My 2004 Multiple SP Install Experiment

Mike,

Does the second install create a registry entry with the same name as the first, to which you added "OLD"? If it does, you may cause confrusion for WI when you try to uninstall a particular installation.

Calvin

Mike,

Thanks for sharing your newly discovered "workaround" for managing multiple installations of 2004 on a single computer / under a single O/S.

The Registry "hack" you performed will likely have no effect on anything other than SolidWorks and, although a simple edit, is not for the inexperienced.

The only problem I see is being disciplined enough to remember to "toggle" the Registry keys in order to make sure that future Windows Installer changes are applied to the proper copy of SolidWorks.

Personally, I think SWX was out of their mind when they forced this W.I. debacle on us. Nobody should have to resort to these regedit shenanigans.

M.T.

Mike,

Is it only me or is the who Windows Installer kind of ironic (in a sick twisted sort of way).

The windows installer was "forced" upon us in order to help users roll back SW service packs easier should some "issue" appear with the new release. A good thing.

Why would someone roll back a release - because a retro-bug was preventing them from getting their billable work done (Let's ignore the fact that the files aren't backward compatible between major SPR releases).

Now a simple install now takes up someones entire lunch time (okay - I'm fibbing a little - lunch time plus afternoon coffee break) is annoying enough.

Anyone who has production experience with software knows that you just don't install it and blindly turn it on - but perform a roll-out. This roll out requires you to work on test data (usually a copy of production data) in order to check for oh say retro-bugs. Blind faith will occasionally bring your operation to its knees and cause managers and others to start foaming at the mouth (not to mention irrate customers).

I am pretty sure SW tests its new versions (yes I know that is open for debate by some of the readers). And I'm pretty sure they have multiple versions on their machines so they can "flip" back and forth between versions while testing.

So, what's the point of this email?

SW, if anyone, knows the rational and good reasons for having multiple versions of the software on a computer. Given all the hash on this website regarding "issues" - you would think SW would do everything it could to ensure the SW champion in the company isn't standing in front of the who company with their shorts around their ankle come upgrade time.

All I'm asking for, is that SW Corporation extend the same courtesy to their customer as they do their developemnt team - without the need for people to resorting to publishing registry hacks.

Just my observations.

Len

Amen!

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Totally. There was never a need (in my humble opinion) to "roll back" a service pack in the first place since you could have every version installed at the same time. Just point and click! What could be easier?

Mike

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Good question. Here are some more observations...

The reg folder names are different for each Service Pack which means you can re-name them back to the way they were (once you apply the Service Pack) and they can all co-exist peacefully together.

If you re-install SolidWorks (at least on my system) the folder names are always the same for SP0.

Once you re-name the reg folders back to what they were, you will now have ALL versions of SolidWorks showing up under "Add/Remove Programs" which will allow (theoretically) the usual Modify/Repair or Remove options.

I'm still testing all of this so who knows what may occur later on. Hopefully there will be no Confucius between the installs.

Mike Wilson

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That's ok. I reported the entire Windows Installer as a regression bug to SW tech support, since we lost functionality that used to work fine. Haven't got that spr number back yet...

"Mike J. Wilson" wrote in news:40085872_1@127.0.0.1:

That's right! I forgot you could submit something like that. We really did lose functionality.

Mike

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