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Solving docking station problems for architects

Have you ever had a problem with your docking station not working with Revit, for example, or another software, while perfectly operating with everything else you are doing? As an IT company servicing the AEC industry it’s one of the most common problems we help our clients resolve.

Docking Station Errors Can Cause Revit Problems

Architects and other design professionals who use Revit software may encounter problems when using a docking station. These problems can manifest themselves in a variety of ways, including:

  • Generic error messages from Windows, such as “a random DLL stopped working” or “Application just stopped working”
  • Errors within Revit, such as modules that do not load or diagrams that are blurry or flicker

In many cases, these problems are caused by the docking station itself. A lower-quality docking station may not be able to provide enough power to Revit, or it may not be compatible with the software.

If you are experiencing problems with Revit and you are using a docking station, there are a few things you can do to try to resolve the issue:

  • Try using a different docking station.
  • Make sure that your docking station is compatible with Revit.
  • Update the drivers for your docking station.
  • Contact the manufacturer of your docking station for support.

In some cases, the only way to resolve the issue is to purchase a higher-quality docking station. If you are experiencing persistent problems with Revit, it may be worth investing in a better docking station to improve your productivity.

As an IT company servicing the AEC industry, we see this issue all the time. One of our clients, for example, was experiencing persistent problems with Revit. They had tried all of the troubleshooting steps above, but nothing had worked. They were about to give up and switch to a different software when they contacted us.

We were able to identify the problem as a compatibility issue between their docking station and Revit. We recommended that they purchase a higher-quality docking station, and once they did, the problem was resolved.

If you are experiencing problems with Revit, we recommend that you check your docking station. It may be the source of your problems.

Selecting a Docking Station

Let’s start by helping you understand the process of selecting the right dock station, to begin with. Compatibility is probably the first place you want to start. If you are using a Lenovo laptop, it’s best to check with the Lenovo website for their recommendation on dock station compatibility. It isn’t always easy, because docking station info is typically buried somewhere deep on the manufacturer’s website. But it’s there, so take a few minutes to find it and review the recommendations.

Be careful of running the docking station compatibility search on marketplaces like Amazon. You’ll be presented with options that “work” with your computer manufacturer, but they are not necessarily 100% compatible in all aspects. The compatibility info can get a bit technical, so the best possible option would be to have your IT team help you select the right docking station.

If we had to give a recommendation on brands that work best, we’d pick Lenovo or Dell. And that’s not just because they’re name brand. For example, Dell’s docking stations are designed to work with a specific Latitude or an Inspiron model. And Lenovo is the same way.

The docking station issues are not limited to architects, as engineering firms and construction companies also utilize the same toolsets. Therefore, this is an issue for the entire AEC world, which encompasses anyone who uses graphic-intensive software suites, such as Revit, ArchiCAD, and Vectorworks.

Please contact us if you have any questions or need help getting your docking station problems resolved.: www.getarchit.com.

ArchIT specializes in providing IT services for architecture, design, and engineering firms. If you have any questions, please contact us.