Follow these instructions to solve issues around installing/running your old AutoCAD 2006 on newer versions of 64bit Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10
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
How to install AutoCAD 2006
- Obtain your purchased copy of the Longbow Converter here
- Start the Longbow Converter tool
- Insert your AutoCAD CD into your CDRom drive
- select the 2nd tab named “Old AutoCAD Installer Reviver“
- Using the “…” button, path the to your AutoCAD CD
- Click “Run Old Installer”
- Read and follow all the prompts
- Once the AutoCAD setup starts, stop and read the next step…
- In the setup program, navigate through each setup dialog as normal, with these exceptions…
- When you click the Install link from your setup you may see a dialog box appear saying – “This program has compatibility issues”
- simply check the “Don’t show this message again”
- then click the “Run the program without getting help” button
- When you arrive at the installation folder path setup dialog, **it’s vitally important to make sure you install to c:\acad2006 (not Program Files (x86)\AutoCAD 2006)**.
- When you click the Install link from your setup you may see a dialog box appear saying – “This program has compatibility issues”
- Once installed
- Do not reboot if asked to do so
- Make sure to fully close the setup program when the installation is complete.
- Back in the Converter app and make sure it’s completed the final stage of processing using the “Old AutoCAD Program Reviver” tab
- Finally, reboot your PC and run your AutoCAD as normal
- NOTE: When starting AutoCAD, if you see a warning dialog when you run saying “This program has known compatibility issues”
- Click “Don’t show this message again”
- then click “Run the Program…”
- NOTE: When starting AutoCAD, if you see a warning dialog when you run saying “This program has known compatibility issues”
Installing AutoCAD 2006 Service Pack 1
- English Users, Download your English AutoCAD 2006 sp1 from here
- Non-English users, Download your language specific AutoCAD 2006 sp1 from here
- Now copy your newly downloaded sp (for English users the filename is AutoCAD2006SP1.exe) to folder path c:\Autodesk\sp
- Start the Converter App
- select the 3rd tab named “Old AutoCAD Program Reviver“
- Using the “. . .” button, pick the c:\Autodesk\sp folder
- click “Fix Old Program“.
- Now you can run the service pack exe installer from Windows explorer as normal
- Once completed, now run your AutoCAD!
Troubleshooting
– If you see a warning dialog when you run AutoCAD saying “This program has known compatibility issues”, simply click “Don’t show this message again” and then click “Run the Program…”
– If you are unable to activate your product, or the activation process crashes:
- Try uninstalling the July 2014 Microsoft security update
- Try downgrading your Internet Explorer (IE) from version 11 to version 10 by following the instructions detailed here
- Perhaps you have a SATA drive – Activation problems with AutoCAD 2006 and AutoCAD 2007
– 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