Slow SOLIDWORKS Startup? Check the load time of your Add-Ins

Here at Javelin we see all kinds of “interesting” scenarios that people have created for themselves by way of not following the best practices for an installation of SOLIDWORKS. One of the manifestations of a less-than-stellar installation is a slow SOLIDWORKS startup; especially if this is the first time SOLIDWORKS has been run since the computer had been restarted. With SOLIDWORKS 2015 we gained new insight to help identify where sluggish startup issues may lie. SOLIDWORKS includes a “Last Load Time” column on the right side of the Add-Ins dialog.

Typically add-in load times should read less than a second. If there is more than a second delay for an unknown reason — it’s time to dig a little deeper.

Causes for a slow SOLIDWORKS startup

The delays can be caused by unregistered Add-In DLL files, or any anti-malware that happens to be scanning the DLL file at the time.

The add-in dialog shown in the figure below; reports that the SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation 2016 Add-In is experiencing a delay of 19 seconds upon startup. As it turns out, this was the exact amount of time it took to activate this particular seat of Flow Simulation, so there was no need to panic.

In any case the “Last Load Time” column provides one more dashboard light on the road to a solid installation of SOLIDWORKS.

The “Last Load Time” column can help you identify which Add-Ins may be delaying the startup of SOLIDWORKS.