Our server that holds our entire setup, Vault, license server etc has been compromised.
As a result, the IT contractors are doing a complete format/clean install and setting up the server again.
Then I will be reinstalling Workgroup PDM 2016. (yes its old, outdated and unsupported, we are migrating soon...but in the meantime...this is what we have)
So basically we have no server or vault. it's been even physically removed form the rack to perform the maintenance
Fair enough. not much we can do until that is up and running again.
However, is there a way to start SolidWorks without the license server active?
At least we can work on local files/Checked out files or tinker a little, so we are not completely dead in the water
So far I have tried:
- Removing the server from the license manager list - did not work (obviously since there is no server even in the rack for it to communicate the instruction with)
- Tried opening in Safe mode from Rx tool...still requires a license and it fails and shuts down.
- Tried modifying the installation on client machines to remove the serials and possibly "trigger" SolidWorks to startup in trial mode - did not work.
This is an odd situation, so I am just trying to find out if there is a half way solution in the meantime to help us do a little rather than nothing at all
I suspect there is no solution but I would appreciate any insight at all to confirm that or correct me.
Thank you
Clients Running:
Window 10 Pro 64-bit (1809 build)
Solidworks 2016 SP 5.0
Workgroup PDM
If they're standalone you can definitely startup without the license server. In that case they'd either already be activated, in which case they'll just work, or if unactivated/fresh installs they need to activate against solidworks' servers. If a standalone license has been upgraded to a network license at some point though, then it is very much a network only license. I don't know your workplace's IT policies etc, but in your case I'd setup a license server on my own workstation and then do what Nick has suggested.
The last place I worked at didn't have a solidworks supported virtual server, and they didn't want to fork out for one so both mechanical and electrical bought dedicated pdm boxes, separate from the rest of the server (backing up to the server of course). The swlicense server was on an old desktop that no one needed anymore, sitting beside the pdm box. That setup turned out to be a really good idea when the server started having some issues.