For any of user who happens to have a traditionally installed SolidWorks 2003 alongside SolidWorks 2004 (which uses ONLY the Windows Installer Method) and finds a need to reinstall it and apply service packs, the following caution should be noted:
After installation of SolidWorks 2004, the Windows Installer Method dominates and PREVENTS the user from seeing the dialog box for choosing "Traditional" instead when performing an installation of 2003 (or earlier software).
Mike J. Wilson has posted in (
Please DO NOT perform a Registry edit, unless you are experienced in doing so; however, a temporary renaming of the appropriate SolidWorks-related "product" in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Products\ allows the Traditional Installer Method to be used!
It works beautifully. In fact, coincidentally, I had to use Mike's hot off the press suggestion this morning on a co-worker's system.
Of course the temporarily renamed Registry Key MUST be reverted to the ORIGINAL in order to restore the Windows Installer function for 2004!
Per O. Hoel