Starting with 2010 SP3.0, SolidWorks is checking whether you are on subscription before you install the service pack. With SP3.0 you will just get a warning if you are not on subscription but starting with SP4.0 you will not be able to install.
For network licenses, the expiration date is saved on the license server and that is the date that is checked during installation. Depending on the date the SNL Manager was activated and the subscription expiration date, you may get the message that your subscription has expired even though it has been renewed. Read more…
There is a problem in 2010 for automatic updates for administrative images. SW 2010 SP0 installation does not update automatically after upgrading Admin Image. This issue only affects Installation Manager-based administrative images; no other images are affected by this. The problem is due to the swspamanger.exe installed with SolidWorks on client machines failing to check and install the latest Installation Manger/Administrative Image.
The workaround for updating client machines is to deploy the service pack similar to deploying a new administrative image (i.e. ask users to browse to the \StartSWInstall.hta). NOTE: The person responsible for deploying SolidWorks, often a system administrator, should not send the .HTA file via email as the paths will not be recognized; instead the system administrator should send a shortcut/link to the .HTA file so it runs directly from the administrative image folder.
The issue will be resolved in SolidWorks 2010 SP2. Please note the fix will not be implemented until SP2 is installed (i.e. the automatic update won’t work until going from SP2 to SP3). To upgrade to SolidWorks 2010 SP2, the same method described above must be used.
There is also an issue when trying to update an install as per the work around when there is an admin image install of 2009. The only way to get this to work is to remove the 2009 install.
These two issues are covered under SPR 530079 for the auto update and SPR 530818 for the 2009 image install. They are both slated to be fixed in 2010 SP2.
SolidWorks continues to update the list of mobile workstations certified for SolidWorks 2010. The last two generations of mobile workstations from Dell and HP using nVidia Quadro FX graphics are certified for both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of XP and Vista. The Lenovo ThinkPad W700 has been certified with Quadro FX3700M graphics only, but the FX2700M graphics should work fine. All of these models are expected to be certified for Windows 7, as well.
The older Dell Precision M90 and M65 notebooks have been certfied for 32-bit XP/Vista only. These notebooks can address a maximum of 3.2GB RAM, so 64-bit operation doesn’t make much sense anyway. The Vista driver should work for Windows 7, but probably will not be certfied. These are the last drivers that will be available for these computers. Kudos to Dell for supporting these systems with updated drivers. The same generation notebooks from HP (nw8440/9440) and Lenovo (T60p) will not be getting updated drivers.
The only notebook with ATI FireGL or FirePro graphics certified so far is the Dell M6400 with FirePro M7740 graphics. The Lenovo ThinkPad W500 and models of the HP 8530w/8730w with ATI graphics will probably be certified eventually, but it’s not certain. We recommend sticking with Quadro FX graphics, at least for the time being.
For the most up to date certification information, see http://www.solidworks.com/sw/support/videocardtesting.html. Look up notebooks by computer manufacturer, not by the graphics manufacturer.