SOLIDWORKS Frequently Asked Questions

Genuine SOLIDWORKS software is legally licensed and should only be purchased directly from Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS Corporation or through an authorized SOLIDWORKS reseller.

• Access to new releases and software updates available for download on the Customer Portal
• Local Technical Support provided by your Value Added Reseller
• MySolidWorks.com – Training, 24/7 Knowledge Base, and Discussion Forums
• Access to exclusive products such as SOLIDWORKS Visualize Standard* and SOLIDWORKS CAM**
• Access to Certification exam vouchers 
• And so much more!

* Available to download for every SOLIDWORKS Professional and Premium license on active Subscription 
** Available to download for every SOLIDWORKS Standard, Professional, and Premium license on active Subscription

Technical support comes in two forms:

• Live support includes live technical support from your local SOLIDWORKS value-added reseller (VAR) who has been trained and certified by SOLIDWORKS to help you trouble shoot an array of technical issues.
• Electronic support includes an abundance of resources all accessible online.  These resources include access to the Knowledge Base, tech tips, help files, tech alerts, web casts, service request reporting and tracking through our 3DSupport App, access to our Enhancement Request community and more. Please visit our SOLIDWORKS.com support home page for links to these resources.

Product activation is an anonymous, secure, and hassle free process that authenticates licensed users during the installation process. The process verifies that the serial number is legitimate, and has not been activated on more systems than allowed by the SOLIDWORKS End-User License Agreement (EULA). It does not affect the ability of licensed users to use their software the way they always have.

Software piracy is the illegal and unauthorized downloading, copying, modifying, use, or distribution of copyrighted software that violates the terms of the End User License Agreement (EULA). Find out more about SOLIDWORKS License Agreement.

The easiest way to order SOLIDWORKS Subscription Services is to contact your local VAR. If you are unsure who your VAR is, please contact SOLIDWORKS and we will assist you.

The goal of the Certified SOLIDWORKS Professional Program is that it establishes an Industry standard by which SOLIDWORKS professionals are evaluated. This evaluation is completed using a fair, comprehensive test of your knowledge of SOLIDWORKS both in the areas of Mechanical Design and Design Validation. Completing the evaluation will accomplish two goals. First, on an individual level, achieving certification establishes you as a highly competent professional in the use of SOLIDWORKS. Second, for the hiring managers, acts as a valuable assessment to attest for the individual’s competency, thereby reducing the amount of time and energy required to research prospective candidates.

There is a 14-day waiting period before retaking any SOLIDWORKS Certification exam.  Also the user will be required to purchase another exam credit to retake the test. 

Inactivity beyond the specified interval frees the license for use by another user. The server reclaims the license to the free license pool. When the original user session is no longer idle, a new license will be granted if available. If there is no license available, the user will be able to exit without data loss.

SOLIDWORKS Software is available in thirteen languages. Live technical support is provided by your local VAR which helps insure you receive support in your region’s local language.

Note that the system requirements for commercial versions and Student Edition versions are not different. For details, please check this link: www.solidworks.com/SystemRequirements

This link provides the minimum system requirements for running SOLIDWORKS.

The CSWA/P test is an on-line test that can be taken on any computer that has SOLIDWORKS running and a connection to the Internet.  The test runs in its own client window separate from SOLIDWORKS.  You can either run the exam software on the same computer as your SOLIDWORKS software or in a separate computer next to the one running SOLIDWORKS.  Please note that if you are taking the test on a separate computer that you have some means to transfer files from the computer running the testing client to the computer running SOLIDWORKS.  Dual monitors are recommended but not required.

As stated above, an internet connection is required for the CSWA/P exams.  At this point there are no provisions for a stand-alone exam.

Product Activation for standalone products was introduced in 2007 and for SNL products 2010.

To help assure a successful installation of the SOLIDWORKS® software, the Installation Manager checks to see if there are any pending reboot requests on your system. A pending reboot request occurs when a program or installation makes a change to files, registry keys, services, or operating system settings. This leaves the system in a transient state.

For example, a SQL Express installation automatically terminates if a pending reboot request exists. In other cases, the transient state of a SOLIDWORKS installation can lead to installation errors.

As a best practice, restart your system before beginning a SOLIDWORKS installation. If it is not possible to restart the computer at the time of install, then you can ignore the warning. In such cases, restarting the system becomes the first troubleshooting step following an unsuccessful installation

When the installation files are downloaded and extracted it is possible that Windows will block the HTML files and scripting that creates the user interface for the Installation Manager. This results in the Installation Manager not displaying any options and showing a white screen.

To correct this issue, the files for the Installation Manager will need to be unblocked.

1. Navigate to the <SOLIDWORKS Download>\sldim\lang\english\HTML folder that was extracted from the download
2. Right click on a file found in the folder and select Properties
3. On the General tab select the ‘Unblock’ option
4. Do this for every file in this folder. The list of files should include the following:
   • frameset.html
   • framesetstartup.html
   • header.html
   • imfunc.js
   • navpanestartup.html
   • sldim.css
   • sldim_navepane.css