New Software Has Arrived - Looking For Advice.

[Ferris]

I am a Mechanical Desktop user that is making the switch to SolidWorks. The software was delivered this afternoon, so I am getting ready to do the install.

Does anyone have any words of wisdom to share? Are there things that you now know and wish someone would have told you while you originally set up your system?


Thanks in advance.

Ferris.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Wise choice ... Welcome aboard.

What version of SW do you have ... Basic, Office, Office Pro?
Do you intend to use PDMWorks?
Do you intend to use Toolbox?
Will you be the sole user?
Is the install to be on a standalone computer or network?

I don't use PDMWorks or Toolbox, & I am the only user, so I will not be of much help to you with the above list, but know that there are many others in this forum who will be.

One possibly important thing, if you intend to be running multiple versions of SW (eg when testing newer versions) change the default install folder name to reflect the version you are installing (SolidWorks2004 or SolidWorks2005, etc)

from (the City of) Barrie, Ontario.

I tried sniffing Coke once, but the ice cubes got stuck in my nose

 

[Ferris]

Thanks for the reply.

I bought SW2005 Office.

I am not sure what the Toolbox is. It sounds like something to make you more productive. If that's the case I am going to want to learn it.

I will be the only user, the installation will be standalone. But I will also need to install on my laptop for presentations.

I was wondering if there are any settings in my operating system that will need to be tweaked in order to get maximum performance.

The system configuration is as follows.

Dell 360 workstation.
3.00 Ghz P4
3 GB Ram
Nvidia Quadro FX3000 Graphic Card
(2) 36GB SCSI Drives - RAID 0
Windows XP Pro, not sure of the service pack level.

My laptop is a Dell M50.
2.4 Ghz P4
1 GB Ram
Nvidia GoGL750 Graphic Card
Windows XP Pro, not sure of the service pack level here either.

So will I have to do any custom settings to get the most potential out of the 3GB ram and the FX3000 card?

I probably won't go through the installation process until tomorrow night. I have a couple of jobs that I MUST get done. If I install SW tonight I will probably play too much.

I plan to go through the tutorials this weekend.


Ferris.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

If you have 3GB of RAM someone has already tweeked your system to recognize that much ... or you will need to. Windows can only handle 2GB. I will try to dig up the article I have on that.

from (the City of) Barrie, Ontario.

I tried sniffing Coke once, but the ice cubes got stuck in my nose

 

[aamoroso]

To check your Windows service pack, right mouse button on the "MY COMPUTER" and select properties. The service pack version should be listed on the general tab. Service pack 2 may be a problem.


Be prepared to upgrade your systems in the future. You will find, like most of us, that the system requirements for software (not just SW) will always grow. As new technology arrives on the scene major software companies like to take advantage of it, rightfully so, and therefore you will need to prepare a budget plan to allow for system upgrades as future releases become available. Have some budget available for video cards, processors, ram... or have budget set aside for a new system. Don't be caught off guard if SW06 comes out and you install it and find you need new video equipment or a different operating system.

 

[Ferris]

Windows is SP1, so I should be okay there.

I checked into the nVidia FX3000, and I'm not running the approved driver. I have 6.14.10.4546 and I need 6.14.10.5303. I should probably change that before I do the install.

Ferris

 

[SBaugh]

Yes change it... plus go get your Reg code at

http://www.solidworks.com

before you install also.

When you install it, i like to change my path name to Solidworks05 - or what ever version I'm running. In case I ever have to reintall the software and I would forget to remove the original folder I wouldn't get a solidworks (2) under my program files. This is hard to explain without seeing it but I would rename the path with the version being used.

One way to see Video card and the drivers being used, Plus more - faq559-1027

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[Ferris]

I updated the graphics driver and installed the software. I got the registration code in advance as suggested. It went very smooth.

I fired up the application and was looking around and it crashed. When I started it back up things were missing from the Design Library. There are no long any items such as annotations. The only items available are components on the web.

Is there an easy way to get back where I was?

Ferris.

 

[Ferris]

Never mind, I found it. It was under the drop down menu for Tools, then Add Ins. I checked the appropriate boxes and it came back.

The boxes must have "un-checked" themselves when it crashed.

I wonder why it crashed?

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

It probably got upset when it saw all the MD files it's going to have to work with.

from (the City of) Barrie, Ontario.

I tried sniffing Coke once, but the ice cubes got stuck in my nose