How do I repair corrupt AutoCAD files?

How do I repair corrupted AutoCAD files?

Asked on April 12, 2016 in AutoCAD.
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3 Answer(s)

Issue:

Your AutoCAD drawing file (. dwg) has become damaged or corrupt in some way, showing one or more of the following symptoms:

  • File will not open.
  • File hangs or crashes AutoCAD.
  • Slow performance when editing and manipulating the file.
  • Error message when opening or when working in the file.
  • Some commands do not work or have a considerable delay.
  • Unexplained file size increase.
  • Display/regen problems.
  • Drawing elements missing.

Causes:

  • Third-party applications running inside AutoCAD.
  • DWG files created or saved by non-Autodesk or non-RealDWG products.
  • AutoCAD terminated while saving the drawing.
  • Old drawings used repeatedly over the course of years.
  • Network anomalies (transmission errors, file locking, latent writing of data).
  • Storage media degradation (bad sectors on a hard drive).
  • Defective or failing RAM.
  • Operating system issues.
  • Power surges.

Solution:

Use the following guidelines and instructions to clean, repair, and recover your drawing.

If the drawing file (DWG) will not open at all:

Your drawing may show the message “Drawing file is not valid,” display a message about errors being found, hang or crash during the open process, or simply may not appear in AutoCAD after you have selected to open it (i.e., you open it but all you ever see is the default “Drawing1.dwg” or another file that you currently have open).

  • Start by verifying that the drawing file you are trying to open was not created in a newer version of AutoCAD, with a newer file format than the version you are currently using. For example, a drawing created in AutoCAD 2015 will not open in AutoCAD 2012. Refer to the table below for specific details on the file formats supported by various AutoCAD releases. If this turns out to be the issue, request that the drawing be saved to a version that is compatible with the AutoCAD you are using.
  • File Format AutoCAD Release
    AutoCAD 2013 AutoCAD 2013 – AutoCAD 2016
    AutoCAD 2010 AutoCAD 2010 – AutoCAD 2012
    AutoCAD 2007 AutoCAD 2007 – AutoCAD 2009
    AutoCAD 2004 AutoCAD 2004 – AutoCAD 2006
    AutoCAD 2000 AutoCAD 2000 – AutoCAD 2002
    AutoCAD R14 AutoCAD R14
    AutoCAD R12 DXF AutoCAD R12

    Otherwise, this message indicates that the drawing file has been damaged beyond use. However, there are a few things that may get it to open:

    • Try to open the drawing file directly instead of using the Recent Documents menu.
    • Check that the storage location that holds the drawing is working properly.
    • Use the RECOVER and RECOVERALL commands on the drawing.
    • Attempt to insert the damaged file into a clean drawing or template using the INSERT command.

    When none of the above work, try to locate a backup file (.bak) or the latest automatic save file (.sv$) for the drawing, or recover the file from another computer or from a file backup system that you may have in place to help manage your files. The AutoCAD backup file is usually found in the same folder as the DWG. The auto-save file is located in your user temp folder. Any easy way to open this up is to type%tmp% in the location bar of any folder window or in the search field within the Start menu. Rename the .bak or .sv$ extension to .dwgand then you should have a usable drawing file, although it will not be the most recent version that you may have been working with.

  • You might have leftover .dwl or dwl2 files in the folder directory. These are two hidden files that have the same name as the .dwg file but with the extensions .dwl and .dwl2. In the Windows Control Panel, go to Folder Options. On the View tab, turn on the option to show hidden files. You can then go back to the folder directory and delete the .dwl and .dwl2 files if they are found alongside your DWG file. Attempt to open the DWG again.

If neither of the above options allow you to open the DWG, move on to the next set of steps. These steps can be tried one at a time. Be sure to stop and try to open the file after each one. If the file opens, there is no need to continue to the rest of the steps.

  1. Open a blank DWG and run the RECOVER command. Select the problematic file. AutoCAD will attempt to recover the file and open it.
  2. Open a blank DWG and run the RECOVERALL command. Select the problematic file. AutoCAD will attempt to recover the file and open it.
  3. Open a blank DWG and run the INSERT command. Select the problematic file and see if it will insert. If it does, then run EXPLODE and select the inserted block. Run AUDIT and PURGE commands, and then use SAVEAS to create a new DWG.
  4. Look in the same directory where the DWG resides and see if there is a BAK file of the same name. If so, rename the BAK extension to DWG and see if the file can then be opened.
  5. Look in C:\Windows\Temp for files with an SV$ extension. If any exist with a similar name to the corrupted DWG file, then rename the extension to DWG and see if it can then be opened.
  6. Go to your backup system and restore the file from a time before it became corrupted.

If the drawing file (DWG) still opens:

Perform the following steps in the order listed:

  1. Open the drawing file.
  2. Purge Registered Applications (from the command line):
    • Type -PURGE.
    • “R” for Regapps (registered applications), then Enter.
    • “N” when asked to verify each name to be purged, then Enter.
  3. Type PURGE at the command line. With all checkboxes checked on, click Purge All.
  4. Audit and fix any errors:
    • Type AUDIT at the command line.
    • “Y” for Yes to fix any errors, then Enter.
  5. Save the drawing.

If the drawing persists with problems, try the following steps:

  1. Ensure all layers are on, thawed, and unlocked.
  2. Detach all external references (XREFs). Double-check that the xrefs do not have circular attachments.
  3. Write Block all necessary information in the file out to a new drawing (from the command line):
    • Type WBLOCK at the command line.
    • Under Source, select “Objects”.
    • Under Objects, click the “Select objects” icon.
    • Use a selection window to choose only the necessary objects from the file (do not simply type ALL).
    • Set file path and name, then OK.
  4. Open a new blank drawing file.
  5. Insert the file created in Step 3 (from the command line):
    • Type INSERT at the command line.
    • Select the file.
    • Uncheck “Specify On-screen” and check “Explode”, then OK.
  6. Type PURGE at the command line. With all checkboxes checked on, click Purge All.
  7. AUDIT and fix any errors.
  8. Type SAVEAS and create a new file name.

Still having problems?

Take the following steps.  They can be done in any order, but have been listed in the order that Autodesk recommends. The file can be checked after each step. If the problem is resolved, you don’t need to continue.

  • Open a blank DWG and type RECOVER at the command line. Browse to the problematic file to allow AutoCAD a chance to restore the file.
  • Type OVERKILL at the command line, and select all objects. Check or uncheck properties to include or ignore, then click OK.
  • Type DELCON at the command line, and select all objects.
  • Type BREP and select all objects (if there are solids or surfaces in the file)
  • Type -SCALELISTEDIT, then “R” for reset, then “Y” for yes.
  • Type FILTERS, then click on the ‘delete filters’ button.
  • The DGNPURGE tool can be run if the file size is unexpectedly very large :
    • Start by verifying that the drawing file you are trying to open was not created in a newer version of AutoCAD, with a newer file format than the version you are currently using. For example, a drawing created in AutoCAD 2015 will not open in AutoCAD 2012. Refer to
    • File Format AutoCAD Release
      AutoCAD 2013 AutoCAD 2013 – AutoCAD 2016
      AutoCAD 2010 AutoCAD 2010 – AutoCAD 2012
      AutoCAD 2007 AutoCAD 2007 – AutoCAD 2009
      AutoCAD 2004 AutoCAD 2004 – AutoCAD 2006
      AutoCAD 2000 AutoCAD 2000 – AutoCAD 2002
      AutoCAD R14 AutoCAD R14
      AutoCAD R12 DXF AutoCAD R12
    • If this turns out to be the issue, request that the drawing be saved to a version that is compatible with the AutoCAD you are using.Otherwise, this message indicates that the drawing file has been damaged beyond use. However, there are a few things that may get it to open:
      • Try to open the drawing file directly instead of using the Recent Documents menu.
        • Check that the storage location that holds the drawing is working properly.
        • Use the RECOVER and RECOVERALL commands on the drawing.
        • Attempt to insert the damaged file into a clean drawing or template using the INSERT command.

      When none of the above work, try to locate a backup file (.bak) or the latest automatic save file (.sv$) for the drawing, or recover the file from another computer or from a file backup system that you may have in place to help manage your files. The AutoCAD backup file is usually found in the same folder as the DWG. The auto-save file is located in your user temp folder. Any easy way to open this up is to type%tmp% in the location bar of any folder window or in the search field within the Start menu. Rename the .bak or .sv$ extension to .dwgand then you should have a usable drawing file, although it will not be the most recent version that you may have been working with.

  • Try using a different version of AutoCAD to open the drawing, such as AutoCAD 2013 vs. AutoCAD 2015 or plain AutoCAD vs. AutoCAD Architecture, etc. Try different computers if available.
  • Open a blank DWG, and try to attach the problematic file as an XREF. If it allows you to attach the file, try next to BIND it to the current file. If that works, run the repair steps listed above.
  • Use the SAVEAS command to save the DWG in an older file format. Attempt to open the newly created file.
  • Export the file to DXF format using the DXFOUT command. Next, open a blank DWG and use the DXFIN command to import the file just created.
  • Restore the Layout tabs:
    1. Right-Click one of the default layout tabs
    2. Select ‘From Template…’
    3. Open the original file
    4. Choose the layout tabs to restore. (It is recommended to do this one tab at a time, in case one or more layout tabs are corrupted)
  • Move drawing objects between model and paper space. You may find that only one drawing space is usable in your file, although your main concern is model space:
    1. Create a new layout and if need be, create a viewport.
    2. Use CHSPACE to move all the geometry to paper space.
    3. Create a new drawing and use the Design Center (ADC) to move the layout from the damaged file into it.
    4. Use CHSPACE again to move the geometry back to model space.
    5. Restore the original layouts from the bad file using the Design Center.
  • Dissect the drawing. In a copy of the file, conduct a process of elimination using QSELECT to select different object types and then delete them to see if that fixes what is wrong in the file. Do PURGE All after each deletion. Eventually you should remove the problem elements and then you can choose to leave them out, copy them in again from another file, recreate them, or further troubleshoot individual items to pinpoint exactly which one is problematic. A quick start to this whole process is to delete everything in the drawing and then test it. This will quickly tell you if the issue is with a drawing object or if it is a part of the drawing database.
  • To eliminate all invisible DWG entities select all features that are relevant in the DWG and “Copywith Base Point” these via the clipboard into a new DWG. Make sure you have switched on all layers that contain relevant data.
Answered on April 16, 2017.
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You can Fix DWG file errors with AutoCAD Recovery Tools. This Tool deeply scan the files and automatically detect corrupt files and also the version of AutoCAD you are using. It fixes the error with DWG files and make them functional. It also recovers accidentally deleted files with complete accuracy maintaining the file objects , VERTEX, PLYLINE,BASE and other constraints. Try it for free at http://www.filerepairtools.com/autocad-recovery-tool.html

Answered on July 20, 2017.

Hi there,

I noticed that there’s a paid version and a downloadable version, what’s the difference and I wonder if the free version will work, if so what are the limitations?

 

Thanks

on July 20, 2017.
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It’s quite possible that on occasion you’ll receive an AutoCAD drawing file that’s corrupted. It might have some sort of glitch in its data. This can happen, for instance, when the drawing was created in a non-AutoCAD software environment. Several software packages available in the market claim to be compatible with AutoCAD, when in reality they have only limited capability to export a good DWG file. Using AutoCAD tools in non-standard ways, intentionally or unintentionally, such as making a zero length line or generating a text object that has no text in it can also lead to corruption in the files. If you refrain from removing the corrupt elements, the drawing might cause issues or worse lead to a blue screen crash. Luckily, cleaning a corrupted file is generally easy and it’s vital that you check regularly to ensure your dwg format file is clean and free of glitches.

Issues of Corrupted Files

  • File doesn’t open, hangs or crashes AutoCAD
  • The performance slows down when one edits and manipulates the file
  • When opening or working in the file, an error message crops up
  • Some commands don’t work or have a substantial delay
  • The file size increases without any knowledge
  • Problems related to Display/Regen surface
  • Drawing elements are missing

Causes for Corrupted Files

  • Third party applications running inside AutoCAD is one of the main causes for corrupted files
  • DWG files created or saved by non-Autodesk or non-RealDWG products
  • Old drawings used repeatedly over the course of years
  • Defective or failing RAM
  • Storage media degradation
  • Issues related to operating system and surging of power

Repair and Recovery

If a drawing file gets damaged, some or all of the data can be recovered by using commands to determine and correct errors. These commands can be learnt in depth by anyone who attends an AutoCAD course. When an error occurs, diagnostic information is recorded in the acad.err file or acadlt.err file for AutoCAD LT, which you can use to report a problem. If the corrupted data gets detected then a drawing file is marked as damaged, or even if you request that the drawing be saved after a program failure. If the damage is minor, at times you can repair the drawing just by opening it. You will receive a recovery notification that is displayed whilst opening the drawing file that is damaged and requires recovery. Here you can

  • Recover – performs an audit on, and attempts to open, any drawing file
  • Recover all – similar to recover, this additionally operates on all nested xrefs. The results are displayed in the Drawing Recovery Log window
  • Audit – locates and corrects errors in the current drawing
  • RecoverAuto – controls the display of recovery notifications prior to or after opening a damaged drawing file

A professional having undergone online Revit training or CAD training has the ability and responsibility not to leave a corruption problem uncorrected, as it can lead into wasted man hours and lost productivity, both for the person currently using the file and for those who work with the drawing file further down the line.

Grey Edge’s leading Revit and CAD training centre constantly strives to provide the best AutoCAD courses in Mumbai to the aspirant. Backed by experienced and well trained faculty and the best infrastructure, including online and classroom tutorials, we offer the best architectural internships in India.

Answered on November 17, 2017.
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