Cannot enable hardware acceleration in AutoCAD installed under a localized language

Autodesk Support

Oct 8, 2023

Products and versions covered

Issue:

Within AutoCAD 2015 which are installed with a language pack, hardware acceleration cannot be enabled. The virtual device shows "gdi12.hdi(Software)."

User-added image

Solution:

First check that AutoCAD is not missing its CertificationDB.xml file. The path is noted below. If not present, you may copy it from another installation of AutoCAD (i.e., the XML file for plain AutoCAD will work for AutoCAD Architecture, etc.). Doing a reinstall of AutoCAD should replace it too.

Hardware acceleration can be enabled by editing a key in the Windows registry:

Exit AutoCAD.
Click the Start menu and in the search field, enter Regedit.
In the registry editor, locate the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Autodesk\AutoCAD\R20.0\ACAD-E0XX:XXX\.
For the registry entry PTXMLPATH, set the value to:

i.e. AutoCAD Architecture 2015:
C:\Users\Public\Documents\Autodesk\AutoCAD Architecture 2015 - English\R20.0\PTXML\CertificationDB.xml
i.e. AutoCAD MEP 2015:
C:\Users\Public\Documents\Autodesk\AutoCAD MEP 2015 - English\R20.0\PTXML\CertificationDB.xml

Delete the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Autodesk\AutoCAD\R20.0\ACAD-E0XX:XXX\3DGS Configuration\Certification\. ACAD-E0XX:XXX is the product version and Local ID for your Autodesk product. To determine the product version and id for your product please refer to the list in this link.

Warning!
Problems caused by improperly editing the Windows registry could render your computer operating system unusable. Microsoft provides a wealth of critical information that you need to know about the registry in the Microsoft Knowledge Base. Use the Microsoft Registry Editor only at your own risk and only after backing up the registry as outlined for your operating system in the Microsoft article How to back up and restore the registry in Windows and in the related solution How to backup the system registry. Additional information about the registry is also contained in the Help topics in the Microsoft Registry Editor.

Products:

AutoCAD Products;

Versions:

2015;

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