Installation of SolidWorks 2004 SP0

Today I received my set of 2004 SP0 CDs and launched right into
installing it to replace the Pre-Release 1 version which I've been
running alongside 2003.

I should have read the "Read This First" sheet more carefully to
recognize that 2004 SP0 is NOT to be installed as an upgrade to the
2004 Beta or Pre-Release.

However, since I made the mistake of attempting an upgrade, let me
describe the results:

1. The Windows Installer routines seemed painfully slow - probably
just a coincidence.

2. The upgrade installation simply hung after making some progress.

3. I logged off and back on to find the Installer still running and my
Windows "Active Desktop" went bonkers - needing restoration which
couldn't be performed with the Installer in progress.

3. After using Task Manager (in Windows 2000 Pro) to manually "kill"
the Installer-based processes, I reset the computer and found the
Installer to still be alive and kicking with the Active Desktop
continuing to be in trouble.

4. I then shutdown the computer and used Safe Mode to allow me to
easily delete the *.MSI file, the SolidWorks 2004 installation files
directory and the 2004 Pre-Release files/directories.

5. Rebooting normally and installing a "new" copy of 2004 then
proceeded without a problem...

(I understand that there's a utility available (via the SolidWorks
website) named "Remove2004pr2.exe". I don't know if it would have done
anything to remove the Pre-Release 1, but I certainly wasn't going to
try to get the Pre-Release 2 files for an update and then run the
utility!)

Anyway, the point of all of this is that I think the SolidWorks 2004
SP0 CD #1 should include more detailed installation directions for the
user to read on the computer screen, if desired, during (or before)
the beginning of the Windows Installer's procedures.

The difficulty with an upgrade to an earlier version of 2004 may not
have been recognized soon enough to allow for the inclusion of the
"removal" utility as part of the production CDs.

I often wonder if the developers spend enough time performing "real
world" installations on systems with multiple versions of SolidWorks
running side by side - including Beta and/or Pre-Release? I suspect
that too often the installations are standalone. It's so easy in a
non-production environment to simply wipe the slate clean and
reinstall.

While I should have taken more time to carefully plan the
installation, I'd say that all too often the SolidWorks setup program
misses opportunities to present useful prompts to the user within the
on screen dialog boxes.

Per O. Hoel

 

Does 2004 only install with the Windows Installer? If so, I have a
problem in that my C: partition is too small to allow WI to run. I have
found no way to direct it to another partition.

Thanks,
Gary

 

Yes, 2003 is only WI...

I thought you could direct it to a different drive. Maybe I be mistaken...?

I posted to a different thread the part about uninstalling the old
(downloaded) before the new CD's.

 

Hmm,... are you trying to make sense of this, Per!?

I will sorely miss the traditional installer, it was fast and easy.

IMHO, the WI sucks and is another way of idiot proofing but at the same
time it will create more problems than lessen them!!

Yeah, you screwed up but your point is spot on! If the installer was
setup to really be productive and fore warning, it would have noted your
previous beta, PR1 or PR2 or web sp0 traditional install and suggested
you remove them or it would remove them to install the CD sp0 WI.

oh joy,.. you know the person or persons who are responsible for the sp0
CD release are reading this... (hello, who ever you are.... yes, should
have done more to curb previous installs especially since you are only
allowing the WI.


... ;^)

 

Hello Per,

I did something similar with one of the pre-release packages and goofed
things up. The fix that I discovered was to reinstall the pre-release and
choose the repair option. I then was able to uninstall the pre-release
completely and then install 2004 sp0.

Gary

 

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavendar/poitier/135/32dohs.wav

... ;^)

 

You guys act suprised.
I've learned to "Sit down, shut up. You can do that can't you."

 

Gary,

Thanks for the related solution.

I have avoided using the Windows Installer for SolidWorks, since I
prefer the Traditional method. Now with 2004, users are no longer
given the choice.

Hopefully, with multiple versions of SolidWorks installed
side-by-side, the Windows Installer will be able to remove one version
of the program while leaving the other's files and Registry settings
intact.

In the past I have always deleted program files and Registry settings
manually, since using the Add/Remove applet in the Windows Control
Panel would strip so much out of the Registry that the version(s) of
SolidWorks not selected for uninstallation would no longer function.

I don't understand why the SolidWorks installation programs have never
included intelligent and automated (user attended) prompts for the
proper removal of Beta and/or Pre-Release versions.

Per O. Hoel
__________________________________________________________________________

 

Per O. Hoel quipped:

heh. you funny guy.

i installed sw2004, then uninstalled my old version, and all my add-ins were
gone!!! I had to repair my sw2004 installation in order to get even pdf
printing back!

<sigh>

-nick e.

 

Per,

I just had to uninstall the CD-WI version of SP0. You have to use the
"remove" utillity on CD#1. If you use the "add remove" in the control panel
your machine locks up, at least mine did, causing you to have to power down.
This results in an incomplete uninstall process that loads when you start
the machine back up. Fortunately, the "remove" utillity on the CD was able
to stop the process, and uninstall SW2004.

I can tell right away that the WI installer is going to make things ten
times more difficult, and lengthy, than they were with Install Shield.

Thanks SW

Mark

 

Although I signed up for the Beta program I never loaded it because of my
fears (from past experience) of WI on my NT box. I finally upgraded to XP
and loaded the SP0 version. The only problem so far is that it screwed up
printing on SW2003 when printing single sheet drawings.

As far as I am concerned any piece of software that takes over an operating
system to the extent you are describing without documenting what is
happening is to be avoided. I am not sure what the benefit to the customer
is for WI. But as has been said, we have no choice yet.

As usual Per, you have provided some very useful information that will
likely get a lot of people/companies out of hot water in the next few
weeks. Thanks.

 

I think the only reason for the WI is to prevent people from installing the
software without
having the disks on hand.

Jay

 

Mark,

I didn't realize that the "remove" utility is provided right on CD#1.
My prior post just mentioned its availability on the SolidWorks
website.

While it's certainly good to have the utility supplied on the
production CD, I have to wonder how anyone launching right into
installing 2004 (especially during a hectic workday) is supposed to
know of the utility's existence and to understand how and when it's
supposed to be used.

Even if there happened to be some mention of it on the "STOP Read This
First" sheet, the best way for the user to be advised is through the
installation software routines which SolidWorks really needs to make
more comprehensive and complete.

I often feel as though I'm expected to piece together tidbits of
information from various locations (printed instructions, CDs,
website, newsgroup, etc.) in order to be prepared with everything
needed for a successful installation.

People are oten unfamiliar, impatient, rushed and/or distracted.

It's SO easy, for example, to forget to temporarily shut off virus
scanning during a SolidWorks installation. There are many other
software programs which prompt the user to do so AUTOMATICALLY during
setup. This is just one of many things the user should be prompted for
during the installation of SolidWorks!

Per O. Hoel
_____________________________________________________________________

 

Dear Navy,

I found that the SW 2004 SP0 disks would not install on our computer (Dell
360, P4 2.4 GH, XP Pro SP1). We had to copy each CD onto the hard drive
(C into directories Disk1, Disk2, etc. and install from disk 1. Also Sw
couldn't find all of the CAB files and was forever telling me about it, so I
finally copied all of the cab files from disks2 & 3(swwi/data) to
disk1(swwi/data) . It finally loaded with no problems.

Our IT says that many programs have a problem loading from RWCD's in XP.
They do this often.

It's the first time I saw it, but loading from the hard drive fixed the
problem.

Tom
Marine Pilot