Troubleshoot

MacAthena | WinAthena | Adobe | Autodesk | ESRI | Rhinoceros

This page contains tips for solving problems with running software on cron public cluster computers. (Additional troubleshooting tips for resources supported centrally by IS&T can be found here: ist.mit.edu and kb.mit.edu. For printing/plotting tips, see Print : Plot : Scan.)

MacAthena

  • At login, a confusing message appears regarding Keychain Passwords
    • Symptom: after changing your Kerberos password, you find that MacAthena throws a message about Keychain Passwords at login
    • Solution: Accept the default option: Update Keychain Password. For the 'current password' enter your old Athena password, and for the 'new password', enter be your current Athena password
  • Spotlight Searches Incomplete
    • Symptom: when searching for files by name or content, Spotlight returns no/few hits
    • Solution: This is a known limitation of MacAthena. Files stored on network files systems (AFS/DFS) cannot be indexed
  • Windows icons and text appear too small in Virtual Machine
    • Symptom: All icons and text are very small when running Windows VM on computer with high resolution display
    • Solution:
      1. Launch VMware
      2. From the window belonging to the VM in question, select Settings
      3. Click Display
      4. Uncheck 'Use full resolution for Retina display'

WinAthena

  • Windows icons and text appear too small on high resolution display
    • Symptom: All icons and text are very small when running Windows on high resolution display (often Apple computers under Boot Camp) 
    • Solution:
      1. Got to Windows Settings
      2. Click System
      3. Slide the 'Change the size of text, apps, and other items' bar to the right
  • Cannot access I: drive (AFS)
    • Symptom: the I: drive does not appear or is empty
    • Solution:
      1. Shutdown computer
      2. Start computer
      3. Report problem to cron
  • Computer Does Not Sleep / No Screen Saver
    • Symptom: the computer and monitor never sleep 
    • Solution:
      1. Shutdown computer
      2. Report problem to cron
  • Windows icons and text appear too small in Virtual Machine
    • Symptom: All icons and text are very small when running Windows VM on computer with high resolution display
    • Solution:
      1. Launch VMware
      2. From the window belonging to the VM in question, select Settings
      3. Click Display
      4. Uncheck 'Use full resolution for Retina display'

Adobe

  • Windows: Illustrator crashes when Saving files
    • Symptom: Illustrator crashes when trying to save a file and the default printer is unavailable or not set
    • Solution: Set your default printer to a printer that is online and connected
      1. Close Illustrator.
      2. Go to Control Panel >  Devices and Printers.
      3. Select Adobe PDF or one of another printer that is always available
      4. Right-click and select 'Set as default printer'
      5. Restart Illustrator
  • Windows: All or Some PDF Pages do Not Print
    • Symptom: PDFs or pages from PDFs do not print 
    • Solution: Print PDF as 'image'
      1. Generate PDF ensuring that all PDF options are OFF
      2. Open PDF with Adobe Acrobat Professional
      3. Click Advanced button in Print Dialog Box
      4. Select 'Print as image 200 dpi' in resulting window
      5. Send job to print
  • Windows: PDF Generation Hangs
    • Symptom: Windows stops responding when generating a PDF 
    • Solution: Delete corrupted settings
      1. Quit all Adobe applications
      2. Delete the folder C:\Users\[your.kerberos.id]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe and all of its contents
  • Adobe programs crash, hang or otherwise act badly (Windows)
    • Symptom: Various Adobe programs aren't behaving as expected. 
    • Solution: Remove corrupt Adobe settings files and registry entries to reset them to their original state
      1. Exit all Adobe applications
      2. Start a command window by typing 'cmd' at the explorer Start -> Run prompt.
      3. Type the following commands in a command (cmd) window:
        reg delete hkcu\software\adobe
        rmdir /s /q "%APPDATA%\adobe"
  • Windows: Brown/Yellow Grays when printing from Adobe
    • Symptom: Brownish/yellowish grays when printing from any Adobe application
    • Solution:
      1. Select 'Print...'
      2. In print dialog box, select Color Management
      3. Set Color Handling to 'Let Postscript printer determine colors'

Autodesk

  • Autodesk Product Cannot Access License Server
    • Symptom: Autodesk product doesn't start when off-campus, complaining of License Server
    • Solution:
      1. Quit all Autodesk applications
      2. Start your VPN connection. If no VPN client installed then download from ist.mit.edu/ra-vpn
      3. Once VPN session is Connected, start Autodesk product
  • Windows: Autodesk Product Still Cannot Access License Server
    • Symptom: Autodesk product doesn't start, complaining of License Server, when on-campus or using the MIT VPN
    • Solution: If running Autodesk product from own computer:
      1. Navigate to the folder C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\Adlm
      2. Delete the file cascadeinfo.cas
      3. Re-run Autodesk product
      4. If running Autodesk product from cluster computer, contact cron and report the name of the computer (from the label on the front of the computer)
  • Windows: Autodesk Product STILL Cannot Access #$%@#$ License Server
  • Windows: Autodesk Product crashes, hangs, or otherwise acts badly
    • Symptom: Autodesk product doesn't start, crashes, or stops responding to input (hangs) at random times, though other programs continue working normally
    • Solution: Remove corrupt settings files and registry entries
      1. Exit all Autodesk applications
      2. From the Start menu, run Programs > Accessories > Command Prompt
      3. Type these commands in a command (cmd) window. Hit return/enter after each line. If you are asked to confirm, click Y for yes and click return/enter: 
        reg delete hkcu\software\autodesk
        rmdir /s /q "%APPDATA%\autodesk"
      4. Re-run the Autodesk program and try again

ESRI

  • Windows: ArcGIS icons are too small
    • Symptom: Despite changes to Windows screen magnification level, the ArcGIS text and icons remain too small on high resolution displays.
    • Solution:
      1. Right-click ArcMap from the Start menu
      2. Select Properties
      3. Click the Compatibility tab on the ArcMap 10.x Properties dialog box
      4. Check 'Disable display scaling on high DPI settings' to enable the option, and click OK
      5. Optional:
        1. Click 'Toolbar options' menu on toolbar
        2. Customize...
        3. Click Options tab
        4. Select 'Large icons'
  • Error connecting through VPN to Arcgis License Server
  • ArcMap crashes, hangs, or otherwise acts badly
    • Symptom: ArcMap crashes or stops responding to input (hangs) at random times
    • Solution: Remove corrupt settings files and registry entries
      1. Exit all ArcGIS applications
      2. Start a command window by typing 'cmd' at the explorer Start > Run prompt
      3. Type the following commands in a command (cmd) window:
        reg delete hkcu\software\esri
        rmdir /s /q "%APPDATA%\esri"

Rhinoceros

  • Windows: Rhino plug-ins do not load/appear
    • Symptom: Rhino plug-ins do not run or appear in Rhino interface
    • Solution: Find the plug-in's location on C: \ drive and manually launch
  • Windows: Rhino or its Grasshopper plug-in hang or freeze on startup
    • Symptom: Rhino and Grasshopper have settings that are corrupted or incompatible with a newer version
    • Solution: Delete your personal settings with these steps:
      1. Quit/Kill Rhino to make sure it is not running
      2. Bring up a Windows Expoler (not IE) window
      3. In the address bar type %appdata% (or C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming) to go to your settings folder
      4. Delete any folders called McNeel or Grasshopper
  • cron-issued Rhino does not run when off campus
    • Symptom: cron-issued Rhino fails to launch when off campus 
    • Solution: Start your VPN before launching Rhino.

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