SW2005 - Sudden slowdown after hard drive replacement.

[bsimons]

Hi list

I could use some help diagnosing a problem: I have been using SW2005 for a few months with no problems. Last week my hard drive failed, and I had to replace it with a backup. Now SW runs like molasses (zooming takes > 30 seconds, sketch snaps don't work in real-time, and parts often change to blocks while being redrawn). This happens even with files with very few features (or none!). I'm running a pentium 4 with 512Mb ram and an ATI radeon 9550 graphics card. It was more than capable of running SW before, and no other apps show signs of slowness.

I tried reinstalling, but it hasn't helped. Any suggestions on what to try next?

-Brendan

 

[bsimons]

OK, so I think I have resolved the problem, but it wasn't pretty. My graphics card is tested as "approved with restrictions", because, as far as I can tell, the OpenGL instructions run as a compatibility layer on top of ActiveX

After replacing my hard drive, I ran Windows update. Unbeknownst to me, the most recent ActiveX patch kept trying to install, but would always freeze half way (I couldn't even exit windows update when this happened). I guessed that this might be messing with the Graphics card, and decided it was that wonderful time in the life of every Windows PC where I backup my documents, wipe the drive, and reinstall Windows. Blech.

Anyway, our IT guy returned my PC late Friday, and everything seems to be working. Chalk this one up to Microsoft.

 

[quest4k]

Try using Ghost insteead of a standard back-up. When a drive blows, it is a snap to restore it to exactly what you were working with.