Optimize Performance within Windows 7 Environments

Issue

You notice performance issues in Windows 7 when running AutoCAD and AutoCAD-based vertical products.

Solution

To optimize performance, you can make adjustments within the environment to create the best possible chance for success in general operation of the product. The check list below is a general list that has shown success for users on a broad scale:

• In the Windows environment you can:
• Make sure your User Account Controller (UAC) is set to “never notify”.
• Make sure your personalized desktop theme is not set to Aero theme, but instead the Basic theme.
• Stop and disable the Windows Presentation Foundation Font Cache:

1. Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services.
2. Scroll down to 'Windows Presentation Foundation Font Cache 3.0.0.0'.
3. Right-click it and go into Properties.
4. Stop the service.
   

• Verify you have downloaded the latest service pack/hotfix for your AutoCAD software. See the following link to check for the latest update for your AutoCAD product:  http://usa.autodesk.com/support/
• Verify you are using an approved/verified driver for your video card (link).
• Verify your hardware meets or exceeds the minimum system requirements. Remember you will have other programs that may also take a great deal of RAM on your system. If you are planning on running them at the same time, you will need to make sure you have at least 2GB of RAM available.

Additional suggestions:

• Toggle on/off the hardware acceleration located in the bottom right (the button next to the lock) to find best configured setting in your environment.
• Go to Options and then the Display tab and turn off the “Show Tool Tips” and “Show rollover Tool tips”, and then shut off “Quick properties”.
• You can also try and do a cleanup to slow drawings that may have performance issues using the “File Corruption” procedure in the solution, AutoCAD File Corruption.

Note:  You will want to test the steps above to find the best configured results in your specific environment.  Not all changes will have the same effect on all systems which is why it is important to test and compare results.