AutoCAD 2009 – The Prequel Part 6 – First Startup Time

AutoCAD 2009 – The Prequel Part 6 – First Startup Time

One thing you’ll notice (and dislike) right away with AutoCAD 2009 is that it takes a lot longer to get started. How much longer? About twice as long as recent releases, or about ten times longer than ancient speed demon Release 13. (I bet a 1994 AutoCAD user transported forward in time would be shocked to hear that description being used). Here’s a video that shows what the first startup looks like in a collection of releases from Release 12 to 2009:

AutoCAD First Startup Time Comparison

Now for the qualifications and caveats:

  1. Tests performed on a Core2Duo E6600 PC with 4 GB RAM, under Windows XP SP2 32 bit.
  2. This is not a strictly scientific comparison. Only one system restart and settle-down period was performed prior to timing all releases one after the other. Strictly, each test should get its own restart and settle-down period.
  3. Anti-virus and other security software was left on, but was not performing a scan, during the tests.
  4. This is the first startup time only. Subsequent startup times during the same Windows session are quicker, and this subject may be the subject of further coverage.
  5. Vista startup times may be better, particularly if you leave a spare USB key hanging out of your PC and allow Vista to use it to improve system performance. This may also be the subject of further coverage.
  6. The AutoCAD 2009 time is for the Release Candidate, not the shipping product. It’s possible that Autodesk managed to wring more performance out of 2009 before the code hit the manufacturing stage.
  7. Application startup time should not be used as an indication of overall performance. It’s just one aspect of it.

If you only start AutoCAD once a day, it’s not a significant issue. If, like me, you start AutoCAD dozens of times a day, it becomes rather wearing.

4 Comments

  1. I wonder how it would be on comparative equipment. You have a good machine current machine but would the oldies have taken longer on their “state of the art” workstations when launched.

    I remember my first CAD box, 486 dx33, CorelDRAW used to come up with something like “nearly ready…” on the splash screen.

  2. Bill Fane

    I still have a Toshiba T1000, arguably the world’s first laptop. It’s a 4.7mHz XT, 512k RAM, 1 of 720kB floppy drive, 756k virtual RAM drive, monochrome text-only display. DOS is burned onto a PROM chip. Power on to WordPerfect: 4.5 seconds.

    Our first AutoCAD station was a 6mHz AT with 2mB RAM, 20mB hard drive, DOS 3.0, AutoCAD 2.17g, and Tecmar Graphics Master board (640×480, 256 colour).

    It would go from a power-on cold boot to the AutoCAD Command: prompt in under 30 seconds.

    My current station is a 3.0 gHz, dual core, 2gB RAM, Windows XP. It takes over 3 1/2 minutes to get to the same point. That’s progress, I guess…

  3. A.
    I did sold in a 12mhz 20mb IBM? with autocad 2.17b ,wordprocessor etc (its earlier) with tablet and a A3 plotter i think i got 5000:- (500 euro) sek for the job to fix edu, install it, and the gear cost aprox 20 000-23000:- 2-3000 euro sek That was 1985-1986. It was a 1 week job and fine pay. Books, floppys unpacked, written quotions, often costymes salesmen, formal accept of the quote,and signed recipts it existed. ……………………..software arrived packed declared and was truly responsible biz, and time NOW:

    B.
    Today aprox 1000 times bigger all in sizes (230-300gb old hd) and 1gb graphics card, it takes 1 week to set it up all, while the gear cost 1000 euro? and the pay is 50 euro? same job, same task, 1000 times bigger, 11 miljon malware, linux flavours across, distros and updating i do not see anything where it comes from really, blocking, interference, take over, shadow copies ala neighbour, wifi crashes, non orginal gear, signatures is not existing, claiming digital signatures as valid of proof, java duplicated infusion stunts, outright burglary tools to get in to public utility functions electricity grid total open in stock exchange noted company’s,

    C.
    Its something about the philosophy, the art of technical matters, the dignity, the moneymaking, the responsibility, the playing, the very ancient art of making money, pay the taxes, and some sort of gut feeling that if messing around with the calculator , eg the computers all is going downhill for everyone, as well resulting in the very need to going for a waroption to bomb it all out, since the financial ballons and fantasia gets so big that normal classical biz will never succed to start. This is ancient that issue.

    C1.
    a wake up call? not by telephono geo dna focus follow after scenario ring ring signal(false and very dangerous road that, in mind contradiction in affairs and baby production a ivf lab, issue) as solution since that is carried under the umbrella of point B.

    D.
    I mean a few points to get out of a very grande mudfield.

    1.
    Fix proper softwareshops with its online presentation, 100000 usb sticks?
    2.
    Get the wireshark analysis and result be educated about , its likley been used by more people.
    3.
    Remodel the piracy biz to create gear which carry its own brandname, layout and function,
    4.
    Have metal safes across in order in delivery chains with its secure documents and its proper witnessed signatures in order
    5.
    Get the engineering of IT have like in bridge cement cad construction the sign of and accept process in place before releasing products and software to public
    6.
    Lift the lower grade of education to include above points
    7.
    Lift up awarness via conferance and openess regards the point to point need of info to not be pinched altered and divereted at all the times for whatever reasons
    8.
    Establish special corners in megamarkets of IT that especially have closed glased of corners for calculators
    IT, computers and sensitive high resolution engineering in graphics with its security locks and crocodiles on the floor
    9.
    Lift of the bandwidth by going the softwareshops road making revenues for megamarkets its visible and under commercial laws normal.without infusion and alterations on the way to me.
    10.
    This i feel above is not even a chance regards going the road of biometric and encryption since that will bugg down every single lawyer regards volatge levels, lcd anomalities, radiowave hickups that could last forever of paperpiles to wade through and how to proof anything if point C is not in order which never could happend if not the telegraf stations and custom guarda is not in order. Its not as of todays date in many many locations.

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