I'm new to Houdini and having trouble just placing simple geometry like a sphere into a scene.
My system configuration is as follows: up-to-date Windows 7, Intel HD Graphics 4600 (latest driver 10.18.14.4578, listed as supported in the help), 12 GB RAM

After installing and starting Houdini Apprentice Version 16.0.557 it always crashes whenever I put any node into the scene (like a cube, sphere, …). I submitted the crash log but like to ask for your advice now, as you maybe already have a solution. The crash log looks as follows:

Crash report from arettkow; Houdini Core Version 16.0.557
Uptime 27 seconds
Tue Apr 25 15:09:10 2017
Caught signal 11

Traceback from 6068 ThreadId=0x0000124c
CURRENT THREAD 4684
+0xdf1954ed
+0xdf05d4e9
+0xdf052320
+0x9432a9f7
+0x94308904
+0x94320fd3
+0x942aeb62
+0x942acd87
+0x942b5009
+0x535888af
+0x535864a4
+0x53586124
+0x5354ab7b
+0x5365df17
+0x53653cd9
+0x538190b2
+0x538169f0
+0x538188ce
+0x53818c50
+0x53811f78
+0x5381174f
+0x53810558
+0x537f0f01
+0x77d92409
+0x77d92812
+0x77d925f2
+0x77d92409
+0x77d92812
+0x77d925f2
+0x77e92a38
+0x77e970e3
+0x77e973e0
+0x537ea2e1
+0x77e314d5
+0x77e7b595
+0x77e0d634
+0x77e307ee
+0x77e2f252
+0x77e2f3a8
+0x93e5aff0
+0x93e5b6d2
+0x3fc5169f
+0x776759cd
+0x778aa561

Houdine crashes with a segmentation fault. I googled the problem but only got the advice to update the graphics driver, but I'm already using the latest one.

If there's anything more I could provide you (other log files, …), just tell me!

You need a better computer dude.

What you can try is to alter your Display settings and lock them in as the new default. Turn off all visual bells and whistles, mainly material display and any viewport effects. Turn off that fancy new grid as well, it is the culprit of some crashing.

This might get you past the crash on node creation but without a system that meets the minimum requirements you are just one click away from a crash. save often if you do get some work done.

Doesn't my computer meet the minimum requirements? I thought I did.
I just tried Houdini 15 and it crashes with the same error. On my previous laptop (3rd generation Intel Core CPU compared to 4th on current, but Windows 10 instead of Windows 7) it runs fine, so it shouldn't be just the hardware, I assume. Installing Houdini 16 on the old one now and will let you know what happens.

What also might be interesting (regarding my newer laptop, of course): When I turn on wireframe mode before adding any geometry, it works fine and I can see in wireframe what I wanted to see. Switching back to the shaded view gives the same error as before.

EDIT: Ok so even Houdini 16 runs on my older notebook(Intel HD Graphics 3500, 4 GB RAM, Windows 10). So for the moment I can use this machine, but I'd prefer to have it up and running on the newer one with much more RAM..

Could you file a bug [sidefx.com] for the crash? It looks like an OpenGL shader-related issue, so possibly something with the graphics card/driver. It might be a little while before it gets looked-into, because the person with the best shot of figuring it out is on vacation right now.

Okay, just did that. Thank you for the hint there.

Interesting. I have the exact same issue. Segmentation fault and a crash each time. Whenever geometry is added.
Interestingly enough I have the same graphics card. Intel Graphics 4600. its on my i7 4770k cpu.

Older versions of houdini work fine just not the new 16.

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/product/81496/Intel-HD-Graphics-4600 [downloadcenter.intel.com]

Make sure you have the latest driver, especially for Intel graphics cards. For win7 it's 15.36.33.4.578 and for win10 it's 15.40.34.4.624, according to the link above.

If it still crashes with the latest driver, please log a bug. Thanks!
https://www.sidefx.com/forum/topic/15603/ [sidefx.com]

Even with updated drivers it wont work unfortunately.

Has there been any fix for this?
Is it just not compatible with Intel Graphics 4600 card? eventhough its listed that it is..

Are there any other people who do use the same Intel Graphics card and dont have this issue?

I have the same issue here.
It was working fine on houdini through windows 10, but since windows 10 doesn't suits me I chose to switch back to windows 7.
On windows 7 everything works fine but Houdini's viewport, even maya's viewport works… I tried to reinstall the last drivers but it doesn't change anything.
Last solution, go back to windobe 10.