If you’re experiencing issues with your SOLIDWORKS installation or need to move it to a new machine, reinstalling the software may be necessary. Fortunately, the process is straightforward and can be done in a few simple steps. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to reinstall SOLIDWORKS, whether you need to repair an individual installation or perform a clean uninstall and reinstall.
Repairing an Individual SOLIDWORKS Installation
If you encounter problems with your SOLIDWORKS installation, you can use the SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager to repair it. To do this, your machine must have all the source files from the previous installation and any applied service packs in the location where they were originally installed.
Here’s how to repair an individual SOLIDWORKS installation:
- Open the Windows Control Panel and click Programs and Features.
- Select the SOLIDWORKS version you want to repair and click Change.
- On the Welcome to SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager screen, click Repair your installation.
- On the Products to Repair screen, select the product you want to repair and clear the rest of the products.
- Click Repair to begin the repair process.
It’s important to note that you cannot repair an administrative image; you must uninstall and then reinstall the administrative image.
Performing a Clean Uninstall and Reinstall
If you need to completely remove SOLIDWORKS from your machine, you’ll need to perform a clean uninstall and then reinstall the software. This process is useful for repurposing a machine or when a repair is not sufficient due to a corrupt installation.
Here’s how to perform a clean uninstall and reinstall:
- Access Programs and Features through the Windows Control Panel.
- Select the SOLIDWORKS application you wish to remove and choose Uninstall.
- When the Installation Manager launches, select OK to continue the uninstallation.
- Choose the products you want to uninstall and select the items to remove.
- Reboot your machine if necessary.
- Manually remove any remaining registry locations.
- Begin a clean SOLIDWORKS installation using the installation files.
If the SOLIDWORKS application you wish to uninstall does not appear in the list of installed programs or if the uninstall process fails through the Installation Manager, you can use the Windows troubleshooting tool to individually remove each program until they are all gone.
In some cases, the uninstallation process may seem to hang or fail. If this happens, you can try killing the process after a couple of hours and launching the tool again. If the Microsoft tool designed to fix uninstall issues fails, it often means that an OS reformat is required.
Remember to create a backup of your registry before making any changes, and only attempt these steps if you’re comfortable working with the Windows registry. If you’re unsure or uncomfortable, it’s best to seek assistance from an IT professional.