AutoCAD LT 2009 Conundrum

[jaberwok]

As I go along, I find things. As mentioned earlier, I am not a "power user", just cranking out some work. However, I just found out another "non-working" function and see a pattern to this. It seems, though I am not sure, that anything done within the file....editing it and saving it, is done with no problem. My problems seem to crop up when I want to work outside of the bounds of the initial drawing. I cannot "Save As", I cannot open a drawing from within AutoCAD. I cannot [just found out] "Insert" a block into a drawing from outside. I can copy within a file and paste blocks all over, but if I try to make a block that can be inserted into any drawing it will not allow me to insert the "outside" file.

Only one more thing springs to mind - do you have full read and write (and modify) access to the folder(s) where your drawing files are stored? and what version of Windows are you on?
Having read-only access to the files or the folder might prevent file-opening because acad won't be able to create the lock files.

[kate.morrical61357]

Have you recently changed your monitor resolution? (Is it possible that your dialogs are off-screen somewhere?) Is FILEDIA set to 1?

[jimballantyne]

Actually, I bought this version for my own use. It does ALL that is needed for the business I work for. I could have padded the AutoDESK coffers with another two grand but I thought they would support the "baby" AutoCAD a little. I never got so much as a reply to any of my emails. I also found out my product did not "qualify" for the rebate they advertised if it was purchased between certain dates [which I did]. I guess they only play by the rules when they are dealing with corporations. That was my reaso9n for saying NEXT time I need an AutoDESK product I won't waste my money for it when the stuff is sitting out there for free.

[jimballantyne]

Have you recently changed your monitor resolution? (Is it possible that your dialogs are off-screen somewhere?) Is FILEDIA set to 1?

I will go and try the suggestions. I made no changes to the machine between going from demo version to the paid version. It really is irksome that it doesn't work. I expected much better. I have used AutoCAD [full versions] in the past, but this is for a job that I needed a legitmate copy of my own to use. It is easy enough to find it for free, but I prefer to play by the rules and had expected that I would get the rebate and the support advertised.

Experience is a cruel teacher, lol. Thanks for the post!

[Ed Jobe]

Experience is a cruel teacher

Usually, its a lack of experience that leads you down a bumpy road.

What support are you entitled to from your purchase? I'm on subscription and support is usually very prompt.

I also recommend you follow this procedure when installing a full version over a trial.

[jaberwok]

Usually, its a lack of experience that leads you down a bumpy road.

What support are you entitled to from your purchase? I'm on subscription and support is usually very prompt.

I also recommend you follow this procedure when installing a full version over a trial.

Ed, he's done that already - see posts #2 and #4. Good advice though.

[jimballantyne]

Usually, its a lack of experience that leads you down a bumpy road.

What support are you entitled to from your purchase? I'm on subscription and support is usually very prompt.

I also recommend you follow this procedure when installing a full version over a trial.

It said "Thirty days" but I never got any answer to email. Would hate to pay for THAT service, lol. I figure they don't feel LT users deserve anything more, eh? I would have purchased the "full version", but since I am just trying to make ends meet between jobs I opted out. I do not need 3D or LISP for the job I am working. LT does everything for a lot less of my money.

Glad to hear they do offer support to some!

[jimballantyne]

Thanks to everyone who responded to my question. Unfortunately, I believe I found the answer. I initially had this problem when AutoCAD LT was running on my 4 year old Fujitsu N6020. At the time, I assumed the computer might be a tad underpowered and something was not keeping up. I posted here for help. In the meantime, I went looking for a worthy replacement. I now have a Dell M6400, which was touted to be "certified" for AutoCAD. I must admit it is "as advertised" a heavy notebook, but the machine is impressive [end of commercial]. It really performed well the first week and a half I owned it. Unfortunately I was installing software I had run on my old machine. One software in particular had caused issues on the Fujitsu. Wouldn't you know it, the same problems with AutoCAD turned up after I installed the program. I tried the clean install, deleting the culprit software from registry and nothing seemed to make AutoCAD run after that. In desperation I contacted Tech Support at Dell. He agreed that a reformat would get rid of the software issues and allow me to reinstall on a "clean" machine. Unfortunately, that was not the case and today I will see about returning the machine to get the swap out. The Dell Tech could do nothing over the net. He thinks some drivers may not have been installed, but I do not know enough to figure which ones might be missing. I am hoping the return process will go as well as the sale and tech support. I have been very much helped thusfar by the folks at Dell.

[jaberwok]

Hi Jim, thanks for that info. It sounds like progress.
Are you saying that it was software installed after AutoCAD that caused the problem to re-appear? If so, would you mind stating what software that was?

[jimballantyne]

Well, I am no guru, but I do see patterns very well, lol. The software that seems to do the damage is called Cyberscrub. It is a subscription based software that supposedly prevents data from being available should someone snoop around your computer. I don't have THAT much fear of my financial info and such getting out, so I am going to chalk up to experience the paid subscription for unknown software. Hindsight is 20/20. Even worse, reformatting the drive seemed to have NO effect on the AutoCAD reinstall. It still does not function properly. Dell has beeen very good support wise and is in the process of replacing my M6400 with a new one.