AutoCAD Services & Support

Update Graphics Card Driver

For AutoCAD 2009 and AutoCAD 2010-Based Products

Note: You must be an administrator for Microsoft® Windows Vista® operating systems.

  1. Execute 3DConfig command.
  2. In the resulting dialog, click on Check for Updates.
  3. If a newer driver is available, click on the Get Download Info button on the dialog box displayed, and you will be taken to the AutoCAD Graphics Hardware List page, with all the available drivers for your card displayed.
  4. Review the drivers and download the latest certified driver by clicking on the corresponding blue arrow icon.

For AutoCAD 2008-Based Products

Be sure that the Hardware Certification Database on your machine is up to date. You may have new graphics hardware, there may be a new driver version for your graphics hardware in the graphics hardware list, the status of your graphics card may have changed (such as from supported to certified), or Autodesk or the graphics hardware vendor may have resolved issues with your graphics hardware

To check if your Hardware Certification Database is up to date:

  1. Start your Autodesk application.
  2. Execute the 3DCONFIG command.
  3. In the resulting dialog, click the View Tune Log button.
  4. At the top of the tune log will be the following text: “Version: x.x.x.x” where x.x.x.x is the version number.
  5. If the version is older than the current version of the database, 18.0.0.6, then proceed to the next section—you could benefit from the newer version of the database.

To download the Hardware Certification Database and available newer drivers:

  1. Shutdown any open Autodesk applications.
  2. Create a backup of the current Hardware Certification Database file (AdskHwCertificationDatabase.xml) located here:
    \Drv\AdskHwCertificationDatabase.xml, e.g. “C:\Program Files\AutoCAD 2008\Drv\AdskHwCertificationDatabase.xml”
  3. Click the following link for the current version of database and open the .ZIP file.
  4. Extract AdskHwCertificationDatabase.xml to the DRV folder.
  5. Restart your Autodesk application.

When your application restarts it will check the new Hardware Certification Database for any changes that need to be made to your hardware configuration. If AutoCAD has detected a newer driver for your computer, locate your Graphics Card Device name by following these steps:

  1. Start your AutoCAD application.
  2. Execute the 3DCONFIG command.
  3. In the resulting dialog, click the View Tune Log button.
  4. In the 3D Device section of the tune log, you will find the Name of your device.

To download and install your updated driver, go to the AutoCAD Graphics Hardware List and follow these steps to download and install your updated driver:

  1. Locate your Graphics Card in the Choose Card list.
  2. Under Show Results for, choose your operating system and uncheck the remaining ones.
  3. Click Display Results.
  4. Locate the latest driver.
  5. Download and install the driver as follows:
    • If the blue arrow icon is visible, you can click it to download your driver.
    • If the blue arrow icon is not visible or if you have a laptop, click the [+] sign to expand the driver details and download the driver from the comments field.
    • If no driver is available for download, consult your system's vendor to download the driver listed on the graphics hardware list.
    • If the driver file is an EXE, double-click it and follow the installation instructions.
    • If the driver is a ZIP file, unzip it and run Setup.EXE.
  6. You must restart your system after the installation is complete, for the changes to take effect.