When Good Drawings Go Bad: How to Repair Corrupt AutoCAD Files

Learning
Computer repair keyboard key. Repair corrupt AutoCAD files

If you’ve ever tried nursing a sick AutoCAD file back to health, you know how miserable CAD life can be. So pay a non-emergency visit to the Autodesk Knowledge Network (AKN) and bookmark “How to repair corrupt AutoCAD files,” a now-featured AKN troubleshooting article.

AutoCAD message "Drawing file is not valid." How to repair corrupt AutoCAD files. Autodesk Knowledge NetworkYou understand how these things can go.

A file appears to be lifeless—or there’s a file you want to kill after it has brought your system to its knees. Or maybe the drawing just looks funny, performs slowly, appears to be missing parts, suddenly grows larger, won’t reveal itself when you try to open it, or causes AutoCAD to send you unexpected, unlovely, and unwanted messages.

For each of the above symptoms and for many others, there are myriad causes to consider. And for each one, you need guidelines and instructions for cleaning, repairing, and recovering your drawing. We’ve got them here.

Go to the Autodesk Knowledge Network and bookmark:

AutoCAD purge dialog box. How to repair corrupt AutoCAD files. Autodesk Knowledge Network

The urge to Purge can be pretty strong when you need to remove extra DGN line styles.

A final thought. If you’re like me, you’ve often marveled that, with so much that can go wrong—with AutoCAD, as with all software, as with, indeed, life, there are an untold number of interactive and constantly adjusting variables, each one dependent on so many of the others to do their jobs correctly, in a sort of grand orchestration—it’s kind of amazing that anything anywhere ever works at all. For which I’m eternally grateful.



Leslie Feldman

Leslie is fanning the glowing embers of the AutoCAD Blog into a raging (yet carefully managed!) bonfire, bringing light and warmth to AutoCAD customers wherever they're huddled. He has been writing, editing, helping design, and managing the production of high-tech marketing communications—everything from party invitations, web banners, and tweets to annual reports, white papers, and animated videos—for longer than he cares to admit. So don't ask. Leslie is thrilled to be back in the Autodesk saddle after 14 years spent wandering the desolate, non-Autodesk high-tech landscape.

Try AutoCAD free for 30 days

Comments Closed

There are no comments