Applying Service Packs to Clients Deployed with Microsoft Active Directory

If you have installed the SOLIDWORKS software using the Microsoft Active Directory, you can apply service packs to clients with it.

  1. Copy the administrative image to a new folder using the following command line:
    xcopy path_to_current_administrative_image path_to_backup_administrative_image /s/i/v
  2. Upgrade the administrative image using the SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager.
  3. Create a new transform file to specify an upgrade installation for 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 format is:

      path_to_administrative_image\SWCreateMST.exe path_to_MSI_file_of_an_administrative_image list_of_properties

      The command line must include all of the parameters used to create the original transform file, plus the global properties UPGRADESWINSTALL and SWMIGRATE.

      For example, if the original command was:

      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 update command must be:

      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 UPGRADESWINSTALL=1 SWMIGRATE="SOLIDWORKS version service_pack"

      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.