How to Recover Unsaved File in AutoCAD 2015?

Understanding AutoCAD’s Auto-Recovery Feature

AutoCAD offers a powerful feature designed to safeguard your work by automatically saving progress at specified intervals. This proactive approach ensures that you minimize the risk of losing critical design data due to unexpected software crashes or power failures.

Locating Temporary Files

To recover an unsaved file in AutoCAD 2025, you first need to access the temporary files stored on your system. Follow these steps:

1. Open the Run Dialog Box: Press Windows Key + R on your keyboard.
2. Enter the Temp Directory: Type %temp% into the dialog box and hit Enter. This will open the Temp folder, where AutoCAD stores temporary files.

Finding AutoCAD Autosave Files

Within the Temp folder, you need to locate your AutoCAD files:

1. Search for the Relevant Files: Look for files with extensions like .sv$. These are AutoCAD autosave files.
2. Identify the Correct File: The naming convention will typically reflect your drawing’s original name, alongside a timestamp to help you identify the latest version.

Recovering the Autosave File

Once you’ve identified the correct autosave file, the following steps will guide you through recovering it:

1. Change the File Extension: Right-click on the .sv$ file and rename it, replacing the .sv$ extension with .dwg. This transformation allows AutoCAD to recognize the file correctly.
2. Open AutoCAD: Launch AutoCAD on your system.
3. Access the Renamed File: Use the Open dialog within AutoCAD to navigate to the location of your newly renamed .dwg file and open it. AutoCAD will attempt to restore the drawing to its most recent state.

Using the Drawing Recovery Manager

Another way to access potentially recoverable drawings is through the Drawing Recovery Manager:

1. Open AutoCAD: Start your AutoCAD application.
2. Access the Recovery Manager:
   • For Windows Users: Click on the File menu, navigate to Drawing Recovery Manager.
   • For Command Line Users: You can enter DRAWINGRECOVERY in the command prompt to open the recovery manager.
3. Select Your Files: The Recovery Manager will list all available backups and unsaved files. Double-click to open a file to explore its recoverability.

Regularly Save Your Work

While AutoCAD’s autosave feature is invaluable, it’s equally important to develop a habit of manually saving your work. Use CTRL + S frequently to ensure that you have saved the latest changes during your work session. Additionally, customizing autosave intervals in the program settings can further protect you against data loss.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What files can be recovered using AutoCAD’s Drawing Recovery Manager?
You can recover drawings that were unsaved due to a crash, as well as backups created during previous sessions. Files with extensions like .dwg, .bak, and autosave files in .sv$ format are typically listed.

2. What steps should I follow if I cannot find my temporary files?
Ensure you’ve set AutoCAD to autosave correctly under the options settings. If necessary, check the settings to confirm the autosave location. If files are still missing, they may not have been saved if the software was closed forcibly before the autosave routine executed.

3. How can I adjust the autosave interval in AutoCAD?
To change the autosave interval:

• Access the Options dialog from the File menu.
• Navigate to the Open and Save tab.
• Adjust the Automatic Save setting to your preferred interval (e.g., every 5 or 10 minutes) to enhance your workflow’s reliability.