SOLIDWORKS PDM Upgrade Checklist

If you are looking into a SOLIDWORKS PDM Upgrade to a newer version release of PDM, I would recommend starting the preparation by making sure you understand the general process and the pitfalls of doing so. I would recommend taking a look at 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 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 the SOLIDWORKS PDM upgrade):

Ensuring you have the installation file set, have a general idea of what the process looks like and ensuring the machine you are installing this software is compatible is the first step to a successful upgrade. You don’t want to get started and have to reverse changes because your OS or SQL version is not compatible with the newest version of the software.

• Download the full installation file set through a Customer Portal account
  • SOLIDWORKS Support > Downloads > login using your 3DS credentials
  • https://www.javelin-tech.com/blog/2012/04/manually-download-solidworks-software/
• Alternatively, for the full installation file set, please contact your VAR and let them know what Version Year and Service Pack you wish to upgrade to, and they can assist
  • https://www.javelin-tech.com/3d/people/technical-support/
• Review the PDM/Manage Installation guide
  • INSTALLATION GUIDE SOLIDWORKS PDM 2025/SOLIDWORKS Manage 2025
• 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 2023 SP5 is the last release that is compatible with Microsoft SQL 2016. SOLIDWORKS PDM 2024 will require at least Microsoft SQL 2017, and 2025 will require Microsoft SQL 2019 or newer.

• Ensure your 24-digit activation-based network serial numbers for PDM and SOLIDWORKS have been recorded

Upgrade License Manager (Recommended several days before the SOLIDWORKS PDM upgrade):

The licenses you activate on the SolidNetWork License Manager Server application are backwards compatible. This means if you were to upgrade your SNL manager to the most recent release and your licenses are still on subscription, the SNL manager will allow for user to pull licenses for previous versions of the software (SOLIDWORKS, PDM, ETC). This allows you to segment your upgrade to ensure that these individual pieces are working and your company has minimal downtime.

• 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 the Start menu, then ‘Modify’
  • https://www.javelin-tech.com/blog/2019/05/update-solidworks-solidnetwork-license-server/

Backups (Immediately before upgrade):

Having a good backups can be crucial as you cannot foresee every instance in where this process might go wrong. If you run into issues during the process as long as you have good back-ups the PDM Server can be restored and protect against accidently data loss.

• Have users Check In all files
• Ensure that the PDM Archive folders have been backed up
  • Archive Folders – 2025 – SOLIDWORKS Design Help
• Back up the SQL Databases
  • https://www.javelin-tech.com/blog/2019/07/manually-backup-solidworks-pdm-database/
• Back up the PDM Archive Server settings
  • https://www.javelin-tech.com/blog/2019/03/solidworks-pdm-backup-process/

Server Upgrade:

The process is pretty much as simple as install the new software, upgrade the Databases but there are many setting and feature in PDM that require some attention to get them ready for the new version.

• 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:

SOLIDWORKS PDM is not backwards compatible with itself to the latest version year. If you upgrade the SOLIDWORKS PDM Server application to new  version year, your client MUST be on that same version year in order to connect properly.

• Log in to 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 the SWPDMClient\setup.exe to start the SOLIDWORKS PDM client upgrade

Post SOLIDWORKS Upgrade:

If you decided to upgrade SOLIDWORKS with SOLIDWORKS PDM, then you might need to ensure that the toolbox is upgraded and you might want to look into the FVUT to ensure your Model opening performance doesn’t suffer.

• Upgrade SOLIDWORKS Toolbox if it is 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 (FVUT)
  • https://help.solidworks.com/2024/english/EnterprisePDM/UpgradeUtility/c_upgrade_utility_overview.htm?verRedirect=1

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