crash is a program's way of telling you it is unable to continue functioning as intended. It is usually accompanied by an error message, but it is also possible for a program to shut down without warning. SolidWorks 3D CAD works best if your computer meets the system requirements. Errors are possible even if your system is fully supported, but are more likely to occur if certain hardware isn't up to par.Video Cards
- Many crashes that occur in 3D software are related to the video card. This piece of hardware is responsible for all graphics drawn on your screen and SolidWorks relies on it heavily. Newer graphics cards are less likely to conflict with SolidWorks because they include recently released drivers and updates. Your PC or laptop should have a certified video card with certified drivers as recommended on the SolidWorks Support Page. (See Resources.)
Insufficient Memory
- SolidWorks is less likely to crash if your computer has at least 2GB of random access memory. You can find the amount of currently-installed RAM by right-clicking "Computer" in the Start menu. More information is available in the Task Manager, which is easily accessed by right-clicking the task bar at the bottom of the screen. When you click "Performance," you'll see a Total listed under "Physical Memory" that represents your RAM. There's also some additional info, such as the amount of RAM that is currently available. If the available amount is less than 2GB, shut down all applications that you are not currently using or restart your computer before launching SolidWorks.
Security Software
- Your anti-virus program constantly scans files as they are being written to the drive or accessed. This is important if you are trying to avoid a virus, but it can interfere with the installation and usage of legitimate programs, including SolidWorks. Some anti-virus programs have been tested and found to be compatible, including Avast! Professional Edition, AVG, Symantec, TrendMicro and Kaspersky AV. If you use a different anti-virus program, you should either temporarily disable it or add SolidWorks to the list of exceptions. You will not be protected from malware attacks until you re-enable your security software.
Coding Bugs
- Since the crash occurs while exiting the program, it might be due to a problem with the way the software unloads from memory, These type of bugs can be caused by the program itself and the way it was coded. This is why updates are continually released to address issues that are no fault of your own. Log in or create a new SolidWorks Customer Portal account at customerportal.solidworks.com and use the "Download Software and Updates" link to see all applicable updates.
Installation Repair
- Sometimes the program will crash due to corruption in the registry. Although you can open regedit.exe from the Start menu and rename the SolidWorks folder to fix this issue, it is much safer to let SolidWorks repair itself. Just choose the "Repair" option instead of "Uninstall" from the Uninstall a Program menu in the Control Panel. Restart the computer afterwards to ensure the changes take effect.
