Problem A Diagnostic File Has Been Written New - Ansyswbuexe Encountered A

If the screen goes black or the log mentions OpenGL:

The most crucial part of the error message is the phrase: “a diagnostic file has been written.” This file is not an error log in the traditional sense; it is a memory dump (often with a .dmp extension) or a detailed crash report. Its location is typically in the user’s temporary folder or the project’s solve directory (e.g., C:\Users\[Username]\AppData\Local\Temp\ or [Project Folder]_files\dp0\SYS\MECH\).

The diagnostic file contains:

For the average user, this file is nearly unreadable. However, for ANSYS support engineers or experienced analysts, it is the equivalent of a flight data recorder. It distinguishes between a crash caused by bad geometry, insufficient RAM, a corrupt installation, or a genuine solver bug. If the screen goes black or the log

Abstract This paper analyzes the common ANSYS Workbench runtime error message "ansyswbuexe encountered a problem. A diagnostic file has been written: new", explores likely causes, presents methods to locate and interpret diagnostic/log files, provides systematic troubleshooting steps (from quick fixes to advanced debugging), and outlines preventative practices and environment hardening to reduce recurrence. The goal is a practical, structured guide useful to engineers and IT professionals who support ANSYS installations.

File types to look for:

Example meaningful lines:

4.1 Corrupted project or user settings

4.2 Graphics driver conflicts, GPU acceleration, or remote sessions For the average user, this file is nearly unreadable

If crash prevents changing GUI prefs, edit user config files or start with environment variable overrides:

Check for overlays (e.g., MSI Afterburner, game overlays) — disable them.

4.3 Incompatible or missing Visual C++/runtime libraries

4.4 Licensing or license server connectivity problems

4.5 Antivirus/endpoint protection interference or insufficient permissions File types to look for:

4.6 Insufficient memory, corrupted swap/pagefile, or system instability

4.7 Conflicting third-party software or plugins

4.8 ANSYS product bugs or known issues

Locate diagnostic/log files:

Quick isolation:

Minimal reproduction:

Environment checks:

Reset user config:

Update ANSYS:

Collect detailed evidence:

Escalate:

Compress project and logs (excluding IP-sensitive data) and use company support portal or ANSYS customer portal per vendor instructions.

Creating minimal reproducible cases:

Scenario B: A single corrupted design model causes an immediate crash when opened.

Scenario C: Corporate AV quarantines ANSYS DLL leading to crashes.

References and further reading

Acknowledgements This paper synthesizes practical troubleshooting experience for graphical/engine simulation software and recommended enterprise IT practices to harden engineering workstations and streamline diagnostics.