Solidworks 2007 blank screen

[dcote]

When I open some parts I am getting a blank screen in the window where the part should be - for example if I switch to explorer, then the explorer window stays on top of the part when I go back to Solidworks.

I am using Solidworks 2007 SP4.0 x64 on Windows XP x64 Pro with a Firegl 3100 and the certified 8.163 driver. Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Dave

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Who is the manufacturer of the computer?

Driver for Dell & IBM = 8.163.1
Driver for HP systems = 8.223.4.1

Maybe try updating to SP5.

 

[dcote]

The computer is a PC that I built. It has an Athlon 5000+ and 8GB ram. I don't have a current SW subscription so the latest version that I have access to is 4.0

Dave

 

[Theophilus]

Sure sounds like a graphics card issue to me.



Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

A people who value security over freedom will soon find they have neither.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Do the FireGL's have an application specific setting similar to the Quadro's?

Try removing the current driver and installing the latest from ATI.

http://ati.amd.com/support/drivers/xp64/firegl-xp64.html

 

[Theophilus]

No--at least my v5600 doesn't seem to.



Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

A people who value security over freedom will soon find they have neither.

 

[SincoTC]

I had exactly the same problem last year, with a FireGL V7100 but using the same certified x64 8.163 driver. After I tried running with the "Use Software OpenGL" option box checked (go to Tools> Options > Performance before loading a file and check the box) to confirm that it WAS a video card problem, I switched to the (then) latest non-certified driver 8.323.0.0 (6/12/2006) from the ATI site and this has worked very well ever since with no trace of the original problems and only three or four hang-ups in well over a year.



Trevor Clarke. (R & D) Scientific Instruments.Somerset. UK

SW2007x64 SP3.0 Pentium P4 3.6Ghz, 4Gb Ram ATI FireGL V7100 Driver: 8.323.0.0
SW2007x32 SP4.0 Pentium P4 3.6Ghz, 2Gb Ram NVIDIA Quadro FX 500 Driver: 6.14.10.7756

 

[dcote]

So far I have tried versions 8.163, 8.353 and 8.502 with basically no changes between them. I am currently downloading .net 3.5 but don't expect that to help either. Could reinstalling Solidworks help?

Dave

 

[dcote]

I have found that I can open a part and view it normally until if I have the "hide all types" option selected under view. If I deselect this option so I can see my sketche/planes ect, the view window stops working. This is driving me nuts!

Dave

 

[dcote]

What I meant was I can view my part when "hide all types" is selected. I can no longer view the part when this is deselected and even if I select it again, the view window will not work until Solidworks is restarted.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

I'm not sure this is valid for ATI cards, but did you un-install the old drivers, and reboot, before installing the new ones?

Re-installing SW may help. Don't forget to disable the AV if you do.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Do you have access to an nVidia Quadro card to try?

 

[JMirisola]

One last thing to consider is that the card is on its way out. Maybe it's time to get a new card.

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP, Certified DriveWorks AE

http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog

 

[dcote]

I have a older second hard drive on this computer which has the same software on it - with the same hardware the same file works without problems.

Even if the vid card is not the problem, I agree that it may be time for a new one.

Dave

 

[SincoTC]

Have you tried running with "Use Software OpenGL" option box checked? It will be slower, as it bypasses the hardware acceleration built into the FireGL card, but if the problem goes away then it definately is a Driver problem and not something else. NB.This option will be greyed-out if there is a file loaded.

Another symptom that I had with the 8.163 driver; was when I switched between open SW parts, everything except the main view pane would change to the selected part, the main view would stay showing the original part, then as I passed the mouse over tree pane, I would see pink outlines of the selected part appear superimposed onto this wrong view. If the view orientation icons were used, a pink wireframe of the "hidden part" would show through. If I minimised and restored the whole SW window, there would be a "Hole" through to the desktop where the main view pane should be. In more polite moments, I called it a view PAIN until 8.323.0.0 sorted it out. I don't know if this driver is compatible with your card but it might be in ATI's archive if it's not still listed.

Trevor Clarke. (R & D) Scientific Instruments.Somerset. UK

SW2007x64 SP3.0 Pentium P4 3.6Ghz, 4Gb Ram ATI FireGL V7100 Driver: 8.323.0.0
SW2007x32 SP4.0 Pentium P4 3.6Ghz, 2Gb Ram NVIDIA Quadro FX 500 Driver: 6.14.10.7756