Cannot install AC 25 under Windows 11 (ARM) on M1 Max MAC

[Roland68]

THX for support!

MacBook Pro M1max with parallels and installing AC on windows11

[Karl Ottenstein · Accepted solution]

Hi @Roland68 

I'm actually surprised that you got as far as the error message that you show.  As you know, on an Apple ARM processor (M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max etc) - Parallels cannot run an Intel version of Windows - only the ARM version (which Microsoft has stated it has no intent of offering [yet] as an OS to the general public for such purposes - limiting the usefulness of Parallels Desktop on M1 chips).

While Windows 10 or 11 for ARM (vs Intel) support a virtualization of some Intel apps and code - they cannot fully support any arbitrary Intel Windows program.  The error message seems to indicate that the Visual C redistributable subsystem cannot be installed on ARM Windows.  That said, the ARCHICAD installer, being written only for Intel, would be looking for the Intel version of VCRedist.  You could see if you can find an ARM version of that library/subsystem on a Microsoft site, install it manually, and then try to install ARCHICAD again just in case it recognizes the ARM version during installation.   I doubt it though.

We will be waiting for many months for a native M1 version of ARCHICAD for MacOS as it is... I doubt seriously that Graphisoft will expend any resources trying to get a Windows version to run on ARM chips.

Is there a reason you are not simply running AC 25 under MacOS Monterey?

[Roland68]

Hi Karl!

Thank you very much for your prompt and detailed comment, now i understand the basic problem.

The reason for using parallels is, that we are used to work with Lumion since years and we are convinced that AC/Lumion ist the better solution than AC/twinmotion. 

I will check if there is a VCRedist for ARM available, in the meanwhile I try an approach to Twinmotion....

Thanks!

[Roland68]

Lumion is only running on windows x64, maybe the next problem (not arm version)

[Jose Gradoli · Accepted solution]

Windows ARM runs awful on M1 Macs. Besides, running Archicad + lumion in a virtual machine is a bad combo. Some 3D / render developers are looking again to Mac. For example Enscape is preparing a macOS version on 2022, Octane and Redshift work natively on M1 Macs, Twinmotion is running its 2022 preview version on Mac too (without path tracer), and who knows if Lumion will develop a macOS version soon.

[Roland68]

Thanks Jose, i will get in contact with lumion and watch out what enscape develops. Twinmotion is still an option, octane and redshift is an unknown field for us. …

[Djordje · Accepted solution]

Hm...

... you should decide what software you want/need to use, and then check the hardware/OS combo that works best.

Your intended software combo is definitely not suited for Macs, especially not M1 Macs. Any mid to high spec Intel or AMD based gaming laptop with good multi GB RAM video system will be perfectly suited for your software combo.

Conversely, if you want to work on the Mac, then, with the exception of Archicad that is native, but not yet for the M1, the rest of the combo will also have to be Mac native... the coming Mac OS Enscape was already mentioned, TwinMotion is also close by, but missing the hardware support, it is probably not there yet, and don't hold your breath for Lumion being native.

In short: forget the Macs. Your software combo does not work on the Mac. For the same amount, get a monster gaming laptop, much uglier and less elegant than any Mac, and you can work...

I am not as nice as some people in this conversation are, but the sooner you see what you need to do and decide, the sooner you will be doing what you should be doing: your projects 🙂

[Jose Gradoli]

Glad to help. I've tried Octane standalone from Mac App Store and it's a promising engine. But there's no plugin for macOS Archicad.

Redshift now runs inside Archicad but I'm not able to render scenes faster than cinerender.

[Roland68]

Hi Djordje, thanks for your advice, unfortunately it seems that you are right😉  Any recommendations for a monster gaming laptop? 

Thx Roland

[Djordje · Accepted solution]

Welcome, Roland

Check the hardware requirements for your software suite, multiply by one and a half or two, and check the local market availability. RTX technology is fast becoming a must have for the immersive visualisation. Then you will know!

We are running HP Omen and Alienware desktops, Lenovo Legion, Acer Predator and ASUS ROG laptops, all on Windows 10, and no issues with either Archicad or TM. Our models go up to about 10GB on BIMCloud.

Hope this helps!