By default, Notepad only displays .txt files. In the bottom right corner of the Open dialog box, click the dropdown menu that says and change it to All Files ( . ) .
Ensure that the SolidWorks Installation Manager ( sldim.exe ) is whitelisted in your Windows Defender Firewall rules. 2. Antivirus Aggressive Heuristics
Blocking specific host addresses is a common method for troubleshooting network licensing issues or preventing unwanted communication during a SOLIDWORKS installation. This is typically done by editing the Windows hosts file to redirect hostnames to a non-existent or local IP address. solidworks host file block install
Click > Save (or press Ctrl + S ). If Windows asks you to save it as a new text document, Notepad was not launched with true administrator permissions. Close Notepad.
If you own a valid, perpetual SolidWorks license and wish to keep the installation permanently offline: By default, Notepad only displays
If your installation freezes, fails to validate your serial number, or cannot connect to the Activation Wizard, your system's network configuration is likely blocking communication with Dassault Systèmes servers.
: For license manager issues, blocking the host file may not be enough; you might need to create inbound/outbound rules in Windows Defender Firewall for ports 25734 and 25735 . Ensure that the SolidWorks Installation Manager ( sldim
: If the hosts file is manually set to "Read-only" in its file properties, the installer will be unable to update the necessary DNS mappings. File Mismanagement : If the file was accidentally renamed to
Open the Windows Command Prompt by typing cmd in the Start menu.
The Windows hosts file is a local text file that maps hostnames to IP addresses. Operating systems check this file before querying external Domain Name System (DNS) servers. If a SolidWorks activation or licensing domain is mapped to a loopback address (like 127.0.0.1 or ::1 ), the operating system redirects the traffic back to your own machine, completely blocking external communication. Why Do SolidWorks Domains Get Blocked?
You didn't run Notepad as administrator. Fix: Close Notepad. Re-open via Right-Click > Run as Admin. Repeat the process.