Installing AutoCAD Mechanical Desktop Release 2 on Windows 10, Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1

NOTE: We have had the best success installing this product using our Converter solution on Windows 8 and Windows 10

Installing your Mechanical Desktop R2 (built on AutoCAD R14.01) on Windows 10, Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 32bit or 64bit can be very easily defined in these short steps…

Instructions on installing Autodesk Mechanical 3 can be found here…

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

A quick word of advice: best to follow the instructions below precisely and to the letter, including folder names and paths, that way you will reduce the risk of having any problems…

Obtain your copy of the Longbow Converter here
Using Windows Explorer, copy your entire Mechanical Desktop Release 2.0 CD to your hard drive, to a folder path c:\Autodesk\mdtR14
Start the Longbow Converter tool, select the 2nd tab, pick the c:\Autodesk\mdtR14 folder, and click Run. Read and understand all the prompts before pressing OK. Now, I know it’s unheard of these days, but at this point expect to wait at least 45 minutes for your Mechanical Desktop setup.exe program to appear. Once the setup starts, stop and read the next step…
In the setup program, navigate through each setup dialog as normal, except when you get to the installation folder, **it’s vitally important to make sure you install to c:\mdtR14 (not .\Mechanical as usually prompted)**
Now carry on with the install (do not reboot once the install is complete) Ignore any errors related to not being able to create the shortcut, you will have to create a shortcut on your computer Desktop to your c:\mdtR14\acad.exe by hand. You will also be prompted that Adobe reader needs to be installed – when you press OK, expect to wait at least 45 minutes for the Adobe setup.exe program to appear install as normal accepting all defaults this time.
1. Do not reboot if prompted to do so…
Once installed, go back to the Converter tool, select the 3rd tab, pick the newly installed c:\mdtR14 folder and click Fix.
Now you are ready to run AutoCAD, simply run c:\mdtR14\acad.exe using Windows Explorer.
You will notice that you are running raw AutoCAD, to enable your Mechanical Desktop features, carry out these next steps…
1. At the AutoCAD Command line, type the command ‘Preferences’, add new Support path folders c:\mdtR14\acadm and then also c:\mdtR14\acadm\support, now click ‘Apply’ and then ‘OK’ out of the dialog.
2. Next, restart AutoCAD.
3. When you are back in AutoCAD, type ‘Menuload’ at the command line, click browse, then navigate to C:\mdtR14\acadm\support, change the file filter at the bottom to *.mnu, then open acadm.mnu, finally click Load, then pick Close.
4. Now restart AutoCAD
Now you can happily run your Mechanical Desktop Release 2.0 on Windows 10, Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 32bit or 64bit

Troubleshooting:

If you are getting a WinHelp() error when pressing F1 to try and access the Help system then simply install the WinHelp (WinHlp32.exe) module from Microsoft
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

Tags: AutoCAD Mechanical Desktop Release 2check with the software publsiherInstallMDT R2This app cannot run on your PCto find a wversion for your PCWindows 10Windows 7Windows 8Windows 8.1

10 years ago

simonbooth

I just joined the Longbow Software team as a Software Engineer, and I have gladly offered to post some informative blogs for you all to read. Check on the left there, for all my blog entries...