: In machines with newer software (SolidWorks 2021 SP2+), a Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) version mismatch can cause older installation managers to fail.
Press Win + R , type , and hit Enter to launch the Windows Registry Editor.
: Users on Windows 10/11 may need to manually delete legacy SolidWorks registry keys under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software before attempting a clean activation.
The is a common registry and permission error. It occurs when users attempt to activate unauthorized copies of SolidWorks 2018 on modern operating systems like Windows 11. The error is triggered because the third-party activation script cannot secure exclusive write access to critical Windows registry keys or license folders.
When you see "Error 6" during the installation or activation of SolidWorks 2018, the system is essentially throwing a "General Protection Fault" or "Access Violation". This is a low-level error code that can be triggered by a surprising number of things, but with a "Team SolidSquad" activator, the root causes are almost always related to a handful of core issues.
Leo leaned back, a small victory in the silent house. In the battle of user vs. OS, the user had finally gained exclusive access.
If all boxes are checked and the error persists, move directly to Advanced Fix 2 or 6. These two solutions have the highest success rate for "exclusive" hard-to-kill Error 6 cases.
Before diving into registry edits, perform these quick checks: