Repairing SOLIDWORKS installed from an Admin Image

A client machine with SOLIDWORKS installed from an Admin Image does not have the ability to run a repair using the SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager. An uninstall/reinstall is the best solution, however a repair can be attempted by doing the following:

** DISCLAIMER: This document assumes that your installation of SOLIDWORKS was originally installed using the default locations, If your installation location for SOLIDWORKS differs please adjust the techniques below accordingly. The procedures in the following document require access and edits to the windows registry. Any such edits are at your own risk and should only be attempted under the advisement and direction of your IT professional. If you are uncomfortable with executing the procedures below please seek assistance. It is advised to backup your registry and any valued data before making any changes to the system registry. Javelin Technologies assumes no responsibility for any consequences, unintended or otherwise resulting from changes made to the system or the system registry.

Repairing SOLIDWORKS Admin Image installation starts with the Registry Editor, which can be activated by typing regedit in Windows “Search Programs and Files” (under “Run” for Windows XP systems) and clicking on regedit.exe

Activate Regedit

CRITICAL…backup the registry by selecting Export from the File menu as shown below

Export from Registry Editor

Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionUninstall

With the key selected, press Ctrl-F on your keyboard to start a search and enter SOLIDWORKS in the “Find What” field.

Find dialog

Repeatedly press F3 on your keyboard (Find Next) until you find a key that contains the string “InstallSource”. Verify that the value is correct. If it is not, the rest of this process will not work.

Browse to C:WindowsInstaller (type the path in the Windows Search Programs and Files, this is a hidden system folder)

Access location

Set View type to “Details”

Set detail view

Click View > Details

Choose Details

Turn on “Authors” and “Title” from the Choose Details dialog and pick OK

Authors and Titles enabled

Right-click on an empty area of the Explorer Window and “Group by” Author (Sort by in Windows XP)

Group By

Locate the MSI file for the SOLIDWORKS installation, right-mouse button on this MSI and choose “Repair” (click on the image to enlarge)

Repair MSI file

Get more information

Many thanks to the DS SOLIDWORKS Support team who have always been a great source of information. You can learn more about the repair process from the following blog post: what happens when you repair SOLIDWORKS?