In two days I would need AutoCAD installed for my course. It is common knowledge that AutoCAD doesn’t work on Linux, even with Wine. I’ve been looking around for threads but it seems like knowledge and experience with this is fragmented. Also, I would prefer not using the web version as the WiFi is spotty in my university.

For example, would AutoCAD even work on a VM? I heard that some apps won’t even run on a VM.

Is Windows capable of deleting my Linux partition from within a VM? I apologize for my lack of experience regarding this matter.

What VM is better to use? I think I would prefer one that saves files, I think.

Should I even bother with a VM or should I just use an old laptop? Do note that my old laptop is a budget laptop and I don’t know how demanding AutoCAD can be.

  • webghost0101@sopuli.xyz
    56·
    2 days ago

    As much as i hate my own answer, when using a computer for work or school you should adapt to using the operating system and sofware supported by that school.

    The last thing you want is to, in middle of class get instructed to download and use x, and then have to go into a rabbithole of trying to be compliant, missing the class.

    I would not trust a vm for cad software because i don’t know how heavy the stuff is that you would be doing. You might need that dedicated gpu. dualboot is probably a better option.

    Another interesting idea, based on the fact that Linux can read and use from windows disks is to make it windows and school appropriate with 2 partitions, then install your preferred linux on a fast bootable usb.

    This way you can take and run your linux wherever you want, and when you plug it in the laptop you just access the partition from the windows disk to put heavy programs and files.

    I am doing sm similar on desktop where my old windows drive is still there and functional but is also used as game install drive from linux.

    • XiELEd@piefed.socialOPEnglish
      2·
      6 hours ago

      Hmm… I guess this is the best answer after all (Dual-booting). I just downloaded Windows 10 on my USB using Ventoy and I just realised that by dropping ISOs I could have a selection of distros that I could Live Boot. So I guess this also opens up a lot more possibilities!

    • mushroommunk@lemmy.today
      21·
      1 day ago

      This is the answer. It’s annoying and sucks, but the truth.

      A VM would work in a lot of other cases but with CAD I wouldn’t trust it without extensive testing of all the features, testing OP doesn’t really have time for. GPU passthrough and full feature support can be wonky in VMs.

  • unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de
    14·
    2 days ago

    VMs should be a safe option if they work with autocad. Unless you do something really wrong, a VM has no write access to the host linux system and therefore poses no danger to it.

    Idk if autocad works in a VM, but i dont see why it wouldnt.

  • superweeniehutjrs@lemmy.world
    12·
    2 days ago

    AutoCAD barely works on Windows. I don’t have any recommendations other than a VM. In a VM everything is sandboxed, unless you go out of your way to expose real hardware to it. Give it a shot. Don’t use an unofficial lightweight version of windows, AutoCAD uses niche features that might have been removed. You don’t need a license

  • qjkxbmwvz@startrek.website
    4·
    1 day ago

    Does you school library lend out laptops for this sort of thing? Or, can you remote into a library/lab computer for this?

    I would definitely opt for a dedicated machine, running the recommended OS, no VM, as others in this thread have said. It’s one thing if it’s for a homelab, but for coursework…not what I’d be comfortable with.

  • hodgepodgin@lemmy.zip
    2·
    1 day ago

    just want to add that VM pass through won’t work unless you have two GPUs, an integrated and dedicated GPU. It also requires a bit of technical knowledge to setup.

  • IpsumLauren@lemmy.world
    2·
    1 day ago

    I’d start with installing VirtualBox and create a Windows 10 VM on it (you can get the official ISOs from the Microsoft site itself). Sometimes you can even get it to activate if your laptop has a license on its firmware. Windows cannot touch your partitions from inside the VM, and if you can’t get AutoCAD to work on it you can just delete the VM and try other methods.