Windows 7 & SolidWorks:

This podcast covers the support of Windows 7 on SolidWorks 2009 and a specific issue with installing the most current 2009 service pack 5 via the SolidWorks Installation Manager.  Topics covered:

- A quick "thank you" for your support through 250 episodes!

- The explicit killbit in the SolidWorks 2009 SP5's SWIM and Windows 7

- Anna Wood's SolidMuse manual workaround

- Jason Raak's Rock Solid Perspective compatability workaround

- Enterprise PDM 2009 issue with Windows 7 & workaround

- Forecast of roundtable discussions or December on the podcast.

I just wanted to thank you all for listening, giving feedback and continuing to support the show over the past 250 episodes. I am a month away from the 4 year anniversary and hitting show 250 is a big deal as far as podcasts go so thank you again for listening!

Well now that SolidWorks 2010 SP1 is probably going to be official here in the next week or so and full support for Windows 7 is part of that update, I wanted to take an opportunity to talk about a development that popped up over the long holiday weekend from a few bloggers and friends of mine Anna Wood at SolidMuse and Jason Raak at Rock Solid Perspective.

Even though SolidWorks explicitly shows Windows 7 on any other version of SolidWorks besides 2010 is not supported, this is the first time they have placed a killbit in the SolidWorks Installation Manager to prevent it from installing.  Companies and users might be migrating to Windows 7 before upgrading to SolidWorks 2010 and could possibly get bit by this intentional restriction.

To date there really hasn't been any major issues that have been reported from running SolidWorks 2009 on Windows 7 except for the one I discovered with Enterprise PDM. (Windows Explorer lockup with eDrawings preview). Luckily there are those of us out there who are not satisfied with the word NO and push the limits to make these things work! ~Lou

Remember to check out the SolidWorks: Heard! Blog and to follow me on Twitter, Facebook and THE HEaRD!

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