Installing 32bit AutoCAD LT 2012 on Windows 11

These instructions solve issues around installing/running your old AutoCAD 2012 on 64bit Windows 11. Some common issues are error messages like these

  • “This operating system is not supported by AutoCAD LT® 2012”
  • “You cannot install this product on the current operating system”
  • “You are attempting to use a 32-bit installer on a 64-bit operating system”
  • “This is a 32-bit AutoCAD LT® 2012. It cannot be installed on 64-bit Windows”

You can automatically solve these problems using our Longbow Converter App, it fixes and manages the AutoCAD LT 2012 installation so that you can be up and running again… Follow these instructions:

Ransomware Protection Windows 11 and AutoCAD

Just before we start note that Windows 11 comes with a Ransomware Protection which includes Controlled Folder Access. Controlled folder access blocks applications from writing to your Documents, Pictures, Videos, Music, Public and Favorites folders. AutoCAD versions all the way to AutoCAD 2021 write to certain user Public folders and are therefore blocked by this feature. This can cause issues with all sorts of things including activating your AutoCAD license and even running AutoCAD. Ransomware Protection is an important feature of Windows 11 but it will affect your AutoCAD unless you allow AutoCAD and its dependent applications access to the controlled folders.

How to install AutoCAD LT 2012

  1. If you don’t yet have a copy of the Longbow Converter App you can purchase it here or click on the download link we sent you via email in order to download the Converter App to your PC.
  2. Before installing the Converter App, make sure the files downloaded from our site are not blocked by Windows SmartScreen… Windows 11 is finicky, click the TLC zip first to make sure it’s fully selected then Right+click the file and select Properties. Be sure to check the Unblock checkbox as shown below and Click OK…
  3. Double click the zip file to open it and install the TLC application as normal. By the way, TLC stands for The Longbow Converter
  4. Obtain your purchased copy of the Longbow Converter here
  5. Start the Converter App and note the user interface
  6. Select the 1st tab named “AutoCAD 32bit Installer Converter
    1. Using the “. . .” button, selection your AutoCAD installation CD
    2. Next, click the “Convert button and follow instructions
  7. Once the conversion process is complete
    1. click Install/Run Setup to start setup
      1. if you see a dialog stating “An App on your PC needs the following Windows Feature: .NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0)” be sure to click “Download and install this feature” as this must be installed in order for the setup to run.
    2. Simply install as normal, remembering to…
      1. Close the setup program when the installation is complete.
      2. Back in the Converter app and make sure it has completed the final stage of processing using the “Old AutoCAD Program Reviver” tab – it should be green stating “SUCCESS”
  8. Now run your AutoCAD as normal

Installing AutoCAD 2012 Service Packs

We recommend that you download and install the latest Service Packs from Autodesk which can be found here

Troubleshooting

  1. If your AutoCAD crashes while interacting with the Ribbon click here
  2. If you are unable to activate your product, or the activation process crashes:
    1. Try uninstalling the July 2014 Microsoft security update
    2. Try downgrading your Internet Explorer (IE) from version 11 to version 10 by following the instructions detailed here
  3. If you have crashing problems using the File->Open or File->Save dialogs inside of AutoCAD please read this blog entry on the File->Open or File->Save Crash in AutoCAD
Copyright 2022 (c) Longbow Software

Installing 32bit AutoCAD 2012 on Windows 11

These instructions solve issues around installing/running your old AutoCAD 2012 on 64bit Windows 11. Some common issues are error messages like these

  • “This operating system is not supported by AutoCAD® 2012”
  • “You cannot install this product on the current operating system”
  • “You are attempting to use a 32-bit installer on a 64-bit operating system”
  • “This is a 32-bit AutoCAD® 2012. It cannot be installed on 64-bit Windows”

You can automatically solve these problems using our Longbow Converter App, it fixes and manages the AutoCAD 2012 installation so that you can be up and running again… Follow these instructions:

Ransomware Protection Windows 11 and AutoCAD

Just before we start note that Windows 11 comes with a Ransomware Protection which includes Controlled Folder Access. Controlled folder access blocks applications from writing to your Documents, Pictures, Videos, Music, Public and Favorites folders. AutoCAD versions all the way to AutoCAD 2021 write to certain user Public folders and are therefore blocked by this feature. This can cause issues with all sorts of things including activating your AutoCAD license and even running AutoCAD. Ransomware Protection is an important feature of Windows 11 but it will affect your AutoCAD unless you allow AutoCAD and its dependent applications access to the controlled folders.

How to install AutoCAD 2012

IMPORTANT NOTE: Autodesk no longer supply License Activation codes for this version of AutoCAD. The best way is to transfer your existing license to the new PC but there are other options, we document them here

  1. If you don’t yet have a copy of the Longbow Converter App you can purchase it here or click on the download link we sent you via email in order to download the Converter App to your PC.
  2. Before installing the Converter App, make sure the files downloaded from our site are not blocked by Windows SmartScreen… Windows 11 is finicky, click the TLC zip first to make sure it’s fully selected then Right+click the file and select Properties. Be sure to check the Unblock checkbox as shown below and Click OK…
  3. Double click the zip file to open it and install the TLC application as normal. By the way, TLC stands for The Longbow Converter
  4. Obtain your purchased copy of the Longbow Converter here
  5. Start the Converter App and note the user interface
  6. Select the 1st tab named “AutoCAD 32bit Installer Converter
    1. Using the “. . .” button, selection your AutoCAD installation CD
    2. Next, click the “Convert button and follow instructions
  7. Once the conversion process is complete
    1. click Install/Run Setup to start setup
      1. if you see a dialog stating “An App on your PC needs the following Windows Feature: .NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0)” be sure to click “Download and install this feature” as this must be installed in order for the setup to run.
    2. Simply install as normal, remembering to…
      1. Close the setup program when the installation is complete.
      2. Back in the Converter app and make sure it has completed the final stage of processing using the “Old AutoCAD Program Reviver” tab – it should be green stating “SUCCESS”
  8. Now run your AutoCAD as normal

Installing AutoCAD 2012 Service Packs

We recommend that you download and install the latest Service Packs from Autodesk which can be found here

Troubleshooting

  1. If your AutoCAD crashes while interacting with the Ribbon click here
  2. If you are unable to activate your product, or the activation process crashes:
    1. Try uninstalling the July 2014 Microsoft security update
    2. Try downgrading your Internet Explorer (IE) from version 11 to version 10 by following the instructions detailed here
  3. If you have crashing problems using the File->Open or File->Save dialogs inside of AutoCAD please read this blog entry on the File->Open or File->Save Crash in AutoCAD
Copyright 2022 (c) Longbow Software

Block AutoCAD internet access

If you want to run AutoCAD in offline mode and block all internet access to and from AutoCAD executables, including the licensing modules and tracking components…

  1. Obtain your purchased copy of the Longbow Converter here
  2. Start the Converter App
  3. Select the 3st tab named “Old AutoCAD Program Reviver
    1. Using the “. . .” button, selection your AutoCAD installation
    2. Enable “Run in Offline Mode
    3. Click “Fix Old Program

NOTE: You can re-enable by disabling “Run in Offline Mode” and then clicking “Fix Old Program

Copyright 2021 (c) Longbow Software

Installing 32bit AutoCAD Electrical 2012 on Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10

These instructions solve issues around installing/running your old AutoCAD Electrical 2012 on newer versions of 64bit Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10. Some common issues are error messages like these

  • “This operating system is not supported by AutoCAD® Electrical 2012”
  • “You cannot install this product on the current operating system”
  • “You are attempting to use a 32-bit installer on a 64-bit operating system”
  • “This is a 32-bit AutoCAD® Electrical 2012. It cannot be installed on 64-bit Windows”

You can automatically solve these problems using our Longbow Converter App, it fixes and manages the AutoCAD Electrical 2012 installation so that you can be up and running again… Follow these instructions:

How to install AutoCAD Electrical 2012

  1. Obtain your purchased copy of the Longbow Converter here
  2. Start the Converter App and note the user interface
  3. Select the 1st tab named “AutoCAD 32bit Installer Converter
    1. Using the “. . .” button, selection your AutoCAD installation CD
    2. Next, click the “Convert button and follow instructions
  4. Once the conversion process is complete
    1. click Install/Run Setup to start setup
    2. Simply install as normal, then…
      1. Close the setup program when the installation is complete.
      2. Now switch back in the Converter App and make sure it’s completed the final stage of processing using the “Old AutoCAD Program Reviver” tab
  5. Now run your AutoCAD as normal

Installing AutoCAD Electrical 2012 Service Packs

We recommend that you download and install the latest Service Packs from Autodesk which can be found here

Troubleshooting

– If your AutoCAD crashes while interacting with the Ribbon click here

– If you are unable to activate your product, or the activation process crashes:

– If you have crashing problems using the File->Open or File->Save dialogs inside of AutoCAD please read this blog entry on the File->Open or File->Save Crash in AutoCAD

Copyright 2019 (c) Longbow Software

Installing 64bit AutoCAD Electrical 2012 on Windows 8 and Windows 10

AutoCAD Electrical 2012 was not designed to run in Windows 10 (Windows 10 was released after AutoCAD 2012) and inevitably you will run into issues such as the infamous Ribbon crashing issue, slow startup problems, text scaling issues, etc.

You can automatically solve these problems using our Longbow Converter App, it fixes and manages the AutoCAD Electrical 2012 installation so that you can be up and running again… Just follow these easy instructions:

How to install AutoCAD Electrical 2012

  1. First, uninstall any existing AutoCAD Electrical 2012 installations on your computer
  2. Next obtain a copy of the Longbow Converter App, download here
  3. Start the Converter tool
    1. Pick the 1st tab named “AutoCAD 32bit Installer Converter
    2. Using your mouse, click the “32bit” button so that it changes to “AutoCAD 64bit Installer Converter
    3. Next, using the “. . .” button, select your AutoCAD installation CD and follow the instructions presented by the Converter tool user interface.
  4. Once the conversion process is complete
    1. click Install/Run Setup to start setup
    2. Once you have completed the AutoCAD installation process…
      1. Completely close the setup program
      2. Go back to the Converter App and make sure it states “Success!
  5. Now you can run your AutoCAD as normal

Troubleshooting

– If you are unable to activate your product, or the activation process crashes:

– If you have crashing problems using the File->Open or File->Save dialogs inside of AutoCAD please read this blog entry on the File->Open or File->Save Crash in AutoCAD

Copyright 2019 (c) Longbow Software

Error: “Please install DirectX before installing AutoCAD”

While installing AutoCAD you may run into a blocking issue whereby the DirectX runtime (which AutoCAD relies upon for its hardware 3D capability) fails to install for some reason (Error 1603). Solutions posted on Autodesk website show how to edit the setup.ini file to try and solve this issue, however, upon doing so you get a new error, for instance…

“Error: Please install DirectX before installing AutoCAD MEP 2013”

You can easily solve this issue (and others) by installing your AutoCAD using the Longbow Converter App. It manages the install and bypasses all issues like these automatically so you can be up and running again. You will need V11.19 or newer of the Converter App). But be aware of these caveats:

  • The Converter will allow you to ignore the DirectX failure and allow AutoCAD to correctly install, but DirectX won’t be installed. This means that:
    • 2D will work fine
    • 3D will fine, but only in Software mode (slower)
    • Everytime you start AutoCAD you will get a Heidi error, like this one…

      “…the configured heidi driver cannot be loaded…

      to stop this, in AutoCAD, right click the Command Line->Options->System->Graphics Performance->HardWare Acceleration: Turn off

Copyright 2019 (c) Longbow Software

Installing old versions of AutoCAD on Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10

Old versions of AutoCAD were not designed to run in newer versions of Windows and you will find that installing them as you always did before will encounter lots of issues, even failing while installing too.

The Longbow Converter app allows old versions of AutoCAD to be installed on new versions of Windows, removing all known compatibility issues automatically for you.

Instructions for installing old versions of AutoCAD on Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10

Versions
  • AutoCAD 2008 | AutoCAD 2009 | AutoCAD 2010 | AutoCAD 2011 | AutoCAD 2012 | AutoCAD 2013
  • AutoCAD 2014 | AutoCAD 2015 | AutoCAD 2016 | AutoCAD 2017
  • AutoCAD 2018 | AutoCAD 2019
  • 32bit or 64bit

  1. Make sure all previous installed versions of AutoCAD are uninstalled first.
  2. Obtain your copy of the Longbow Converter here
  3. Start the Converter tool
    1. Pick the 1st tab named “AutoCAD 32bit Installer Converter
    2. If your AutoCAD is 64bit
      1. Using your mouse, right click the tab text “AutoCAD 32bit Installer Converter” so that it changes to “AutoCAD 64bit Installer Converter
    3. Next, using the “…” button, select your AutoCAD installation CD and follow the instructions presented by the Converter tool user interface
  4. Once you have completed the AutoCAD installation process…
    1. Fully close the setup program
    2. Now go back to the Converter app and make sure it’s completed the final stage of processing using the “Old AutoCAD Program Reviver” tab
    3. Finally, reboot your PC and run your AutoCAD as normal
  5. Install any service packs for your AutoCAD
  6. Now you can happily run your AutoCAD on Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10

Troubleshooting

 

Copyright 2019 (c) Longbow Software

Uninstalling all Autodesk Products from your Computer

Here’s a good one for you. We added a new tool in our Longbow Converter App which allows you to uninstall all Autodesk products from your computer in one go…

  1. Obtain your copy of the Longbow Converter here
  2. Start the Converter tool
  3. Click the Tools->Advanced->Uninstall all Autodesk Products menu…

    Uninstall All Autodesk Products

    Uninstall All Autodesk Products

  4. The Converter will now list all of the Autodesk products installed on your computer, you can press F5 to refresh. Select which ones you want to be uninstalled, then click Uninstall/Clean

    Uninstall and Clean

    Uninstall and Clean

  5. Note that you will have to interact with the setups, but the software does a really good job of cleaning everything off.

Copyright 2017 (c) Longbow Software

Visual Basic Applications run very slow in AutoCAD 64bit

If you use VBA inside of 32bit AutoCAD you will have noticed that it is around 1000x times slower when running the same VBA code inside of 64bit AutoCAD.

This is because AutoCAD 64bit ships with the 32bit VBA DLL in a separate out-of-process executable rather than loading the VBA DLL inside of AutoCAD itself. Therefore, a lot of marshaling is incurred communicating between the out-of-process VBA executable and 64bit AutoCAD.

Other issues you may be seeing: Run-time error ‘429’: ActiveX component can’t create object

Affected, all 64bit versions of (and variants of)

  • AutoCAD 2008 | AutoCAD 2009 | AutoCAD 2010
  • AutoCAD 2011 | AutoCAD 2012 | AutoCAD 2013
  • AutoCAD 2014 | AutoCAD 2015
  • AutoCAD 2016 | AutoCAD 2017
  • AutoCAD 2018
  • AutoCAD 2019
  • NOTE: Autodesk stopped making 32bit AutoCAD since AutoCAD 2020

The solution to slow running AutoCAD VBA

The best solution is to install 32bit AutoCAD on 64bit Windows, here are the affected versions along with their solution text…

AutoCAD VBA Enabler downloads

AutoCAD VBA enabler modules can be downloaded using the links below…

AutoCAD 2010 VBA 32bit 64bit | AutoCAD 2011 VBA 32bit 64bit | AutoCAD 2012 VBA 32bit 64bit | AutoCAD 2013 VBA 32bit 64bit | AutoCAD 2014 VBA 32bit 64bit | AutoCAD 2015 VBA 32bit 64bit | AutoCAD 2016 VBA 32bit 64bit | AutoCAD 2017 VBA 32bit 64bit | and newer

Copyright 2023 (c) Longbow Software

Run Adobe Acrobat X plugin in 32bit AutoCAD on Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10 64bit

The Adobe Acrobat X plugin for AutoCAD only runs on 32bit AutoCAD, and 32bit AutoCAD only runs on 32bit Windows. This means that you will be stuck if you require the Adobe Acrobat X plugin for AutoCAD and move to newer hardware with 64bit Windows.

The Solution:  

Click on one of the links below to see how to install 32bit AutoCAD on 64bit Windows and then be able to install Adobe Acrobat X plugin.

Copyright 2017 (c) Longbow Software

 

 

AutoCAD Freezes on startup (AutoCAD visible but the menus don’t appear)

If your AutoCAD is hanging as soon as it starts (with no Ribbon visible) as shown below…

AutoCAD 2010 Freeze on startup

AutoCAD 2010 Freeze on startup

…then try these steps to fix the problem…

  1. Obtain your copy of the Longbow Converter here
  2. Select the 3rd tab named “Old AutoCAD Program Reviver
  3. Pick the “…” button to select your AutoCAD install folder. (for example C:\Program Files\AutoCAD 2010)
    1. next, click “Fix Old Program”
  4. Try your AutoCAD now, it should be fixed.

Copyright 2017 (c) Longbow Software

Interactions with the AutoCAD Ribbon crashes AutoCAD on Windows 10 (Solved)

Users complain of “autocad crashes when clicking anything” and “autocad crashing when using ribbon

It seems that a new Computers with the latest version of Windows 10 or computers that recently ran Windows Update for Windows 10 has caused Ribbon crashing issues with AutoCAD versions…

  • AutoCAD 2012
  • AutoCAD 2013
  • AutoCAD 2014
  • AutoCAD 2015

AutoCAD starts up, but any interactions with AutoCAD’s Ribbon, Status bar, or Right clicking the Command line causes AutoCAD to crash out instantly with:

Error: Unhandled Exception

We found that this issue is caused by the new .NET 4.7 update.

This update came down as part of KB3186568 and comes as standard in Windows 10 Creators Update (version 1703). Uninstalling all of the affected Windows Updates is not a solution because they are eventually forced down by Microsoft; besides Windows updates usually have security updates which stop hackers from gaining access to your computer so they should always be installed.

Fix AutoCAD Ribbon Crash

We have just released an update to fully fix this issue so you can once again rely on Windows Updates. We have solved this problem via our Longbow Converter App, you will need V11.18 or newer. Here’s what you need to do:

  1. Obtain your copy of the Longbow Converter App here
  2. Start the Converter App
    1. In the Converter App pick the 3rd tab named “Old AutoCAD Program Reviver
    2. Using the “. . .” button select the path to your problem AutoCAD
    3. Now click the “Fix Old Program“.
    4. Close the Converter App
  3. Now run AutoCAD as normal, Ribbon crash is solved.

Troubleshooting

To see which Windows Updates you have installed

  1. Right Click the Windows Start Menu in the bottom right and pick “Programs and Features

    Select Programs and Features by Right-clicking the Windows 10 Start Menu

    Select Programs and Features by Right-clicking the Windows 10 Start Menu

  2. Click on “View Installed Updates” in the top left…

    Go to View installed Updates

    Go to View installed Updates

Detecting your installed version of Windows 10

  1. Right Click the Windows Start Menu in the bottom right and pick “Run
  2. Type “Winver” then Enter
Copyright 2019 (c) Longbow Software

Opening AutoCAD DWG file gives “Drawing File was created by an incompatible version” message

If you are trying to open a DWG file with AutoCAD and you get the message “Drawing File was created by an incompatible version” it’s because somewhere along the line your AutoCAD DWG files were saved with a newer version of AutoCAD.

All is not lost, you can make them open again in your version of AutoCAD, you just need to download the free DWGTrueView App from Autodesk – http://www.autodesk.com/products/dwg/viewers

Once installed, start DWGTrueview and open the DWG file in question, then save as making sure to select the lowest DWG file version that matches your version of AutoCAD.

Copyright 2017 (c) Longbow Software

Installing AutoCAD Architecture 2012 32bit on Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10

NOTE: This blog post specifically solves issues related to these error messages on installation of AutoCAD ADT 2012…

  • “This operating system is not supported by AutoCAD® Architecture®”
  • “You cannot install this product on the current operating system”
  • “You are attempting to use a 32-bit installer on a 64-bit operating system”
  • “This is a 32-bit AutoCAD® Architecture® 2012. It cannot be installed on 64-bit Windows”

NOTE: These steps do not bypass normal Autodesk licensing/authorization, you should expect to use your own serial numbers in the normal way.

Installing AutoCAD Architecture 2012 32bit on Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 64bit can be very easily defined in these short steps…

  1. Obtain your copy of the Longbow Converter tool here
  2. If you have CDs:
    1. Using Windows Explorer, make a backup of your Disk 1 of your ADT CD to your hard drive, to a folder path c:\Autodesk\adt2012
    2. Next, if you have a second CD, copy Disk 2 of your ADT CD’s directly over the top of Disk 1, overwrite all files in your previously copied c:\Autodesk\adt2012 folder
    3. Same again for Disk 3, if there is one
  3. If you have a single self extracting “??_sfx.exe” downloaded from Autodesk
    1. Run the exe, it will ask to unzip to a folder inside of c:\Autodesk, make a note of the folder for later use (we’ll refer to it from here as c:\Autodesk\adt2012), now click OK.
    2. Wait until all of the files have extracted, when they do, note that the ADT 2012 setup will automatically launch – make sure you close the setup and move to the next step.
  4. Now, start the Longbow Converter tool, select the 1st tab named “AutoCAD 32bit Installer Converter
    1. Next, using the ‘‘ button select the newly created c:\Autodesk\adt2012 folder, and click the ‘Convert‘ button.
      1. If the Converter complains that this is not a 32bit installer, make sure you select the folder which contains the setup.exe and the setup.ini files in the root of the installation media
  5. Once the conversion process is complete, simply click the “Install/Run Setup to start the setup.
    1. Now, just install as normal.
  6. Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 users…
    1. Once the installation process is complete, close the Setup program
    2. go back to the Converter…
      1. select the 3rd tab named “Old AutoCAD Program Reviver
      2. pick the newly installed C:\Program Files (x86)\\Autodesk\AutoCAD Architecture 2012 folder
      3. then click the ‘Fix‘ button.
  7. Now you can happily run your AutoCAD Architecture 2012 32bit on Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 64bit!

Installing ADT 2012 Service Packs

We recommend that you download and install the latest Service Packs from Autodesk which can be found here

Troubleshooting:

– If your AutoCAD crashes while interacting with the Ribbon click here

– If you are unable to activate your product, or the activation process crashes:

– If you have crashing problems using the File->Open or File->Save dialogs inside of AutoCAD please read this blog entry on the File->Open or File->Save Crash in AutoCAD

Copyright 2017 (c) Longbow Software

Installing 32bit AutoCAD Civil 3D 2012 on 64bit Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10

NOTE: This blog post specifically solves issues related to these error messages on installation…

  • “This operating system is not supported by AutoCAD® Civil 3D® 2012”
  • “You cannot install this product on the current operating system”
  • “You are attempting to use a 32-bit installer on a 64-bit operating system”
  • “This is a 32-bit AutoCAD® Civil 3D® 2012. It cannot be installed on 64-bit Windows”

Installing AutoCAD Civil 3D 2012 32bit on Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 64bit can be very easily defined in these short steps…

NOTE: These steps do not bypass normal Autodesk licensing/authorization, you should expect to use your own serial numbers in the normal way.

  1. Obtain your copy of the Longbow Converter here
  2. If you have CDs:
    1. Using Windows Explorer, copy Disk 1 of your Civil 3D 2012 CD to your hard drive, to a folder path c:\Autodesk\Civil3d2012
    2. Next, copy Disk 2 of your Civil 3D CD directly over the top of Disk 1, overwrite all files in your previously copied c:\Autodesk\Civil3d2012 folder
    3. Same again for Disk 3
  3. If you have a single self extracting exe downloaded from Autodesk
    1. Run the exe, it will ask to unzip to a folder inside of c:\Autodesk, make a note of the folder for later use (we’ll refer to it from here as c:\Autodesk\Civil3d2012), now click OK. Wait until all of the files have extracted, when they do, the Civil 3D 2012 setup will automatically launch – simply close it and move to the next step.
  4. Now, start the Longbow Converter tool, select the 1st tab named “AutoCAD 32bit Installer Converter
    1. Next, using the ‘‘ button select the newly created c:\Autodesk\civil3d2012 folder, and click the ‘Convert‘ button.
      1. If the Converter complains that this is not a 32bit installer, make sure you select the folder which contains the setup.exe and the setup.ini files in the root of the installation media
  5. Once the conversion process is complete, click Install/Run Setup to start setup. Simply install as normal.
  6. Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 users: Once the installation process is complete, go back to the Converter, select the 3rd tab, pick the newly installed C:\Program Files (x86)\AutoCAD Civil3d 2012 folder, then click Fix.
  7. Now you can happily run your Civil 3D 2012 32bit on Windows 10, Windows 7 and Windows 8 64bit.

Installing the 32bit Civil 3D Service Packs

We recommend that you download and install the latest Service Packs from Autodesk which can be found here –

Troubleshooting:

– If your AutoCAD crashes while interacting with the Ribbon click here

– If you are unable to activate your product, or the activation process crashes:

– If you have crashing problems using the File->Open or File->Save dialogs inside of AutoCAD please read this blog entry on the File->Open or File->Save Crash in AutoCAD

Copyright 2015 (c) Longbow Software

AutoCAD is running really slowly on my brand new computer…

If you have a brand new laptop and you have installed any of these versions of AutoCAD:

  • AutoCAD 2009
  • AutoCAD 2010
  • AutoCAD 2011
  • AutoCAD 2012
  • AutoCAD 2013
  • AutoCAD 2014
  • AutoCAD 2015
  • AutoCAD 2016

…and the performance of your AutoCAD is unbearable, then read on…

Most likely this issue is related to your new computer’s Intel Integrated Graphics – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_HD_and_Iris_Graphics

The Intel Integrated Graphics is a so called “feature” that bypasses your main graphics card to utilize the integrated graphics card save power – the problem is that it for AutoCAD it literally kills AutoCAD performance.

All you need to do is disable the Integrated Graphics feature in your computer’s BIOS setup (usually accessed by pressing a series of shortcut keys right at the start of your computer’s boot sequence startup) and you will be back to normal in no time – just know that disabling this power saving feature will use more battery power obviously.

I can’t comment on how to specifically disable it in your BIOS because it is computer specific, you will have to search for that yourself – I created this link to save you the time searching for “How to disable intel integrated graphics

Copyright 2015 (c) Longbow Software

Installing 32bit AutoCAD LT 2012 on Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10

These instructions solve issues around installing/running your old AutoCAD LT 2012 on newer versions of 64bit Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10. Some common issues are error messages like these

  • “This operating system is not supported by AutoCAD® LT 2012”
  • “You cannot install this product on the current operating system”
  • “You are attempting to use a 32-bit installer on a 64-bit operating system”
  • “This is a 32-bit AutoCAD® LT 2012. It cannot be installed on 64-bit Windows”

You can automatically solve these problems using our Longbow Converter App, it fixes and manages the AutoCAD LT 2012 installation so that you can be up and running again… Just follow these instructions:

How to install AutoCAD LT 2012

  1. Obtain your purchased copy of the Longbow Converter here
  2. Start the Converter App and note the user interface
  3. Select the 1st tab named “AutoCAD 32bit Installer Converter
    1. Using the “. . .” button, selection your AutoCAD installation CD
    2. Next, click the “Convert button and follow instructions
  4. Once the conversion process is complete
    1. click Install/Run Setup to start setup
    2. Simply install as normal, remembering to…
      1. Close the setup program when the installation is complete.
      2. Now back in the Converter app and make sure it’s completed the final stage of processing using the “Old AutoCAD Program Reviver” tab
  5. Now run your AutoCAD as normal

Installing AutoCAD LT 2012 Service Packs

We recommend that you download and install the latest Service Packs from Autodesk which can be found here

Troubleshooting

– If your AutoCAD crashes while interacting with the Ribbon click here

– If you are unable to activate your product, or the activation process crashes:

– If you have crashing problems using the File->Open or File->Save dialogs inside of AutoCAD please read this blog entry on the File->Open or File->Save Crash in AutoCAD

Copyright 2019 (c) Longbow Software

Upgrading your existing AutoCAD to Windows 10 and Windows 11

So you have an old PC with a working copy of AutoCAD and you want to upgrade to Windows 10? STOP and read this whole blog first before you wipe your working PC…

Autodesk License Activation for older versions of AutoCAD

That’s right, Autodesk no longer support versions of AutoCAD (at the time of writing 2014 or earlier) which means that they will not give you a new authorization code. That means you will have to activate your AutoCAD license without Autodesk – you do have some options:

  1. First try activation via this offline process that Autodesk recently added
  2. If you have an activation code, try an Offline Activation 
  3. Transfer your existing AutoCAD license from your old PC to your new PC. Your AutoCAD install CD comes with utility to do the job, see below…

    NOTE: A good idea (before transfering the AutoCAD license from your old PC to the new PC) is to setup AutoCAD to run in offline mode then clone your old PC hard drive. This ensures you have a backup of your old PC with a valid license.

    NOTE: Apparently, the license transfer will fail if your license is invalid. Some examples we heard about failing are: it’s a USA license running in a different country or it’s an Education License or you used a serial number that was compromised

    1. AutoCAD 2009 or older – transfer license using the Autodesk Portable License Transfer Utility

      NOTE: AutoCAD 2006/2007
      users – you MUST install this patch so you do not lose your activation through a bug in the software once it is transferred to the new PC
    2. AutoCAD 2010 or newer – transfer license using the License Transfer Utility
  4. If you have an Autodesk Network licensing setup, keep it. Apparently, if you have this you are completely safe from shutdown and you can move to new systems without problems.
  5. Call Autodesk an explain your situation, we heard some people managed to get an activation code because their existing one was lost through software fault.
  6. Go back to an older version of AutoCAD. AutoCAD R13, R14, 2000, 2000i, 2002, 2004 and some versions of 2005 don’t require online activation therefore, as long as you have the original activation codes, they can still be used.
    • They all run perfectly on Windows 10, but you will need to install them using our Converter App (click for install instructions R13 R14 2000 2000i 2002 2004 2005)
    • If you have DWG files saved by newer versions of AutoCAD then simply use the free Autodesk DWGTrueview App (which is a cut down version of AutoCAD) to convert your DWG file save versions back to an earlier version.
  7. For information purposes only: There is an AutoCAD Keygen application online called “X-Force” which you can use to generate your authcode. NOTE: using a keygen is highly illegal when using hacked serial numbers, we don’t recommend it. Some ask if it is still illegal to use a keygen with a paid/valid serial number? You need to do your own legal checks on that question before using a keygen. 

Is it possible to protect your working AutoCAD from losing its license?

Yes. The latest version of our Converter App (12.30 or newer) has a new Block Internet Connection” feature which disables all internet access to and from your AutoCAD, this makes it impossible for your AutoCAD license to be deactivated at some point in the future (with the disadvantage that you lose any internet based features in AutoCAD)

Windows XP and Windows Vista AutoCAD users upgrading to Windows 10

For those of you who are still running AutoCAD on Windows XP and want to upgrade to Windows 10, you will need to

  1. Get a new Windows 10 PC, preferably one without (or disabled) Intel onBoard graphics.
  2. Once you have a Windows 10 PC, run Windows Update until there are no more updates left to be installed.
  3. Next, install your AutoCAD using the Converter app…
    1. click on the version of AutoCAD you have (it explains all that you need to do) : AutoCAD R14 AutoCAD 2000 AutoCAD 2000i AutoCAD 2002 AutoCAD 2004 AutoCAD 2005 AutoCAD 2006 AutoCAD 2007 AutoCAD 2008 32bit AutoCAD 2009 32bit AutoCAD 2010 32bit AutoCAD 2011 32bit AutoCAD 2012 32bit AutoCAD 2013 32bit AutoCAD 2014 32bit 
    2. NOTE: If you can’t find your version listed, use the “Search” at the top left of this page
    3. Transfer the AutoCAD license as described above

Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 AutoCAD users upgrading to Windows 10

Here’s how to upgrade your PC to Windows 10 so that you can carry on using AutoCAD…

  1. Transfer your existing AutoCAD license from your old PC to your new PC. Your AutoCAD install CD comes with utility to do the job, see below… (A good idea is, before you transfer the AutoCAD license from your old PC to the new PC clone your old PC hard drive. This ensures you have a backup of your old PC with a valid license)
    1. AutoCAD 2009 or older – transfer license using the Autodesk Portable License Transfer Utility

      NOTE: AutoCAD 2006/2007 users – you MUST install this patch so you do not lose your activation through a bug in the software once it is transferred to the new PC
    2. AutoCAD 2010 or newer – transfer license using the License Transfer Utility
  2. Next, uninstall all AutoCAD versions on your system; it’s very important that you do this, if you don’t the Autodesk licensing system may get corrupted when you upgrade to Windows 10 at which point you will have to wipe the computer and start again.
  3. Now Upgrade to Windows 10
  4. Obtain the latest Longbow Converter supporting Windows 10 here
  5. Next, install your AutoCAD using the Converter app…
    1. click on the version of AutoCAD you have (it explains all that you need to do) : AutoCAD R14 AutoCAD 2000 AutoCAD 2000i AutoCAD 2002 AutoCAD 2004 AutoCAD 2005 AutoCAD 2006 AutoCAD 2007 AutoCAD 2008 32bit AutoCAD 2009 32bit AutoCAD 2010 32bit AutoCAD 2011 32bit AutoCAD 2012 32bit AutoCAD 2013 32bit AutoCAD 2014 32bit 
    2. If you can’t find your version listed, use the “Search” at the top left of this page
    3. AutoCAD 2006/2007 users – you MUST install this patch so you do lose your license activation randomly 
  • What happens if you already upgraded to Windows 8.1 with your existing AutoCAD installation – most likely your AutoCAD will not run, nor will you be able to repair it. The best thing to get your AutoCAD running again is to carry out a Windows Reset.

Users of 32bit AutoCAD versions 2002 thru 2013 and running or Windows 7 upgrading to Windows 8.1

If you have a working Windows 7 machine and you are thinking to upgrade to Windows 8.1 best just stay where you are. Better to upgrade to Windows 10, aside from being a free upgrade, it seems to be a much better platform too.

With that said, if you must upgrade your working Windows 7 system to Windows 8.1, then it is of course possible using our Longbow Converter tool – you ***must*** first uninstall all AutoCAD products before doing the upgrade. Once Windows 8.1 has been installed, just use the Longbow Converter to re-install your 32bit AutoCAD software as before.

  • What happens if you already upgraded to Windows 8.1 with your existing AutoCAD installation – most likely your AutoCAD will not run, nor will you be able to repair it. The best thing to get your AutoCAD running again is to carry out a Windows Reset.

Users of 64bit AutoCAD versions 2002 thru 2013 and running or Windows 7 upgrading to Windows 8.1

If you have a working Windows 7 machine and you are thinking to upgrade to Windows 8.1 best just stay where you are. Better to upgrade to Windows 10, aside from being a free upgrade, it seems to be a much better platform too.

With that said, if you must upgrade your working Windows 7 system to Windows 8.1, then it is of course possible using our Longbow Converter tool – you ***must*** first uninstall all AutoCAD products before doing the upgrade. Once Windows 8.1 has been installed, install your 64bit AutoCAD products as normal then use the Longbow Converter to fix all 64bit AutoCAD 2008 thru 2013 Windows 8 issues

Copyright 2020 (c) Longbow Software

 

Installing Map 3D 2012 32bit on Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10

NOTE: This blog post specifically solves issues related to these error messages on installation of AutoCAD Map 3D 2012…

  • “This operating system is not supported by AutoCAD® Map 3D®”
  • “You cannot install this product on the current operating system”
  • “You are attempting to use a 32-bit installer on a 64-bit operating system”
  • “This is a 32-bit AutoCAD® Map 3D® 2012. It cannot be installed on 64-bit Windows”

Installing AutoCAD Map 3D 2012 32bit on Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 64bit can be very easily defined in these short steps…

NOTE: These steps do not bypass normal Autodesk licensing/authorization, you should expect to use your own serial numbers in the normal way.

  1. Obtain your copy of the Longbow Converter here
  2. If you have CDs:
    1. Using Windows Explorer, copy Disk 1 of your Map 3D CD to your hard drive, to a folder path c:\Autodesk\Map3d2012
    2. Next, if you have a second CD, copy Disk 2 of your Map 3D CD directly over the top of Disk 1, overwrite all files in your previously copied c:\Autodesk\Map3d2012 folder
    3. Same again for Disk 3, if there is one
  3. If you have a single self extracting exe downloaded from Autodesk
    1. Run the exe, it will ask to unzip to a folder inside of c:\Autodesk, make a note of the folder for later use (we’ll refer to it from here as c:\Autodesk\Map3d2012), now click OK. Wait until all of the files have extracted, when they do, note that the Map 3D 2012 setup will automatically launch – make sure you close the setup and move to the next step.
  4. Now, start the Longbow Converter tool, select the 1st tab, pick the c:\Autodesk\Map3d2012 folder, and click the Convert button.
  5. Once the conversion process is complete, click Install/Run Setup to start setup. Next, just install as normal.
  6. Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 users: Once the installation process is complete, go back to the Converter, select the 3rd tab, pick the newly installed C:\Program Files (x86)\Autodesk\AutoCAD Map 3d 2012 folder, then click ‘Fix’.
  7. Now you can happily run your Map 3D 2012 32bit on Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 64bit.

Troubleshooting:

– If your AutoCAD crashes while interacting with the Ribbon click here

– If you are unable to activate your product, or the activation process crashes:

– If you have crashing problems using the File->Open or File->Save dialogs inside of AutoCAD please read this blog entry on the File->Open or File->Save Crash in AutoCAD

Copyright 2015 (c) Longbow Software

Installing 32bit AutoCAD 2012 on Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10

These instructions solve issues around installing/running your old AutoCAD 2012 on newer versions of 64bit Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10. Some common issues are error messages like these

  • “This operating system is not supported by AutoCAD® 2012”
  • “You cannot install this product on the current operating system”
  • “You are attempting to use a 32-bit installer on a 64-bit operating system”
  • “This is a 32-bit AutoCAD® 2012. It cannot be installed on 64-bit Windows”

You can automatically solve these problems using our Longbow Converter App, it fixes and manages the AutoCAD 2012 installation so that you can be up and running again… Follow these instructions:

How to install AutoCAD 2012

  1. Obtain your purchased copy of the Longbow Converter here
  2. Start the Converter App and note the user interface
  3. Select the 1st tab named “AutoCAD 32bit Installer Converter
    1. Using the “. . .” button, selection your AutoCAD installation CD
    2. Next, click the “Convert button and follow instructions
  4. Once the conversion process is complete
    1. click Install/Run Setup to start setup
    2. Simply install as normal, remembering to…
      1. Close the setup program when the installation is complete.
      2. Now back in the Converter app and make sure it’s completed the final stage of processing using the “Old AutoCAD Program Reviver” tab
  5. Now run your AutoCAD as normal

Installing AutoCAD 2012 Service Packs

We recommend that you download and install the latest Service Packs from Autodesk which can be found here

Troubleshooting

– If your AutoCAD crashes while interacting with the Ribbon click here

– If you are unable to activate your product, or the activation process crashes:

– If you have crashing problems using the File->Open or File->Save dialogs inside of AutoCAD please read this blog entry on the File->Open or File->Save Crash in AutoCAD

Copyright 2019 (c) Longbow Software

Installing 64bit AutoCAD 2012 on Windows 8 and Windows 10

AutoCAD 2012 was not designed to run in Windows 10 (Windows 10 was released after AutoCAD 2012) and inevitably you will run into issues such as the infamous Ribbon crashing issue, slow startup problems, text scaling issues, etc.

You can automatically solve these problems using our Longbow Converter App, it fixes and manages the AutoCAD 2012 installation so that you can be up and running again… Just follow these easy instructions:

How to install 64bit AutoCAD 2012

  1. First, uninstall any existing AutoCAD 2012 installations on your computer
  2. Next obtain a copy of the Longbow Converter App, download here
  3. Start the Converter tool
    1. Pick the 1st tab named “AutoCAD 32bit Installer Converter
    2. Using your mouse, right-click the tab text “AutoCAD 32bit Installer Converter” so that it changes to “AutoCAD 64bit Installer Converter
    3. Next, using the “. . .  button, select your AutoCAD installation CD and follow the instructions presented by the Converter tool user interface.
  4. Once the conversion process is complete
    1. click Install/Run Setup to start setup
    2. Once you have completed the AutoCAD installation process…
      1. Completely close the setup program
      2. Go back to the Converter App and make sure it states “Success!
  5. Now you can run your AutoCAD as normal

Troubleshooting:

– If you are unable to activate your product, or the activation process crashes:

– If you have crashing problems using the File->Open or File->Save dialogs inside of AutoCAD please read this blog entry on the File->Open or File->Save Crash in AutoCAD

Copyright 2018 (c) Longbow Software

AutoCAD running slowly on Windows 10, Windows 7 and Windows 8

If your are running on Windows 10, Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 and your AutoCAD has suddenly started running slowly, or perhaps you are seeing “AutoCAD is not responding” message more than usual, then read on…

Check your installed programs… See if you have “Microsoft WSE 3.0 Runtime” installed, if so, simply uninstall it – it’s been replaced in Windows 7 and Windows 8 with WCF, which is built in.

Copyright 2015 (c) Longbow Software

Verifying License… AutoCAD not responding… Crash!

Windows 10, Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 users (32bit and 64bit) – If you are encountering Autodesk licensing issues such as blank Authorization code (authcode) screens or even crashing on startup with messages like “Verifying license…” then “AutoCAD has stopped responding” when launching AutoCAD, it could be caused by:

  1. The July 2014 Windows Security Update KB2962872
    1. these KB’s may also affect your system too – KB2943357, KB2977629 and KB2976627
  2. You are using a version of Microsoft Internet Explorer which is not compatible with your version of AutoCAD
    1. Try simply installing the latest version of Internet Explorer 11 from here – EIE11_EN-US_MCM_WIN764.EXE

NOTE: If you are primarily seeing script errors, then first check out how to enable scripting support in IE 11

Here is a list of AutoCAD versions (and other similarly labeled Autodesk products too) that most likely will be affected…

  • AutoCAD 2005
  • AutoCAD 2006
  • AutoCAD 2007
  • AutoCAD 2008
  • AutoCAD 2009
  • AutoCAD 2010
  • AutoCAD 2011
  • AutoCAD 2012
  • AutoCAD 2013
  • AutoCAD 2014

Windows Security Update KB2962872

This update can causes all Autodesk products to crash on licensing verification specifically when using these newer versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer

  • Internet Explorer 10
  • Internet Explorer 11

You can very easily uninstall KB2962872 using these short steps:

  1. Open your Windows Control Panel
  2. Navigate to Programs
  3. Click View Updates
  4. Now search for KB2962872, if KB2962872 is listed there, simply select it in the listbox and then click uninstall
  5. Let your machine take a while to think, now reboot.
  6. Now try your Autodesk product again.

If the KB2962872 doesn’t solve the problem, these KB’s may also affect your system – KB2943357, KB2977629 and KB2976627

Apparently, this is no longer relevant –  Another reason is that because you have Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 installed on your system. The solution is to rollback to Microsoft Internet Explorer 10, or maybe back as far as Internet Explorer 8

Failing that, I did find this link on the Autodesk website regarding ‘Script Errors in AutoCAD activation‘ – perhaps it helps  somehow. If that fails, and you haven’t yet tried it – Try simply installing the latest version of Internet Explorer 11 from here – EIE11_EN-US_MCM_WIN764.EXE

Copyright 2017 (c) Longbow Software

AutoCAD File->Save or File->Open Crash…

If are experiencing crashing problems using the File->Open or File->Save dialog inside of AutoCAD (or any other Autodesk product), there are a few items that can cause this:

  1. New HP Machine If you have recently purchased a new HP computer or you have an HP computer for which you have recently carried out an HP update on Windows 10, Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1…Check if you have any of these applications installed:
    • HP Trust Center
    • HP Client Security Manager

      If so, uninstall them and reboot. We recommend you find an alternative as they cause this issue.

  2. For AutoCAD versions >= 2008, you can try disabling the InfoCenter toolbar at the top right of AutoCAD.
    1. If you know LISP, this code will work for all versions of AutoCAD 2008 or higher
      1. add this code to the end of your acad.lsp (vl-registry-write (strcat “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\” (vlax-product-key)”\\Applications\\InfoCenterAcConn”) “LOADCTRLS” 0)
    2. If you do not know LISP
      1. Start Regedit.exe
      2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Autodesk\AutoCAD\<Release.Number>\ACAD-<VerticalCode>:<LanguageCode>\Applications\InfoCenterAcConn 
      3. Set the LoadCtrls value to 0
      4. To turn it back on, simply set LoadCtrls value to 76
  3. Remove all USB devices – older versions of AutoCAD don’t understand what a Samsung Phone is, and this can cause crashes.
  4. If you have been opening DWG files from an external drive (e.g. USB drive) try re-connecting the drive…
  5. The latest Windows Operating systems (Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10) correctly enforce permission settings for your personal files (Documents folder etc). The problem is that your older version of AutoCAD does not understand these new permission settings, and this can stop you being about to open your DWG files and even cause AutoCAD crash. As a quick test, copy the DWG files that always crash when you save to a USB drive, then create a new folder called c:\MyDwgs, now copy the files from your USB to the c:\MyDwgs folder. Finally, try AutoCAD with the DWG files in c:\MyDwgs – is AutoCAD working now? If so, you can either leave your DWG files in that folder, or you’ll need to relax the permissions on your DWG folder to allow access to AutoCAD.
  6. MSN Plugin – if you see MSN as an entry in your Windows Explorer, uninstall MSN – AutoCAD doesn’t like this.
  7. For versions of AutoCAD >= 2000i here’s a quick fix to bypass the problem (although hard to remember each time) – on starting AutoCAD, type “Options” at the command line, select the ‘Files’ tab, click ‘Browse’, then simply click cancel. Now cancel out of the Options dialog altogether. Try your File->Open… Does it work? If so, you should now be good until the next time you start AutoCAD.
  8. If you have a non-HP machine that is giving you this issue or (2) didn’t work for you, please record below in the comments section:
    1. What computer make you are running
    2. What specific Windows version you are running
    3. What exact version of AutoCAD you are running (e.g. AutoCAD Architecture 2008 32bit)
    4. What AutoCAD service packs (if any) you have applied
    5. What anti-virus software you are running. We’ll see if we can solve this for you…
  9. Check out this page Interactions with the AutoCAD Ribbon crashes AutoCAD on Windows 10
  10. If all this fails, you can of course set FILEDIA = 0 at the command line to turn off the File Dialog User Interface
Copyright 2017 (c) Longbow Software

How to Adjust Internet Explorer 11 active scripting settings

Autodesk products like AutoCAD, Inventor, Revit, may give scripting errors when trying to activate, try these steps below to enable scripting inside of IE 11:

 

  1. Open Internet Explorer.

  2. Click the Tools menu (or if hidden select ALT+T on your keyboard), and then click Internet Options.

  3. On the Security tab, click the Custom level button.

  4. Scroll down the Security Settings list until you see Scripting and Active scripting.

  5. Click Enable, click OK, and then click OK again.

  6. Now try to activate your Autodesk product