Install AutoCAD 2002 on Windows 11

Follow these instructions to solve issues around installing/running your legacy AutoCAD 2002 on Windows 11

Ransomware Protection Windows 11 and AutoCAD

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 2002

A quick word of advice: please follow the instructions below precisely as documented including using the same folder names and paths. This will significantly reduce the risk of having any problems…
  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. Start the Longbow Converter tool
    1. Insert your AutoCAD 2002 CD into your CDRom drive
    2. Select the 2nd tab named “Old AutoCAD Installer Reviver
    3. Using the “…” button, pick your AutoCAD CD
    4. Click “Run Old Installer
      1. Read and follow all the prompts
      2. Once the AutoCAD setup starts, stop and read the next step…
  5. In the AutoCAD setup program, navigate through each setup dialog as normal, with these exceptions…
    1. When you arrive at the installation folder path setup dialog…
      1. **it’s vitally important to make sure you install to c:\acad2002 (not Program Files (x86)\AutoCAD  2002 which is normally default)**
      2. Once setup completes…
        1. Do not reboot if asked to do so
        2. Make sure to fully close the setup program when the installation is complete.
  6. Back in the Converter app and make sure it’s completed the final stage of processing using the “Old AutoCAD Program Reviver” tab, it should say SUCCESS!
  7. Finally, reboot your PC and run your AutoCAD and once registered, exit AutoCAD and continue to the next step.
  8. Next, obtain the AutoCAD 2002 sp1 from here unzip and save to c:\Autodesk\spdo not install yet
    1. Go back into the Converter
    2. Select the 3rd tab again
    3. titled “Old AutoCAD Program Reviver
    4. Using the ‘…’ button, select the c:\Autodesk\sp folder
    5. click “Fix Old Program
    6. Finally, install the AutoCAD 2002 sp1 by running the c:\Autodesk\sp\acad2002sp1.exe 
  9. Now, you can happily run your AutoCAD 2002 on Windows 11

Troubleshooting

  • If your AutoCAD 2002 setup stuck at very end, check out this blog
  • 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 2023 (c) Longbow Software

Install AutoCAD 2002 on Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10

Installing AutoCAD 2002 on Windows 10, Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 32bit or 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. Using Windows Explorer, backup your entire AutoCAD 2002 CD to your hard drive, to a folder path c:\Autodesk\CDs\acad2002 
  3. Start the Longbow Converter tool
    1. select the 2nd tab titled “Old AutoCAD Installer Reviver
    2. Using the ‘…’ button, pick the c:\Autodesk\CDs\acad2002 folder (where you just copied your 2002 CD)
    3. Click the “Run Old Installer” button.
      1. Read and understand all the prompts before pressing OK.
      2. Once the setup starts, stop and read the next step…
  4. 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:\acad2002 (not Program Files (x86)\AutoCAD 2002 as usually prompted by default)**
    1. IMPORTANT NOTE: You may find that entering the path C:\acad2002 may not take (a bug in the AutoCAD 2002 installer). In that case, you will need to select the installation folder C:\Program Files (x86)\AutoCAD 2002 in step (5) below
    2. Do not reboot if prompted to do so
  5. Once installed, go back to the Converter tool…
    1. Select the 3rd tab titled “Old AutoCAD Program Reviver
    2. Using the ‘…’ button, pick the newly installed c:\acad2002 folder
    3. click “Fix Old Program“.
  6. Now run your AutoCAD 2002 and completely register as normal. Once registered, exit AutoCAD and continue to the next step…
  7. Next, obtain the AutoCAD 2002 sp1 from here unzip and save to c:\Autodesk\spdo not install yet
    1. Go back into the Converter
    2. Select the 3rd tab again
    3. titled “Old AutoCAD Program Reviver
    4. Using the ‘…’ button, select the c:\Autodesk\sp folder
    5. click “Fix Old Program
  8. Finally, install the AutoCAD 2002 sp1 by running the c:\Autodesk\sp\acad2002sp1.exe 
  9. Now, you can happily run your AutoCAD 2002 on Windows 10, Windows 7 and Windows 8.
Troubleshooting:
Copyright 2017 (c) Longbow Software