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and the @$@!$! Lights go out

Question asked by Tim R on Apr 22, 2009
Latest reply on May 11, 2011 by Tim R

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HI,
It just happened again, I am on Vista Business x64, using the latest video drivers for my video card, Quadro FX 3450 and working fine, I open assemblies, drawings, and parts with no problem since with 64 bit memory it is much better managed than it used to be. AND then it happens.. I open maybe the 6th part file and the @@%@$ lights go out - the graphics window in that particular file window goes out.. goes completely black and it's like working in the dark I can reach out with the mouse and select surfaces and vertexes and lines but the window is totally black. This happens more now that memory loss/hogs not a problem... mostly a daily occurance so that what used to a be a memory limitation has morphed into a video resources problem.. when is SW going to address this lousy support they have with video? Don't tell me to use the latest approved drivers for my card.. they are from 2008.. why should i go back 6 months in drivers when the lateset for my card were released at the end of last month? why isn't there someone at DS/SW who makes sure SW is compatible with the latest drivers instead of ones that are 6 months old?

-Tim

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1-GU3IT0 Apr 22, 2009 7:23 PM
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Hi Tim,

I understand what you mean with using the new drivers vs the SW approved ones. But for me , I don't give a rip how old the driver is as long as it works. I know that there's at least 1 new driver for my card but as the old saying goes "if it aint broke , don't fix it" One of my co-workers installed the latest driver from Nvidia for his card (same as yours) and had nothing but problems.

This is from my VAR support you could try out........

From SolidWorks...

There have been reports of video card/driver issues, but not generic enough to warrant any SPR and 'fix' for the problem. Mostly, it was due to incorrect install/upgrade of the drivers. In several cases installation of Video card drivers by update rather than as a fresh installation has been found to generate a variety of problems from SolidWorks will not start to back screens and intermittent abnormal terminations. When installing video card drivers we recommend:

1. First uninstall the video card driver and revert back to the default Windows VGA / SVGA driver.

2. After the triggered reboot, reinstall the tested video card drivers.
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Casey Gorman Apr 22, 2009 7:27 PM
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Hello Tim,

Are you saying you are using the latest SW recommended drivers? Or just the latest drivers from NVidia?

My understand (and it makes sense to me) is that we use the latest recommend drives (SW website listed) for our video card and computer manufactures as the driver is a conditional compile. This would cause it to be behind the release you find on the nVidia website. I would go to that video drive to start with. Then if you still have issues there are others that can help. I know this doesn't address your direct issue but it is a place to start.
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Jason Capriotti Apr 22, 2009 7:37 PM
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I have a user with the 3450 and it was tough find a driver it liked. Mostly the issues began with 2009. The user was crashing a bit, then we tried some other newer drivers and the "use Software OpenGL" would check itself. Disabling the second monitor fixed it.

We then went back to the SolidWorks tested driver (6.14.11.6956) and it worked. This was for a Dell Precision 380 with a Nvidia Quadro 3450.

There are two different way to find the tested driver on the SolidWorks site. 1. By computer manfacturer (Dell, HP, etc), then by video card manufacturer (nVidia, ATI, etc). Both can lead you to the 3450 but lists a different driver. that was our problem, we used the recommended driver for the 3450 instead of the Dell Precision 380 with the 3450.
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Charles Culp Apr 22, 2009 7:43 PM
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Make sure your settings are set to the "Solidworks" settings in your nVidia control panel. I also have 3450, and that was a big issue for me. I use XP x32, so I cannot corroborate your issues; but it has definitely been a flaky card. The card was designed for the PS3, which might explain a lot...
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- Jim Zink @ Charles Culp on Apr 22, 2009 7:49 PM
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  SolidWorks just posted new recommended drivers for the FX3450 earlier this month. You might want to give them a try.
  
  Vista 7.15.11.8246
  XP 6.14.11.8246
  
  (32-bit and 64-bit drivers are same for each OS.)
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Jeff Mirisola Apr 22, 2009 8:26 PM
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Tim R wrote:

why isn't there someone at DS/SW who makes sure SW is compatible with the latest drivers instead of ones that are 6 months old?

How do you know that there isn't someone doing just that? Do you suppose that it's possible for them to get the latest driver, test it, update their code as necessary and get it out? Beyond that, what difference does it make if the driver is 6 months old so long as it works?
Sorry to sound like an ass, but coming on here and pissing and moaning about how you're having graphics issues when you're not using an approved driver is asinine, especially when you obviously know better.
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- Tim R @ Jeff Mirisola on Apr 22, 2009 8:42 PM
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  Well, you know Jeff there is one way to stop sounding like an ass.. stop acting like one.
  
  Are you saying it's too much to ask for what you said to happen more often than once every six months? I don't think it is.. and sorry if that's an assinine attitude.. it's the way I feel.
  
  -Tim
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1-YJ1IM Apr 22, 2009 8:49 PM
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I can say that they are not doing a very good job of testing video drivers. I have a Lenovo T60p with ATI FireGL V5250 video processor. The laptop is about two years old. There are no drivers listed for SolidWorks 2009. So I guess that I have to buy a new computer ever two years. Also, there are two approved drivers for SolidWorks 2008. Last year I taught a CosmosWorks 2008 class after updating to the newest approved 2008 driver. SolidWorks/CosmosWorks would lockup about 5 times a day during the class. I had taught the same class with older approved drivers without any lockups. I went back to the older approved driver and taught more 2008 CosmosWorks classes without any problems. You cannot tell me that that driver was properly tested.
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Jeff Mirisola Apr 22, 2009 8:51 PM
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Interestingly enough, nVidia's latest driver (182.46) for the 3450 was released on 3/25/2009. SolidWorks released their driver 4/7/2009. That's less than 2 weeks.
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- Tim R @ Jeff Mirisola on Apr 22, 2009 8:57 PM
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  Yes, Jeff and before that?.............
  
  -Tim
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  - 1-E9PSO0 @ Tim R on Apr 24, 2009 2:16 AM
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    Of more annoyance is the fact that even with the ridiculously overpriced Quadro cards and certified drivers downloaded from SWX, I still have issues with my graphics.
    
    Finally working out that my card was a Dell FX3500 not a nvidea FX3500 helped a lot, it no longer crashes and slows down etc, but even with certified drivers I still get a black background behind the part windows, and occasional 'magic disappearing act' of whatever I'm working on. Happily it seems to come back with a rebuild, so not a big deal, but the point is - even the certified stuff is flaky.
    
    The FX570 I just bought for the other CAD machine also has occasional disappearing acts and occasional lockups.
    
    Not good enough.
    
    Cheers
    Steve
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Kevin De Smet Apr 24, 2009 5:29 AM
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I too do not understand the reason behind such strict video requirements for SolidWorks.

As odd as this may sound - I think SW can get away with it - because when it does work, it looks and handles like the best interface I've ever worked with.
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- Tim R @ Kevin De Smet on Apr 24, 2009 12:00 PM
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  Yep I agree with both Stephen and Kevin.. flakey graphics nice interface.
  
  -Tim
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  - Devon Sowell @ Tim R on Apr 24, 2009 2:27 PM
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    I had a problem similar to this once. It turned out my video card was not plugged in securely and all the way into the motherboard slot.
    
    I've also seen this happen when the video card fan gets plugged up with dust and slows down or stops, then the card overheats and shuts down.
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- Tom Nicholson @ Kevin De Smet on Apr 24, 2009 5:14 PM
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  Kevin De Smet wrote:
  
  I too do not understand the reason behind such strict video requirements for SolidWorks.
  
  As odd as this may sound - I think SW can get away with it - because when it does work, it looks and handles like the best interface I've ever worked with.
  
  The reason is because the program is written for OpenGL support.. Adobe is the same, they suggest using an OpenGL based card..
  
  Gamer cards = DirectX
  
  Workstation cards = OpenGL
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  - John Matrishon @ Tom Nicholson on Apr 24, 2009 6:03 PM
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    tested. Okay, maybe I'm just simpathetic, but when I think about testing video card drivers, I start thinking how many configurations of different cards, drivers, OS, OEMs, settings, SWk versions, etc etc the potential combinations are astronomical. So, how would any company be able to test every configuration in all scenarios to make sure everything is happy? I just don't see it possible. And with new cards coming out faster than you can shake a stick, your best bet is looking at history. What was stable in the past, will most likely will be stable in the future, but that's something each company needs to look at. I think it all the variables that get you. I try to stick with solid performers, and do my research before spending gobs of money, and have had pretty good luck so far.
    
    I'll restate what other have said, and when getting approved drivers, always try the Computer Vendor first (Dell, HP, etc) as opposed to the video card vendor.
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  - Chris Challinor @ Tom Nicholson on Apr 24, 2009 8:21 PM
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    Tom Nicholson wrote:
    
    The reason is because the program is written for OpenGL support.. Adobe is the same, they suggest using an OpenGL based card..
    
    Gamer cards = DirectX
    
    Workstation cards = OpenGL
    
    But gamers for the most part are not forced to use just a few select cards, and the graphics look much better too.............sure some over the top games come out that require a high end card, but most games allow you to change the level of detail and or effects that are displayed to allow the game to play.
    
    And most gamer cards have the option to use Open GL as well, we are forced to use over priced, limited use "workstation" cards in order to use real view (BTW real view is used in one of my flight sim games and works fine on that gamer card).
    
    If game companies can cater to millions of different hardware setups...............
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Tim R May 11, 2011 4:37 PM
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I think I solved this problem by uninstalling the recommended/DS tested and approved 64 bit driver and installing an old driver - Nvidia 64 bit graphics driver version 7.15.11.6265 dated 10/29/2007. Installing this driver seems to have caused most of my graphics issues/problems in Windows 7 - 64 bit with the Nvidia Quadro FX 3450 card, in a Dell Precision 490 workstation to go away. So far I am happy. Which means that a 2007 driver works better for my machine than the newer approved driver which should not be the case, but it is.

Tim
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and the @$@!$! Lights go out

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