Deploying an Administrative Image Using Microsoft Active Directory

Microsoft Active Directory Deployment is supported for deployment of the core SolidWorks product to clients.

1. Create an administrative image using SolidWorks Installation Manager or the command line.
2. If you have created the administrative image using the command line, install the Windows prerequisites for installation from an administrative image using Microsoft Active Directory. For details, see Installing Windows Prerequisites Using Microsoft Active Directory.
   Perform this step only if you created the image manually using the command line. If you created and installed the image using SolidWorks Installation Manager, all Windows prerequisites were installed automatically.

3. Create a transform file to customize the SolidWorks software:
   1. Open the Command Prompt window.
   2. In the folder that contains the administrative image, drag SWCreateMST.exe into the Command Prompt window.

      The command should be in the format:

      administrative_image_directory\SWCreateMST.exe path_to_MSI_file_of_an_administrative_image list_of_properties

      Properties can be feature properties or global properties. For details, see Command-Line Feature Properties and Command-Line Global Properties.

      Use the following examples as templates:

      
      

      • If you are installing SolidWorks (32-bit version) on a 32-bit operating system:

        C:\admin\SWCreateMST.exe "c:\admin\SolidWorks.msi" INSTALLDIR="C:\Program Files\your_folder" SOLIDWORKSSERIALNUMBER="xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx" ADDLOCAL=SolidWorks,Manuals,Intel_Modules_AgeiaX86 OFFICEOPTION=0 SERVERLIST="25734@your_server"

      • If you are installing SolidWorks (32-bit version) on a 64-bit operating system:

        C:\admin\SWCreateMST.exe "c:\admin\SolidWorks.msi" INSTALLDIR="C:\Program Files\your_folder" SOLIDWORKSSERIALNUMBER="xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx" ADDLOCAL=SolidWorks,Manuals,Intel_Modules_AgeiaX64 OFFICEOPTION=0 SERVERLIST="25734@your_server"

      • If you are installing SolidWorks (64-bit version) on a 64-bit operating system:

        C:\admin\SWCreateMST.exe "c:\admin\SolidWorks.msi" INSTALLDIR="C:\Program Files\your_folder" SOLIDWORKSSERIALNUMBER="xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx" ADDLOCAL=SolidWorks,Manuals OFFICEOPTION=0 SERVERLIST="25734@your_server"

      The transform file, SolidWorks.mst, is created in the folder that contains the administrative image.

4. In the Active Directory, edit the Published Apps policy for the group or groups to deploy the SolidWorks software.
5. In the Group Policy dialog box, expand Computer Configuration and Software Settings.
6. Right-click Software installation and select New > Package.
7. Browse to the administrative image and click Open.
8. In the Deploy Software dialog box, select Advanced published or assigned, then click OK.
9. In the SolidWorks Properties dialog box, on the Modifications tab:
   1. Click Add.
   2. Browse to the .mst file.
   3. Click Open.
10. Click OK.

• Installing Windows Prerequisites Using Microsoft Active Directory
  Follow this process to prepare an existing administrative image that will install SolidWorks onto client computers using Microsoft Windows Active Directory.