Visualize Boost: 2017 Installation Guide

 This document has detailed instructions on how to download, license, and install the SOLIDWORKS Visualize Boost.

Before loading any software, you should always log in with full administrative permissions and disable your anti-virus and anti-spyware programs.

This is not a troubleshooting guide. If you have any technical issues with SOLIDWORKS Visualize, please contact a support technician through our website at https://support.hawkridgesys.com/home or call us at 1-877-266-4469 (U.S.A.) or 1-866-587-6803 (Canada).

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

©2016 Hawk Ridge Systems

Before Installation

It is highly recommended to take a moment before installing Visualize Boost to check that you are ready to load your new software. Follow these steps before installing SOLIDWORKS Visualize:

1. Ensure the eligibility for Visualize Boost. A license of Visualize Boost is bundled with Visualize Professional packages. Visualize Boost can also be purchased as a separate product, although Visualize Professional is also required to take advantage of Visualize Boost.

2. Log in to your computer with full administrative rights.

3. Turn down the User Account Control setting (found in the Control Panel). To do this, navigate to your Control Panel > User Accounts > Change User Account Control settings. The window that follows will have a slider that controls how restrictive the User Account Control currently is. Make sure the setting is set to “Never Notify” before installing Visualize. Any changes made to the User Account Control requires a machine restart for the changes to take effect. If desired, this setting can be changed after installing Visualize.

4. Disable all anti-virus and anti-spyware tools.

Visualize Boost Licensing 

A license of Visualize Boost is included with each Visualize Professional 2017 license. An additional serial number is required to activate the complimentary seat of Visualize Boost 2017. This new additional serial number can be found by logging into your SOLIDWORKS Customer Portal and clicking My Products. A Visualize Professional serial number cannot be entered when attempting to install a complimentary seat of Visualize Boost.

With the 2017 release, Visualize Boost is now installed via the SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager. If you have a SOLIDWORKS 2017 DVD kit, proceed to the next section for instructions on how to install it. If you are looking to download or update Visualize 2017, please see our 2017 Downloads and Updates document for more details on how to obtain an Installation Manager for SOLIDWORKS.

Basic Installation

1. Insert your SOLIDWORKS DVD or launch a 2017 SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager that can be obtained via the Customer Portal Downloads and Updates section.

2. The first page of the Installation Manager will welcome you to SOLIDWORKS and ask which type of installation you would like to perform. For a standalone install, pick the option Individual (on this computer). Press the Next button to continue.

3. The next page will ask for the serial numbers of your products. Input your Visualize Boost serial number into the SOLIDWORKS Visualize Boost field, found in the Visualization section. Input any other product serial numbers into their appropriate fields.

4. Click the Next button to continue. The Installation Manager will check to see that it is up to date. Additionally, it will confirm what products you are entitled to install.

5. You may be informed that there is a newer available for download. We recommend you choose to continue installing with your original service pack and upgrade later. If you receive this prompt, choose your desired option and press the Next button to continue.

6. During the Summary section, click on the CHANGE link found to the right of the Products drop-down menu.

7. Ensure that Visualize Boost is checked for Install. Once you have done this, click Back to Summary to return to the summary section.

8. If you wish to edit your Download Options or Install Location, you can press the CHANGE button on any of these items to customize them. Pressing the plus symbol (+) will show what the current settings are.

9. You will be shown the estimated install size for your products at the bottom of the Summary section. The estimated download size for additional install files may also be shown.

10. Click the Install Now button to continue. If there are any files that need downloading, this button will appear as Download and Install.

11. Any required download will start automatically.

12. If any install files were downloaded, the Visualize Boost install would start automatically. Any other products that were selected during the previous Summary section will also install automatically.

13. Once the Install has been completed, press the Finish button to exit the Installation Manager.

Activating and Deactivating Visualize Boost 

In order to activate the Visualize Boost, you will want to first launch the tool via one of the following methods:

1. Start Visualize Boost via your Start Menu > SOLIDWORKS 2017 > SOLIDWORKS Visualize Boost.

2. From the desktop, double click on your Visualize Boost shortcut.

3. Launch Chrome, Firefox, or Internet Explorer, and navigate to http://localhost:8993/config.html

After launching Visualize Boost, input your e-mail address into the field shown and click Enable License.

To deactivate a Visualize Boost install, walk through these steps:

1. Launch Visualize Boost through one of the methods listed at the beginning of this section.

2. Navigate to the Help

3. Select Transfer License.

Visualize Boost should now be deactivated.

For instructions on how to configure Visualize Boost, please see our Visualize Boost 2017 Configuration Guide.