After downloading solidworks, the situation as shown in the figure appears when opening it. What should I do?

The error message displayed indicates a failure to obtain a valid license, which is the most common and critical issue preventing SOLIDWORKS from launching after installation. This is a definitive licensing system error, not a general software malfunction. The immediate cause is that the SOLIDWORKS licensing service, or the client on your machine, cannot locate or validate a license file against your installed serial number. This typically stems from one of three core scenarios: an incomplete or corrupted installation of the license manager software component, an incorrect configuration pointing to a network license server, or the use of a serial number that is not properly activated or authorized for your specific machine's host ID. The solution path is entirely dependent on which of these underlying mechanisms is at fault, requiring systematic diagnosis rather than random troubleshooting.

If you are using a standalone or student license, the first step is to verify that the SOLIDWORKS SolidNetWork License Manager is installed and running on your local machine. You can check this via the Windows Services management console; the service should be named "SolidWorks Licensing Service" and set to start automatically. If it is missing or stopped, you must re-run the SOLIDWORKS installation manager, select the "Modify" option on your product, and ensure the "SolidNetWork License Manager" component is selected for installation. Following this, you must use the SOLIDWORKS Activation portal to deactivate the serial number from any previous machine registrations and then successfully activate it for your current system, which ties the license to your new hardware signature.

For users on a network or institutional license, the error signifies that your client workstation cannot communicate with the central license server. You must confirm the server name or IP address and port number (default 25734) are correctly specified in the License Manager settings on your local machine. This configuration is done through the LMTOOLS utility installed with the SOLIDWORKS client software. Open LMTOOLS, navigate to the "System Settings" tab to see the server list, and ensure the entry matches the actual license server. The issue could also reside on the server side—its firewall may be blocking the port, or the server's own license file may not include your feature set or host ID. In this case, coordination with your network administrator or IT department is essential, as they control the server configuration and master license file.

Should these steps fail, the problem may be more deeply rooted in corrupted local licensing data or Windows registry entries. A comprehensive fix involves using the official SOLIDWORKS Clean Installation utility to remove all associated licensing components and registry keys, followed by a complete reinstallation of the software suite. It is crucial to run this cleanup tool in safe mode to ensure all files and services are unlocked for removal. Before proceeding, back up any custom settings or templates. After the cleanup, a fresh installation, followed by the precise activation or server configuration steps outlined above, will typically resolve even persistent licensing errors by establishing a clean state for the license validation handshake.