"An activation prerequisite is missing, please reinstall (68)" Error When Launching SOLIDWORKS

As shown in the above illustration, this particular error is related to the SOLIDWORKS activation process. Since the activation manager is unable to start successfully, SOLIDWORKS will be prevented from activating or launching. Typically, this error occurs when the required activation manager files were not installed correctly.

Troubleshooting

To troubleshoot this error, it is first recommended that the install of SOLIDWORKS be repaired. This can be accomplished by navigating to the Windows Control Panel > Programs and Features > Right click on the install of SOLIDWORKS > Change > Select "Repair the individual installation" > Next > Select "Repair".

If the repair does not resolve this issue, it is then suggested that these next steps be followed.

1. Navigate to the following path: C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\setup\i386. As a note, the C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\ portion of this directory is the default SOLIDWORKS install path, so this may be different based on your setup.

2. In this folder, confirm the existence of the files named "swlicservinst.exe" and "swinstactsvc.exe", as shown below.

3. Once the location of these two files have been confirmed, take note of the location and launch an administrative Command Prompt. This can be done by navigating to the Windows Start Menu > Type "cmd" without quotations into the Windows search field > Right click on the Command Prompt application that appears > Select "Run as administrator".

4. In the Command Prompt window, type "cd " without quotations, followed by the previously identified path. If your install is using the default directory, this syntax should appear as: cd C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\Setup\i386 

An example of how this should appear is shown below:

5. After typing the command mentioned in step 4, press Enter. You should see this path appear in the next Command Prompt line.

6. Next, type in: swlicservinst.exe -swip swx

7. Press Enter after typing the syntax of step 6. You should see no errors or pop up windows when performing this step.

8. After step 6 and 7 are accomplished, type in: swinstactsvc.exe -swip swx

9. Press Enter again. As with step 7, there should be no errors or pop ups.

10. If these steps are successful, launch SOLIDWORKS to confirm whether or not the software is functional.

If the above steps do not resolve the issue covered in this article, or if you have any questions, feel free to contact Hawk Ridge Systems Technical Support at support@hawkridgesys.com.