Solidworks Serial Number Location

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Frequently asked questions on Standalone Product Activation for SOLIDWORKS products.


Question: What is product activation?
Answer: Product activation is an anonymous, secure, and hassle free process that authenticates licensed users during the installation process. The process verifies that the serial number is legitimate, and has not been activated on more systems than allowed by the SOLIDWORKS End-User License Agreement (EULA). It does not affect the ability of licensed users to use their software the way they have always done.

Many college and high school students these days are lucky enough to have access to SOLIDWORKS in their classrooms and computer labs. This is a really great way to learn not only 3D CAD, but engineering and design principles in general. But did you know that if you are a student at a school that has. Gregory, I'm not sure if it is the same if you are on a network, but for my stand-alone I can find it help about Solidworks Show Serial Number. I have a new computer and do not have my SOLIDWORKS serial number in order to install SOLIDWORKS. How do I find my serial number? What are the system requirements necessary to automatically register SOLIDWORKS via email? I do not have a MAPI compliant email systems, how do I get my registration code for SOLIDWORKS?

Question: What happens during product activation?
Answer: Product activation is a series of simple steps that takes place upon first launch of your SOLIDWORKS product. Users enter their serial number, which is authenticated with the SOLIDWORKS product activation system to activate the product. The entire activation process is quick and easy, and the majority of users will experience product activation only once.

Question: How do I transfer my license?
Answer: You can move your software from your current computer to a new computer, open SOLIDWORKS then use the Help > Transfer License feature. This feature deactivates the product on your current machine so it can be reactivated on the new machine. You then go to the new computer, install SOLIDWORKS then start it and select Help > Activate to proceed with the activation process.

Question: Who will be required to activate their products?
Answer: Activation is required for all SOLIDWORKS standalone products. However, if you are floating your licenses using SolidNetWork License (SNL), you won't need to activate until the SOLIDWORKS 2010 release.

Question: How soon must I activate my product?
Answer: You must activate your product within 30 days after you first installed and launched your SOLIDWORKS product. (Users working with an evaluation license equipped with product activation will have different timing requirements for the activation step).

Question: What happens if I don’t activate my product?
Answer: If you do not activate your product by the 30th day after you first installed and launched your SOLIDWORKS product, it will stop working until you activate it.

Question: How does product activation work?
Answer: The activation process uses minimal information about the product and system to create a request for a product license. The license request is composed of the product's serial number, name, version and language along with the operating system name, version and language. In addition, a Hardware ID and Activation ID are created.

The Hardware ID is a mathematically computed one-way hash based on your computer's hard drive geometry and CPU family, and cannot be used to identify the make or model of your computer or its components. The Hardware ID is only used as an identifier for the machine, and never sent to SOLIDWORKS.

The Activation ID is a 64-bit random number which is then down sampled to reduce the size of the activation request code. The Activation ID is only used to identify an individual activation request and contains no information about the product or hardware.
The license request is sent to SOLIDWORKS either through a secure (SSL) Internet connection or by email. If the request is valid, a valid license is returned that enables the product immediately. The activation process is completely anonymous and never requests, collects, or transmits personal information. It does not scan your hard drive, and none of the information collected can be used to identify your individual hardware components.

Question: What happens if the activation server is unavailable when I try to activate?
Answer: In the unlikely event that the activation servers are unavailable, the customer will be asked to try back at a later time. The customer will be given a 30-day, unrestricted grace period in order to get their product activated. During this time, the customer may use their SOLIDWORKS product without any
restrictions.

Question: What does SOLIDWORKS do with the computer-specific information sent during the product activation process?
Answer: We use the computer-specific information only to verify that your product is used within the scope allowed by the SOLIDWORKS End-User License Agreement (EULA). The information is stored in a database used only for product activation data.

Question: What products include product activation?
Answer: As of SOLIDWORKS 2009 SP0, activation is included in all of our commercial products, with the exception of SOLIDWORKS Workgroup PDM Viewer and eDrawings Professional standalone.

Question: Why is SOLIDWORKS requiring customers to activate their software?
Answer: Product activation is a simple way to reduce and deter unauthorized use and casual copying of SOLIDWORKS products with a minimal effect on our loyal customers.

Question: Do I need to be online to use SOLIDWORKS software that includes activation?
Answer: Activation is a onetime process which does require that you have Internet or email access. Once you have activated, you do not need to be online to use your software. If you wish to transfer a license, or repair your activation, you must be connected to the Internet or send request via email.

Question: Will activation ever require me to upgrade my product? Will SOLIDWORKS ever stop activating products that require activation?
Answer: Activation is only used to verify a product's license the first time the product is installed. SOLIDWORKS will support the activation of products throughout their lifecycle.

Question: Does product activation make the software harder to use?
Answer: Product activation is a simple one-time process. Most users activate their software as soon as they install it, and never have to worry about it again.

Question: Does product activation slow down my computer?
Answer: No. The core technology of product activation only runs when you run your SOLIDWORKS software, and will have no noticeable effect on the overall performance of your computer.

Question: How long does product activation take to complete?
Answer: Product activation is a one-time process that is typically completed immediately after installation of the software. Internet activation typically takes 10 to 30 seconds to complete. Email activation takes about 10 minutes to complete.

Question: What if I can’t activate my software immediately by Internet or email?
Answer: Although most customers activate their software as soon as they install it, you have a 30-day grace period after your first launch to activate the product (evaluation and other products will have different timing requirements). The software, which is fully functional during this period, will automatically remind you to activate at regular intervals. After 30 days, the product will stop working until you activate it.

Question: My SOLIDWORKS license currently requires a dongle; will I need to use a dongle with product activation?
Answer: No, products that use product activation do not require a dongle because the activation can license all the products back to SOLIDWORKS 2006.

Question: What if I don't have an Internet connection?
Answer: You have a 30-day grace period before activation is required. Activating over the Internet is a quick, one-time process. If your computer is temporarily offline, you can activate the next time it's online. Once the product is activated, the activation process no longer needs to connect to the Internet. If you are installing on a computer that will never be connected to the Internet, you can activate your license by emailing your request file directly to SOLIDWORKS.

Question: Does product activation prevent me from using my product after upgrading my computer or getting a new computer?
Answer: No. If you upgrade or replace your computer, you can transfer your license to the new or upgraded machine at your convenience. Simply deactivate your license through the Transfer License option in the Help menu; then, after upgrading or replacing your computer, reinstall the product and reactivate it.

Question: My hard drive died. If I didn’t deactivate (transfer) the software license, will I be able to reinstall the product and reactivate it?
Answer: The software will successfully reactivate in most cases. If your attempt to reactivate fails, please contact your Reseller Support for help.

Question: I've heard that the activation technology stores data to the hard drive, outside the normal file system. Isn't that dangerous?
Answer: The activation technology uses a robust and proven algorithm to safely write its license data to an unused sector of the hard drive located in track zero. This technology has been used in a variety of software installed on millions of computers worldwide, and verified to be safe by independent sources.

Solidworks Serial Number Location

This approach allows license data to remain safe even if the product or operating system require reinstallation. In rare cases where the algorithm determines that writing to track zero may cause a potential conflict, it uses an alternative file system based anchor for the license data.

Question: What if I would like to move the software to a new computer?
Answer: To move your software to a new computer you, first need to transfer your software license. Transferring your software license will immediately deactivate the software on your original computer so that you can activate your software on a new computer.

Question: What should I do if I want to reformat or upgrade my machine?
Answer: Before making any changes to your hardware or operating system you should first transfer your license from the machine. Transferring the license will deactivate the license on this machine in order for you to activate it on an upgraded or new computer at your convenience.

Question: What information is collected and transmitted in the product activation process?
Answer: We collect the minimum information required to successfully verify the product license for each product installation, which includes: the product serial number, name, version, and language; the operating system name, version, and language; and your computer’s processor and hard-disk type. This information is combined, encrypted, and then sent to SOLIDWORKS for verification.

Question: Does the activation process ever send data to SOLIDWORKS after I activate my product?
Answer: No. Activation is a secure and anonymous one-time process. After activation is complete, the license manager runs alongside the product for the sole purpose of verifying the integrity of the license file and the validity of the product license. The activation technology in the product never contacts SOLIDWORKS except with your express knowledge and consent.

We use the industry-standard Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) to transmit data to product activation servers that are both physically secure and have limited employee access.

What is your SOLIDWORKS serial number? This is a common question that we ask in Computer Aided Technology (CATI) Technical Support. You may be having an activation issue or an issue with the SOLIDWORKS Customer Portal. Whatever the reason, there are several easy ways to find the SOLIDWORKS serial number that was used to install SOLIDWORKS on your computer. This blog will step you through a few of the most common ways.

Use Help > About SOLIDWORKS to Show the SOLIDWORKS Serial Number

At the top left of your SOLIDWORKS screen, pull down the Help menu and select ‘About SOLIDWORKS’.

The About SOLIDWORKS dialog appears. As you can see, the Serial No. is hidden. Simply left mouse click Show Serial Number to reveal the serial number.

QUICK TIP: You can select the serial number text and use Ctrl+C or right mouse click to copy it.

Perform a Modify Installation to Show the SOLIDWORKS Serial Number

Another way to find what your SOLIDWORKS serial number is to use the SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager. This is very useful, especially if you cannot open SOLIDWORKS and you need to see what serial number is installed.

First, open the Program and Features Control Panel by clicking the Windows Start button and going to Control Panel-Programs-Programs and Features. Another way is just to type Programs and Features after you click the Start button.

Once you navigate to the Program and Features window, select the SOLIDWORKS installation.

Note: If you have more than one version of SOLIDWORKS installed, all versions have the same serial number. So, just click on your latest installation.

You can left click to highlight SOLIDWORKS and then click the Change button. Or, you can right-click on SOLIDWORKS and pick Change.

The SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager window will appear. On the Welcome to the SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager page, select the Modify the individual installation (on this computer) radio button, and then click Next.

Solidworks Serial Number Location

That will take you to the Serial Number page of the SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager.

Since we are only checking to see what the SOLIDWORKS serial number is, you can simply click the Cancel button to exit the SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager.

Use the Registry Editor to Show the SOLIDWORKS Serial Number

The last way to find your SOLIDWORKS serial number that we will look at is to view the SOLIDWORKS serial number in the Windows Registry.

Click the Windows Start button, type regedit, and hit Enter or click Run command.

Solidworks Serial Number Location 302

Note: You need to have Admin rights to view the Registry Editor.

In the Registry Editor window, browse to: ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWARESolidWorksLicensesSerial Numbers

The SOLIDWORKS key to the right displays the SOLIDWORKS serial number.

Serial Number Solidworks 2016

Hopefully, the next time that you are asked for your serial number, you will be able to find it easily using one of the above methods.

Solidworks Serial Number 2017

Neil Bucalo, CSWP, CSWS-MD
Technical Support Engineer
Computer Aided Technology, LLC