Download Options

Specify details for completing the download operation, such as the location of the downloaded files, how to download the files, and whether to install the downloaded files.

SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager supports electronic software distribution (ESD). If you are not installing from a SOLIDWORKS DVD, you are prompted to specify the source for the SOLIDWORKS products you are installing.

For answers to questions about the download folder, see SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager Download Folder.

What do you want to do?

Choose one of the following:

Download and install/Download and create image

After the download completes, SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager runs an installation using the downloaded files.

Download only. You can download once and then share downloaded files with multiple computers.

SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager does not run an installation after the download completes.

Typically, you would specify this option if you are downloading the files to configure an installation file set to share among multiple computers.

If you specify this option, you are then asked to choose between two sets of files to download:
  • Files for THIS computer: The download will contain only those files that are missing from the installation file set currently on this computer.
    This should be a smaller download because it contains:
    • Only files for products selected on the Product Selection page
    • Only the prerequisite files that are required for your computer but not yet installed

    However, if you try to use this downloaded file set on another computer to perform an installation, some files could be missing (because the installation file set on the other computer might be different from this one). You can use these download files to install on another computer, but when the installation runs you may have to download additional files to complete the installation file set on that computer.

  • Files to share with ANY computer: The download will contain the complete installation file set that can be used to install this version on any computer.

    This will be the larger download because it contains the complete file set that you can use to install this version of any product on any computer.

    If you specified a limited set of products to download, this option ignores that specification and downloads all products contained in the product release.

    The download will contain all files required to create an administrative image, not just those files required to perform an individual installation.

Install only/Create image only. I already have all the installation files needed.

SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager does not download any files, but uses the files in the selected directory.

Click Browse to navigate to a different location. For example, you can browse to an installation DVD or a download folder, provided that location contains all the required files.

If you receive an error message that the folder is incomplete, and you were expecting all installation files to be present at that location, possible explanations include:
  • You selected a component for installation that had not been downloaded previously or it was selected by default.
  • The files were downloaded on another computer with a different set of system requirements.
  • You previously performed a client installation and now are creating an administrative image, which requires a larger file set.

You can either browse to a folder containing all the files (for example, a DVD) or select one of the download options.

Where do you want to download the required files?

This is the download folder location.

In some cases, this option might be visible but disabled. For example, if Install only is specified, SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager will install any downloaded files from the directory specified for that option, rather than using a separate download folder.

Whether you are downloading these files or accessing them from your own location, all files must be downloaded to the same download folder.

Estimated download size

The estimated download disk space requirements are based on the complete component listing chosen, regardless of whether this is a new download or you are resuming a download from a previous session.

For example, if you are resuming a previous download SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager processes only those files that have not already been downloaded. The download time could be less than the estimate.

If a file completed downloading in the previous download, its size is not included in this estimate. Therefore, the estimate might be higher than the actual download size.

How do you want to download?

There are two options:

Conduct manual download

In some cases, a proxy server might prohibit automatic downloads from SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager.

By selecting this option, you can download the files manually through a Web page and then proceed within SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager to complete the installation operations. This Web page is customized by SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager to download only the files required to complete the installation.

Speed up downloads by using more network bandwidth

The downloader uses an algorithm to increase the speed of the download by increasing the network bandwidth used during the download.

In some cases, this can disturb network performance. If you have trouble downloading, this option might not be supported by the proxy server. Try clearing the option and attempting the download again. For details, check with your network administrator.

This option applies only to automatic downloads. It has no impact on manual downloads.

Using SOLIDWORKS Background Downloader

You can use SOLIDWORKS Background Downloader to complete this download operation or to download future SOLIDWORKS Service Pack releases as they become available.

Solidworks Background Downloader can automatically detect and download new Service Pack updates in the background, notifying you when downloading is complete and the files are ready for installation. For details, see SOLIDWORKS Background Downloader.