc. before running the acad executable file or it wouldn't work. This is an example of the last one I had working.

SET ACAD=C:\ACAD12\SUPPORT;C:\ACAD12\FONTS;C:\ACAD12\LISP;C:\ACAD12\BLOCKS;C:\ACAD12\ADS
SET ACADCFG=C:\ACAD12
SET ACADDRV=C:\ACAD12\DRV
C:\ACAD12\ACAD %1 %2

The Dinosaur

[Mike.Perry]

Hi

Below are a few links that a web search returned (hopefully one or two of them may prove helpful) -

r12 DOS under Windows (http://www.contractcaddgroup.com/articles/running.htm)

ACAD R12 for Windows Installation (http://discussion.autodesk.com/thread.jspa?threadID=223)

AUTOCAD 12 for DOS / WINDOWS 98 compatibility (http://discussion.autodesk.com/thread.jspa?threadID=276)

R12 doesnt work on our Win98 (http://forum.paug.org/messages/24/733.html)

"Windows 98 AutoCAD Release 12" in "All AutoCAD Groups" found 106 results (http://discussion.autodesk.com/search!execute.jspa?numResults=25&source=thread-threaded%7C13&q=Windows+98+AutoCAD+Release+12&objID=c8&search=Search)

ID: DL148415 -AutoCAD R12 c3 Maintenance Releases (DOS) (http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=2523531&linkID=2475161)

ID: TS64663 - Safe mode in Windows 95/98/Me (http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/item?siteID=123112&id=2883365&linkID=2475323)

ID: TS66241 - Windows® 2000 multiple-boot configuration installed on single partition not supported (http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/item?siteID=123112&id=2887292&linkID=2475323)

ID: TS67190 - Installing twice on a dual boot system (http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/item?siteID=123112&id=2860509&linkID=2475323)

Have a good one, Mike

[erickm2773810]

Thank you very much for the fast responses. I will give them a try and let you all know the final solution.


Erick

[erickm2773810]

The variables for pharlap386 seemed to have helped, although I can only start AutoCAD release 12 for DOS by typing acadr12.bat at the command prompt. I have the sofftdesk modules installed as well and they don't seem to work by going that route.

Since I have 1 GB of ram, I entered the Maxfilecache=524288 in the system.ini file. I can even start ACAD by typing C:\acad\acad.exe in DOS mode.

When I try C:\awcd\awcd the Autodesk interface starts. I click on Autocad release 12 for DOS and then with Softdesk modules and nothing happens. The screen goes blank for three seconds and then back to the interface.

I really need to get this going so if you have any more pointers, I would appreciate it.

Thanks
Erick

[srsherrill]

I had better luck running the batch files from an icon on the windows desktop rather than a DOS window OR a boot directly into DOS, but we were running EaglePoint design software instead of Soft desk. We initially did this with Windows 95, but it worked with 98 also. I do remember having problems similar to what you describe, but after we got it working it ran great - almost instant program loading and faster command response time than any pure DOS installation I ever used.
I suspect there would be some additional set statements and search paths in a batch file to run the Soft desk product so a second batch file is probably necessary if you want to be able to run both vanilla AutoCAD and Soft desk.
How did you install the programs - from the install disks or restored from a backup? Try finding a batch file in the Soft desk parent or program directory that will call up the program - this file may have been in the root directory or somewhere else in the boot up DOS path and missed in a backup of the program or may have been placed there if it was a fresh install.

The Dinosaur

[kennet.sjoberg]

Have you tried
acad.exe -r
maybe your display is to good, try VGA

Happy Computing !

kennet