For whatever reason, your AutoCAD shuts down before you have a chance to save your work. Do you stand a chance of recovering if the file after the fact?

Firstly, try using the recovery manager to see if you can recover the latest version of the file. It should pick up the backup and automatic file save files as well.

What to do if the files do not show up under the recovery manager on restart?

Whether or not you stand a chance of recovering immediately depends on you have permission to edit the AutoCAD Automatic File Save folder, as seen in the AutoCAD File Options:

Note the default directory is a hidden directory, and to see it through the Windows File Explorer you would have to set the File Explorer settings appropriately:

Also, by default, the local user does not have permission to view this folder, so you would have to ask your IT department to assist you with that as well.

Find the .bak or .sv$ file that is of interest, copy it to your desktop or some other folder, then rename and change the extension to .dwg, then open that in AutoCAD.

For more information, consult the following Article where Autodesk discusses the recovery of the file from either the .bak or .sv$ files:

• https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Understanding-AutoCAD-backup-and-autosave-files.html

For future reference, you may consider changing the automatic save folder to something the local users do have access to.

If you need training using AutoCAD or help in your office to apply it correctly, please contact Micrographics so we may be of assistance.