Cad Tip of the Day

How to restore a drawing from a backup file and move backup file to drive C

1. In Windows Explorer, locate the backup file identified by the .bak file extension.
2. Select the file you want to rename. You do not need to open it.
3. Click File menu Rename
4. Enter a new name using the .dwg file extension.
5. Open the file as you would open any other drawing file.

Now for moving backup file in to your drive C if you’re working in a Server file folder and want to change the destination directory simply type the command MOVEBAK


As the image above for example I made first a folder name bakfile in my drive C after that, I go to my Autocad type the command movebak then type the C:\bakfile and enter. And if you want to get back or restore from old destination type the . (period) for none.

AutoCAD: Troubleshooting corrupt DWG files

Issue: 
An AutoCAD DWG file cannot be opened and causes AutoCAD to show error messages or alerts, or to freeze or crash.   

Causes: 
Possible causes of file corruption 

• Network (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
• 3rd - party applications running inside the Autodesk product
• DWGs created or saved by non-Autodesk non-RealDWG products
• AutoCAD terminated while saving DWG (less frequent)

Recommendation: Audit and purge before saving

Solution: 
If a file cannot be opened, the following steps can be taken: 

• RECOVER command 
• Recovers a selected drawing file
• If successful, open and run AUDIT command (Evaluates drawing integrity and possibly more error correction)
• Set system variable AUDITCTL=1 to create a report of audit results
• RECOVERALL command (Recovers a selected drawing file)
• Attached and nested xrefs are also opened, repaired, resaved, and closed
• INSERT and EXPLODE
• Start a new DWG with no template 
• Run INSERT and selected the corrupted drawing
• Check the “Explode” option
• If DGN data was used: 
• NETLOAD the AutoCAD® DGN Hotfix (DgnLsPurge.dll) and run DGNPURGE
• The Hotfix can be downloaded from the Autodesk® Knowledge Network Support 

If a file can be opened but still shows signs of corruption, the following steps can be taken:

• RECOVER and AUDIT
• PURGE command
• Copy and Paste into a new drawing
• AECTOACAD (-EXPORTTOAUTOCAD) 
• Exports to a pure AutoCAD file in selected drawing version
• Strips potentially corrupt custom objects
• WBLOCK command 
• Set all layers ON, THAWED and UNLOCKED
• WBLOCK all objects in the drawing to an external block file
• INSERT the resulting file as block into a new drawing (check the “Explode” option or EXPLODE the block after inserting)
• AUDIT and PURGE
• DXFOUT/DXFIN 
• DXFOUT to create a new .dxf file
• Start new drawing and DXFIN to import the new .dxf file
• Also try exporting as AutoCAD 12 DXF
• XREF into a new drawing and BIND

Products: 
AutoCAD; AutoCAD Civil 3D; AutoCAD Map 3D; AutoCAD Raster Design; Infrastructure Modeler 
Versions: 2011; 2012; 2013; 2014 





This document contains content adapted from the Autodesk® Knowledge Network, available under Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works. Copyright © Autodesk, Inc.

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