[TR] 3.5 How to resolve common crashes in Lumion

2. Common causes of crashes

2.1: Crash while importing a model.

• Cause: Lack of memory / imported model is too detailed for the available hardware.

Diagnosis: Ask the customer to upload the model file and the original CAD file if applicable, so you can check if it also causes a crash on your PC. If it takes ages to import the file or if it makes Lumion crash, it almost always means that the model is too detailed for the available hardware.

• • Knowledge Base: How do you upload files for import/export questions?

Solution: Advise the customer to follow the instructions in the following article:

• • Knowledge Base: How do you prevent Lumion from hanging or crashing when importing detailed models?

2.2: Crash while assigning a 3D Grass Material to a surface.

• Cause 1: A 3D Grass Material was assigned to too big a surface.

Diagnosis: Ask the customer about the grass and/or get them to upload the .LS Project file.

• • Knowledge Base: How do you upload files to Lumion staff?

Solution: Advise the customer to follow the instructions in the following article:

• • Knowledge Base: How do you make grass render faster?

• Cause 2: Some AMD Radeon 6800 graphics cards have an issue with 3D Grass and cause Lumion to crash when the Material is assigned or rendered.

Diagnosis: Ask the user to provide a Diagnostics Report and their Project file. Check if they are using 3D Grass and have one of those graphics cards.

• • Knowledge Base: How do you provide a Diagnostics Report?
  • Knowledge Base: How do you upload files to Lumion staff?

Solution: Advise the customer to install the latest AMD graphics card driver. If the problem persists, the only other option is to follow the instructions in the following article:

• • Knowledge Base: How do you make grass render faster?

2.3: Crash while editing a Project, placing Objects, etc.

• Cause: The graphics card or other components might be overheating or overclocked.

Diagnosis: Ask the customer to follow the instructions in the following article:

• • Knowledge Base: How do you provide a log file from HWiNFO?

Solution: If the HWInfo report shows that some readings exceed nominal temperature/clock frequency values for the CPU, graphics card and RAM just before the crash, tell the customer to check the cooling system or disable overclocking for the relevant components depending on the cause of the problem.

2.4: Crash while rendering:

• Cause 1: The graphics card does not meet the minimum requirements.

Diagnosis: Ask the customer to provide a Diagnostics Report:

Solution: Check if the graphics card meets the system requirements.

• • Knowledge Base: How do you analyze a Diagnostics Report?
  • Knowledge Base: Which graphics card do you need for Lumion 10?
  • Knowledge Base: Which graphics card do you need for Lumion 11?

• Cause 2: The latest graphics card driver and all available Windows updates have not been installed.

Diagnosis: Ask the customer to provide a Diagnostics Report:

Solution: Check if Windows is up to date and that the latest graphics card driver is installed:

• • Knowledge Base: How do you analyze a Diagnostics Report?
  • Knowledge Base: How do you install the latest system software required to run Lumion? 

• Cause 3: 3D Grass Materials are assigned to too big surfaces.

Diagnosis: Ask the customer about the grass and/or get them to upload the .LS Scene file.

Solution: Advise the customer to follow the instructions in the following article:

• • Knowledge Base: How do you make grass render faster?

• Cause 4: The graphics card or other components might be overheating or overclocked.

Diagnosis: Ask the customer to follow the instructions in the following article:

• • Knowledge Base: How do you provide a log file from HWiNFO?

Solution: If the HWInfo report shows that some readings exceed nominal temperature/clock frequency values for the CPU, graphics card and RAM just before the crash, tell the customer to check the cooling system or disable overclocking for the relevant components depending on the cause of the problem.

• Cause 5: The Project is too complex for the user's hardware

Diagnosis: Ask the customer to provide a Diagnostics Report and their Project file.

• • Knowledge Base: How do you upload files to Lumion staff?

Solution: If you see in the report that the graphics card is not suitable for the level of complexity of their Project, advise them to follow the instructions in the following article:

• • Knowledge Base: Why does Lumion freeze or crash when you start rendering?

2.5: Crash while saving or loading an .LS Project file.

• Causes: Lack of memory, insufficient disk space or other factors.

Diagnosis: Ask the customer to let you know which of the factors in section 1 and 2 that apply to their situation:

• • Knowledge Base: Why does Lumion crash or display an error when you load or save some Scene files?

Solution: If the customer confirms that one or more of the factors in the article apply, the instructions in section 2 in the article should prevent crashes from occurring again in the future.