Accessing the Drawing Recovery Manager in AutoCAD
To recover drawings within AutoCAD, first, navigate to the menu. Click on the **File** tab and select **Drawing Recovery Manager**. Alternatively, you can access it through the Application Menu by clicking **Manage** and then selecting **Drawing Recovery Manager**. If you prefer using the command line, type `DRAWINGRECOVERY` and hit Enter to bring up the Recovery Manager interface.
Locating AutoCAD Recovery Files
To find the files that AutoCAD automatically saves during use, locate your Temp folder. For Windows users, simply type `%TEMP%` into the Start menu or the path bar of any folder window. For macOS users, look in the user’s folder under **Documents/Autodesk/Autosave** to find the relevant recovery files.
Recovering a Drawing in AutoCAD 2025
If you’re using AutoCAD 2025 and need to access the Drawing Recovery Manager, start by clicking the Application button. Then, navigate to **Drawing Utilities** and select **Open Drawing Recovery Manager**. The interface will display a list of backup files available for recovery, which may have been created following an unexpected shutdown or crash.
Recovering Unsaved Files in AutoCAD
To retrieve files that were not saved, launch AutoCAD and access the Drawing Recovery Manager as previously described. Any unsaved drawings due to a power failure or software crash will appear here. Select the drawing you wish to recover and follow the prompts to restore it.
Accessing Backup Files
1. Use File Explorer to locate a backup file designated by the `.bak` file extension.
2. Right-click on the file and select **Rename**.
3. Change the file extension from `.bak` to `.dwg`.
4. Open this newly named file in AutoCAD as you would with any standard drawing file.
Using the Autosave Feature
AutoCAD includes an Autosave feature that periodically saves your work automatically. This feature helps in preventing data loss should the software or your system crash. The autosaved files usually have a `.sv$` extension.
Recovering Autosave Files in AutoCAD
To recover an autosaved file:
1. Identify the recent `.sv$` file that corresponds to your drawing.
2. Rename the file extension from `.sv$` to `.dwg`.
3. Open this file in AutoCAD, which will allow you to continue working as intended.
Opening a Backup File in AutoCAD 2025
To open a backup file that AutoCAD created:
1. Access Windows Explorer.
2. Navigate to the cache location and locate the backup file with the `.bak` extension.
3. Right-click the file and select **Rename**.
4. Change the extension from `.bak` to `.dwg`.
5. Open the newly minted drawing file in AutoCAD to retrieve your previous work.
Converting SV$ Files to DWG
If you have an autosave file ending with `.sv$`:
1. Ensure that Windows Explorer is set to show file extensions.
2. Navigate to the autosave file and right-click to select **Rename**.
3. Modify the extension to `.dwg`.
4. Open the file in AutoCAD.
Understanding AutoCAD Recovery Processes
AutoCAD has mechanisms in place to recover data from potentially damaged files. During the recovery process, the software attempts to extract as much data as possible from the corrupted files, supporting various file types like DWG, DWT, and DWS. However, note that when trying to recover a DXF file, it will only open the file without performing recovery.
Frequently Asked Questions
**1. What should I do if the Drawing Recovery Manager doesn’t show any files?**
If the Drawing Recovery Manager does not list any files, ensure that your AutoCAD settings are configured to save backups. You might also check the Temp folder for any .sv$ or .bak files that could be missed.
**2. How often does AutoCAD autosave?**
AutoCAD typically saves your work at intervals set in the preferences. You can adjust the autosave interval settings under the **Options** menu, allowing flexibility in saving preferences.
**3. Can I recover deleted AutoCAD files?**
Deleted files can sometimes be recovered using file recovery software, or by checking the Recycle Bin for any mistakenly deleted backups. However, once a file is permanently deleted without a backup, it is generally not retrievable through AutoCAD’s built-in features.
