SW2003 SP3.1 1

[Cheeseburger]

Hi ...

Is anyone going to install the Latest & Greatest SW2003 SP3.1 ??? And if so, have you had any problems ???

Thanks,

Brian

 

[SBaugh]

No problems here!! Been using it since the day it came out.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP
3DVision Technologies

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376
When in doubt, always check the help

 

[EdDanzer]

The DXF screw up scrapped some parts that I sent out for laser cutting.
Thanks a lot SolidWorks.

 

[Cheeseburger]

SBaugh ...

I'm not disputing that you have downloaded every SP since it's release, that's your job !!! But as a former consultant to a SW Reseller & Training Center, I can tell you that you don't see everything that a customer sees in their day-to-day operations of using SW.

So if you look at my previous posting regarding SW SP3.0 you'll see a trend of very unhappy SW users after they installed SP3.0 and then went back to SP1.0.

 

[TheTick]

re: "The DXF screw up scrapped some parts that I sent out for laser cutting.
Thanks a lot SolidWorks."

DXF and DWG translations have always been dicey in SW. Inspect. Don't expect!

 

[SBaugh]

Chesseburger,

I know you know that's my job, an maybe I don't see the same of the stuff as you guys do, but don't think I just sit here and just answer the phones and work on other peoples stuff all day. I still build and make my own stuff in SW. Right now I'm working on a Bionicle. If you don't know what one is Check them out at

http://www.lego.com/eng/Default.asp?bhcp=1

So I still do stuff like I would if I was in a business, I just don't have the pressure of getting the jobs I do out the door in a certain amount of time. When it comes to a customer I'm all over it till it's a closed issue. My jobs can wait. Plus building stuff like this helps me build my skills and helps me to determine how sound the SP's are. I try to make my parts using all the new features in SW03. This way I test them for stability and understanding. That's why sometimes I find it hard when people are seeing some issues were I'm not. Not saying they are crazy just saying I'm not seeing the same problems or issues.

Nobody should DL a SP just because it’s available. You should check out the Maintenance notes and make sure there is something in there that will benefit you, but be aware there maybe something there that might hurt you. So it’s the users discretion if they upgrade or not. Before this job I have now, I always used the age old saying “If it isn’t Broken, don’t fix it”

Best Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP
3DVision Technologies

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376
When in doubt, always check the help

 

[Regg]

I was told by our VAR that when SW pulled a SP X.0 and replaced it with an SP X.1 that the SP X.0 created bugs of its own. That's is why the company I work for waits several weeks before upgrading to the latest SP.

Regg

 

[JNR]

Bingo, Regg. Like I said during the last series of posts on SP status. WAIT until you are reasonable sure it's safe unless you absolutley have to have the latest. There's always lot's of people out there who download the latest SP immediately and stuff it on their critical production systems - you have probably met some of them in Las Vegas - no offense guys, just a little mirth. They will soon let you know what the possible problems are. Then we all put our heads together on the news group and figure out which are real problems and which we can make go away by other adjustments. THEN it is safe(er) to load your SP. Also as others have pointed out - if you don't NEED an SP why bother? (You all read the release notes FIRST don't you?) This is our standard poilcy with ALL software - not just SW (even Windows - er... especially Windows...). We never load SP's until the dust has settled unless we really have to. Even then we will run them on one system only for a while for a confidence check before loading the others.

 

[Cheeseburger]

I'm agreeing with all of you but what's the point of having SP's if you're never really sure what kind of bugs are in them and how they'll affect your system ??? If that's the case, get rid of 'em and just wait for the Major Release of SW.

I mean if I have to wait to see if the latest SP is going to make my system crash or affect my system speed, then I think they're waste of time and effort.

But, again, that's just my opinion.

Cheers ... )

 

[Regg]

One other thing the company I work for has done in the past is to update one machine with the latest SP and let that person use it for a couple weeks. If nothing major develops, then all machines were updated.

Regg

 

[SBaugh]

If you install SP right when they come out then I suggest you use WI install type.

I suggest this to all my customers the WI (Windows Installer) version of SW and not the Trad. With the WI you can back up a SP and not have a problem with any of your files. Even if you have been running that SP for awhile, you can still remove it and use the older SP and your files will be fine.

If you using Trad...your SOL, you have to uninstall SW to backup a SP.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP
3DVision Technologies

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376
When in doubt, always check the help

 

[josephv]

Great tip, Scott.

I just wanted to add that another option would be to install GoBack or CleanSlate into your machine.

And if a Service Pack, new software or new driver does not work quite well or messes things up then you can "go back" to the point in time when everything was fine.

I would say that every company should have GoBack or CleanSlate. It is a must.

Just like every company should have PDM (had to throw that one in).

cheers,

Joseph