DDi Tech Center

BEFORE YOU UNINSTALL (Please read through these instructions before beginning)

1) If this is a STANDALONE seat, you need to return your Activation license BEFORE Uninstall!!

This can be done from the Help pull down and select Transfer License.

Best practice is to transfer Activation license automatically over the Internet.
This sends the Activation license back up to Solidworks.

2) If you wish to save your settings (keyboard short cuts, menu customization, System Options, or Toolbar layout/customization) then run the SolidWorks Copy Settings Wizard located in:
Start/All Programs/SolidWorks 2009/SolidWorks 2009 SP#.#/SolidWorks Tools, Copy Settings Wizard.

Once Saved you can restore these after your reinstall.

Note: If you are reinstalling due to a performance issues, be sure to launch SolidWorks before restoring settings to make sure the issue was cleared up.
Then perform the restore settings by double clicking on the “SWsettings file”.

3) Perform Standard Un-installation
Open Control Panel, Select Add-Remove Programs

Select SolidWorks, Select Uninstall
If prompted, select Yes to All to remove shared files.

Also uninstall any SolidWorks products:
-eDrawings
-Simulation(COSMOS)
-DWG editor
-SolidWorks explorer
Note: Make sure you delete all versions of these products

4) Delete SolidWorks Program Directory
Delete these directories if they exist. SolidWorks installs to these typical directories:
C:\Documents and Settings\<user name>\Application Data\SolidWorks (also delete other SW related folders)
C:\Progam Files\SolidWorks*
C:\Progam Files\SolidWorks Corp*
C:\Program Files\Common Files\SolidWorks Data (optional: this is the toolbox Installed with SolidWorks 2007 or older, normally only deleted when reinstall issue includes toolbox)**
C:\SolidWorks data (optional: this is the toolbox installed with a clean SolidWorks 2008 or newer, normally only deleted when reinstall issue includes toolbox)**
C:\Program Files\Common Files\SolidWorks Shared
C:\Program Files\Common Files\SolidWorks Installation Manager
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\SolidWorks***
C:\Windows\SolidWorks

Vista / Windows 7:
C:\Users\”CURRENT_USER”\AppData\Roaming\SolidWorks
C:\Users\”CURRENT_USER”\AppData\Roaming\DassaultSystemes
C:\Users\”CURRENT_USER”\AppData\Roaming\DWGeditor
C:\Users\”CURRENT_USER”\AppData\Roaming\EDrawings

64 bit OS:
C:\Program Files (x86)\SolidWorks
C:\Program Files (x86)\SolidWorks Corp
C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\SolidWorks Data* (optional: this is the toolbox, normally not deleted)
C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\SolidWorks Shared
C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\SolidWorks Installation Manager
C:\ProgramData\DassaultSystems
C:\ProgramData\SolidWorks

Note: deleting is considered ok but if you have custom files such as templates consider renaming/moving these

*If you have customized files (i.e. templates) make sure to back them up so you may restore them later.
Typical customized file locations to back up:

Design Library
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\SolidWorks\SolidWorks 2009\design library

Document Templates
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\SolidWorks\SolidWorks 2009\templates

Toolbox Library
C:\SolidWorks data

**If you have toolbox that you use locally, (not shared on a network), it will be in this directory called Browser, be sure to back up this in another location so you may restore it later, or you will be back to a default toolbox and have to recreate all the sizes you have used!

***The \Application Data\ directory is by default hidden.
To show in Windows Explorer go to Tools menu, Folder options, View Tab, select Show Hidden Files and Folder.

5) Delete SolidWorks Registry Entries.

Open Registry Editor from Start Menu (Start, Run, type in regedit)

!!WARNING!! be extremely careful in this registry editor, if you delete or change something you can adversely corrupt your computer!! Make certain you know what are removing. If you are not sure about how to proceed please call technical support or contact your IT department.

Registry folders to be deleted:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\eDrawings
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\SolidWorks
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ Software\SolidWorks BackOffice
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SRAC
HKEY_CURRENT_User\Software\Wow6432Node\Solidworks
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\eDrawings
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\SolidWorks
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\SolidWorks Corporation
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\SRAC

XP 64 bit
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Wow6432Node\eDrawings
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Wow6432Node\SolidWorks
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Wow6432Node\SolidWorks Corporation
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Wow6432Node\Srac
Close registry editor

Clean un-installation complete

6) Before reinstalling: Disable the Virus scanner and any pop-up blocker programs.

Please look over SolidWorks’ recourse for Anti-Virus recommendations: Click Here

http://www.solidworks.com/sw/support/AntiVirus_SW.html