Repairing SOLIDWORKS 2018

This guide is written for SOLIDWORKS 2018. If you are using an earlier version of SOLIDWORKS, please download our earlier repair documents.

If you encounter problems with an installed SOLIDWORKS Product, you can use the SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager to repair the installation.

Before loading any software, you should always login with full administrative permissions and disable any anti-virus and anti-spyware programs. Be sure your operating system has been updated with Windows Updates recently to avoid any compatibility issues with the installer.

This is not a troubleshooting guide. If you have any technical issues with SOLIDWORKS, please contact Hawk Ridge Systems technical support.

This document is only to be distributed and used by Hawk Ridge Systems customers. Any other use is prohibited.

In order to repair and installation of SOLIDWORKS, you need to have the source files from the original installation of the version. For example, if you used the DVD to install SP0, then downloaded the update for SP3, you will need to have the DVD in order to repair SP3. If you downloaded the original installation files, they should already be on your machine, but if they have been moved or deleted after the installation, the repair will be unsuccessful.

*You can only repair an individual installation. You cannot repair an administrative image; you must uninstall and then reinstall when using an administrative image. If you have client computers that have loaded successfully from your administrative image and only wish to repair a single errant client, you should reload SOLIDWORKS by launching the StartSWInstall.hta file from this client as covered in our Administrative Image Guide document.

To repair an installed product:

1. Close all programs and login with full administrative rights.
2. Disable any anti-virus or anti-spyware programs. Set the User Account Controls to "never notify." (Start>Control Panel>User Accounts>Change User Account Control Settings)
3. Click the Start menu, then locate the control panel Control Panel. Once there, navigate to Programs and Features, then choose Uninstall a program. 
4. Select the SOLIDWORKS version you wish to repair. Click the Change button. If there is not a Change button, SOLIDWORKS was installed from an administrative image. In this case, please refer to the instructions above.
5. On the Welcome page, you will be asked for the type of operation you would like to perform. Choose Repair the individual installation (on this computer) and press the Next button to continue.
6. On the Products to Repair screen, select the products you want to repair. Clear the rest of the products by clearing their check-boxes.
7. Click the Repair button to continue.

Now you will want to reboot your machine and start SOLIDWORKS. Retest your issue to see if the repair has resolved any problems you were having with SOLIDWORKS.

If your issue persists after the repair, you will want to see our Removal Guide, which covers how to remove SOLIDWORKS and clean your computer’s registry and installation folders. Then reinstall your seat of SOLIDWORKS to resolve the issue.