Windows SP2

This is posted on the Solidworks website:

SolidWorks will support Microsoft Windows XP Pro SP2 as of SolidWorks 2004 SP5 and SolidWorks 2005 SP1. It is not recommended that you update to this Windows service pack until the indicated SolidWorks service packs.

SW will probably run on XP SP2 fine. But you will not be able to install a SP untill SP5 of SW04, or SP1.0 of SW05 is out.

Regards, Scott

Does that mean I cannot install SW2005 when the CD's get here?

Why don't you learn how to properly administer your boxen instead of whinging it?

Control Panel --> Administrative Tools --> Services --> Automatic Updates --> right mouse click --> Properties --> set Starup Type to disabled --> OK --> right click again --> Stop the service.

You will still be able to do updates manually without having to worry about Windows calling home to mommy Gates whenever it feels like it.

HTH HAND

I don't know about the CD's, but according to the site it says SP0. But I would hope that either they fix the Windows installer problem before the SP0.0 CD's are shipped or they send out more SP1.0 CD's when SP1.0 comes out.

Regards, Scott

I know how to stop the updates thanks, but so do users know how to turn them on. I run a small design consultancy, not an IT consultancy! I have not deviated from either MS policy or SW policy and I am now in a negative position. SolidWorks never directly informed me of the incompatibility issue and that's wrong in my opinion.

There is a tool posted on Microsoft's Web site that allows companies that have Automatic Update running on their machines to leave the feature on while temporarily blocking Service Pack 2 (SP2). We have not tested the tool.

I have got several machines here that have their update policy set to

It works. It prompts the user with a list of updates and asks if it's ok to download and install. You have to be sure and uncheck the SP2 download. Once unchecked it remains that way until you check it.

Simon,

MS policy and SW policy are not complementary to each other, never have been.

Typically (and this goes for Pro-E and all the rest), O.S. updates can significantly affect (to the point of being unusable) the performance of highly complex software like Solidworks.

Incompatibilities are usually posted on the SW web site for this reason. If you allow your users to arbitrarily update the O.S.'s of your workstations you will never have anything but problems.

Like I said, this is true for ALL of the design systems out there, not just SW. MS makes changes and releases fixes and SP's WITHOUT consulting anyone. The software vendors have react to this and that takes some time.

So,, in a nutshell, screw MS policy. You make your living with SW, not with the O.S. version it's running on. You need to put a system in place to manage this. It doesn't have to be complicated, and it doesn't require an IT pro either.

Regards

Mark

We get a steady stream of information from our VAR.. I'd be jumpping on them If it were me. Have installed SW4 sp 4.1 before XP sp2. All is well. Still waiting for the 5.0 cd from Solidworks..

jb..

So if I have this straight due to MS SP2 I should make sure (due to the WI conflicts) I should wait to install MS SP2 until I have SW 2005 SP1 installed on my machines? Or install SW2004 SP5 and make sure when going to SW 2005 have SP1 disks?

Ken Maren

For those of you using SW2003 still I talked to my VAR yesterday, as the company I am working at is using this version, he tells me that this version will not work and Solidworks has no plans to make it work on XP sp2.

Richard Morgan Morgdesign San Francisco, CA

by the way, SW2001 works fine in SP2

"Will not work" or "SW won't guarantee that it will work" ???

big difference between the two

I believe this is correct.

"Third base!!"

What problems are you experiencing?

SW2003 SP5.1 is working on WinXP SP2 but I have noticed periodic "slow loading" of moderately sized assemblies and we are trying to pin down the cause.

Thanks