SolidWorks and EAA

[AnnaWood]

I am going through the download process, and the second page wants my serial number. Where does that come from?

You will receive an e-mail from the SolidWorks Education Dept. Buried down a paragraph or two will be your serial number.

[Alvin Voigt]

I have been unable to install SolidWorks. Every attempt now provides this sequence:

Click the onscreen icon "SOLIDWORKS 2016 x64 Edition
Small window opens: "SOLIDWORKS 2016 x64 Edition SP02"
"Please wait while Windows configures SOLIDWORKS 2016 x64 Edition SP02"

After the green bar advances to quite near the end of the box, a new small window opens:
"Error 2753. The file 'drawcompare.exe' is not marked for installation"
Click "OK"

New small window opens:
"Problem with Shortcut Fatal error during installation.
Click "OK" and the window closes.

New small window opens:
"Fatal error during installation."

SolidWorks is not installed and this sequence occurs each time I double click the SolidWorks icon.
SolidWorks promises no technical support for the EAA student version. So far, SolidWorks has kept its promise.

[Cory Puuri]

I have been unable to install SolidWorks. Every attempt now provides this sequence:

That is a Windows error that appears to occur when the prior version of a software program does not completely uninstall. Use this method to completely uninstall SOLIDWORKS and then reinstall it:
https://forum.solidworks.com/thread/41343

[Alvin Voigt]

Cory,

Thank you for your attempt to help. These errors are from a current version of SW 2016, not a prior version of SW. I have only the current version of SW 2016.

I first reloaded a full disk image from a backup, then downloaded the voluminous W10 corrections for MS faulty coding. The backup image contained an installed but inoperable SW 2016.

The uninstall remove method from the link you provided kinda-sorta worked but the batch file did not remove very much. I used the file and registry locations in the batch file and manually removed the directories and directory entries that still existed.

Next, SW 1016 installed correctly and I was able to begin a SW tutorial from the SW web site two days ago. This computer has operated properly for all other uses for the past two days.

Today, judging from the delays and messages in shutdown and booting W10, several more MS updates to correct more faulty W10 coding were automatically downloaded and installed on this computer.

Now, the message "Error 2753, The file 'drawcompare.exe' is not marked for installation." is displayed and SW installation backs out and the message "Problem with shortcut Fatal error during installation." is displayed. SW will not open. This error is also one of the same errors as I had in my previous attempts to install SW 2016.

So far, I have been unable to accomplish only one small bit of training and no useful work in SW. I might attempt to learn FreeCAD and give up on SW although FreeCAD seems to have some difficulty importing a dxf file created by DraftSight.

I am not interested in a full uninstall in detail and a reinstall of SW each time I attempt to open SW.

[cwilliamrose]

Is it still possible these days to setup a dual boot? If you were running Win7 (Pro) you might avoid a lot of the problems you're seeing as it is a mature OS with a good track record running SWx.

[Jeffrey Meyer]

Is it still possible these days to setup a dual boot? If you were running Win7 (Pro) you might avoid a lot of the problems you're seeing as it is a mature OS with a good track record running SWx.

Fantastic idea - I'm glad I thought of it


http://www.howtogeek.com/214477/how-...ns-of-windows/

[Cory Puuri]

Cory,

Thank you for your attempt to help. These errors are from a current version of SW 2016, not a prior version of SW. I have only the current version of SW 2016.

I first reloaded a full disk image from a backup, then downloaded the voluminous W10 corrections for MS faulty coding. The backup image contained an installed but inoperable SW 2016.

The uninstall remove method from the link you provided kinda-sorta worked but the batch file did not remove very much. I used the file and registry locations in the batch file and manually removed the directories and directory entries that still existed.

Next, SW 1016 installed correctly and I was able to begin a SW tutorial from the SW web site two days ago. This computer has operated properly for all other uses for the past two days.

Today, judging from the delays and messages in shutdown and booting W10, several more MS updates to correct more faulty W10 coding were automatically downloaded and installed on this computer.

Now, the message "Error 2753, The file 'drawcompare.exe' is not marked for installation." is displayed and SW installation backs out and the message "Problem with shortcut Fatal error during installation." is displayed. SW will not open. This error is also one of the same errors as I had in my previous attempts to install SW 2016.

So far, I have been unable to accomplish only one small bit of training and no useful work in SW. I might attempt to learn FreeCAD and give up on SW although FreeCAD seems to have some difficulty importing a dxf file created by DraftSight.

I am not interested in a full uninstall in detail and a reinstall of SW each time I attempt to open SW.

Sorry for the frustration you're experiencing. I will contact GSC, our VAR to see if they have a fix for this. It sounds like this is a Microsoft updates issue, in which case, Bill and Jeffrey's work around might be a fix. In any case, I would recommend uninstalling SW completely and reinstalling it. I suspect you will only encounter this problem when Microsoft updates are applied that mess with the Registry.

[Alvin Voigt]

I will contact GSC, our VAR to see if they have a fix for this. It sounds like this is a Microsoft updates issue, in which case, Bill and Jeffrey's work around might be a fix. In any case, I would recommend uninstalling SW completely and reinstalling it. I suspect you will only encounter this problem when Microsoft updates are applied that mess with the Registry.

Hi Cory,
No joy yet. It seems this is neither a unique coding error, an unrepeatable coding error, nor a recent coding error. It might be solvable by using SW 2016 SP04 rather than SW 2016 SP02 that GSC is using for EAA. See https://forum.solidworks.com/thread/171863 The number of similar failures reported in that SW forum post, without citation for the failures reports, seems to imply that that competent testing is neither available nor every attempted before a SW version release.

Of course, we will be unable to determine if SE 2016 SP04 is a real solution.

Alvin

[Alvin Voigt]

Is it still possible these days to setup a dual boot? If you were running Win7 (Pro) you might avoid a lot of the problems you're seeing as it is a mature OS with a good track record running SWx.

Thank you, William, for the idea. However, all my home machines have been upgraded via the free W10 from MS, so all my W7 licenses are no longer valid. I would have to add another $100, or so, for a W7 license and then it is still not a sure install as noticed in https://forum.solidworks.com/thread/171863. Frustrating, it is.

[cwilliamrose]

We have recently purchased two Win7 Pro OS sealed products for around $40 each on eBay. No problems with either install or registration -- FWIW.