SOLIDWORKS PDM Upgrade Checklist

If you are planning on upgrading to the latest release of PDM then make sure you follow our SOLIDWORKS PDM Upgrade Checklist below:

NOTE: Upgrading PDM carries some risk. It’s your company’s IP contained in your vault. Javelin can perform your upgrade for you to ensure it’s done right with minimal down time and risk of data loss. Contact your Javelin sales account manager for a quote. If a PDM upgrade is self-served and it goes poorly, our PDM Technical Support can help get the upgrade back on track, and the time may be billable.

Prepare (Recommended 1 week before upgrade)

• Download the full installation file set through a Customer Portal account (~10GB)
  • DS Knowledge Base > ‘Downloads and Updates’
  • Download and run ‘SolidWorksSetup.exe,’ choose ‘Download and Share’ for full file set
• Verify that the system requirements for server and client computers are met
  • https://www.solidworks.com/support/system-requirements

NOTE: Pay special attention to the Operating System as well as the Microsoft SQL Server versions.  SOLIDWORKS PDM 2021 SP5 is the last release that is compatible with Microsoft SQL 2014.  SOLIDWORKS PDM 2022 will require Microsoft SQL 2016 or newer.

• Ensure the 24 digit activation based serial number for PDM has been recorded

Upgrade License Manager (Recommended several days before upgrade)

• On the system serving as the license server, run ‘Setup.exe’ from the downloaded folder
  • Choose ‘Server products’ then ‘Upgrade SolidNetwork License Manager’
• Reactivate SolidNetwork License Manager
  • ‘SolidNetwork License Manager Admin’ from Start menu, then ‘Modify’
  • https://www.javelin-tech.com/blog/2019/05/update-solidworks-solidnetwork-license-server/

Backups (Immediately before upgrade)

• Have users Check In all files
• Ensure that the PDM Archive folders have been backed up
• Backup the SQL Databases
  • https://www.javelin-tech.com/blog/2019/07/manually-backup-solidworks-pdm-database/
• Backup the PDM Archive Server settings
  • https://www.javelin-tech.com/blog/2019/03/solidworks-pdm-backup-process/

Server Upgrade

• Upgrade the SOLIDWORKS PDM Database Server and Archive Server programs
  • Run \SWPDMServer\setup.exe to start the SOLIDWORKS PDM server upgrade
• Upgrade the SQL Databases
  • https://www.javelin-tech.com/blog/2013/04/solidworks-pdm-database-upgrade-tool
• Upgrade any PDM Add Ins
  • https://www.javelin-tech.com/blog/2016/08/solidworks-pdm-professional-task-add-in/
• If SOLIDWORKS PDM Web2 Server is installed configure Microsoft IIS to set the application pool for SOLIDWORKS PDM Web2 back to the correct identity
  • https://www.javelin-tech.com/blog/2020/01/solidworks-pdm-web2-upgrade-issues/
• Upgrade any additional replicated Archive Servers 

Client Upgrade

• Log into Windows as the Local Administrator account (ensure full local permissions)
  • https://www.javelin-tech.com/blog/2014/02/need-local-administrative-rights-install-solidworks/
• Run \SWPDMClient\setup.exe to start the SOLIDWORKS PDM client upgrade

Following SOLIDWORKS Upgrade

• Upgrade SOLIDWORKS Toolbox if located in the vault.
  • https://www.javelin-tech.com/blog/2020/04/how-to-manually-update-solidworks-toolbox-in-a-solidworks-pdm-vault/
• OPTIONAL:  Upgrade SOLIDWORKS files using the File Version Upgrade Tool
  • https://help.solidworks.com/2021/english/EnterprisePDM/UpgradeUtility/c_upgrade_utility_overview.htm

NOTE: Need to upgrade SOLIDWORKS? Then check out our SOLIDWORKS Upgrade Checklist