Solid Edge & Windows 10 Updates – 2019

If you are not aware already, Windows 10 is a constantly evolving product. It originated as yearly major updates to its products. Now it consists of update packages that are sent out every six months(ish). Knowing that users are running Windows 10 is not enough. Users need to know what Version they are running and how often it updates. Last year, I wrote a blog on how to change your Windows settings. It focused on how a user does not get the latest and newest update. This gives systems admins and users time to test a new update (against existing installed software) before wide deployment. Windows 10 Workstation need to be set to Semi-Annual Channel. See below for how to change “Choose when updates are installed”.

Why is it important to delay Windows Version updates? If users get a new Version upon release, they receive it the same time as third-party developers. Hence, not enough time for them to test and develop any patches that might be necessary.

A new Software Field Bulletin was released by Siemens asking Solid Edge customers not to upgrade to Windows 1903:

Please be aware that we have received reports from customers where Solid Edge ST10 and Solid Edge 2019 fail to start with an ‘application environment cannot be activated’ error after installing the latest Windows 10 operating system — version 1903 which was released by Microsoft on 21-MAY-2019.

We have many customers successfully running Solid Edge on Windows 10 version 1903. Therefore, if you are able to successfully run Solid Edge upon installing to Windows 10 version 1903, then you were not impacted and no further action is required.

However, if you are experiencing the ‘application environment cannot be activated’ error after installing Windows 10 version 1903, then the current solution is to downgrade your workstation to an earlier version of the Windows 10 operating system.

We are actively tracking the Windows 10 version 1903 issue with Solid Edge PR# 9501974.

Development is working on a patch to address the new Windows version and will be released soon. Issues like this highlight the need to have user’s workstations set to the proper Windows Update schedule.

Check your Windows 10 Version

Windows 10 has a reconfigured settings interface that can be accessed through your Windows button and in the menu on the left you will see a small gear, click on it and it will open your Windows Settings.

From there you will find “System” and Click on it.

In the right-side menu, click “About”.

Then scroll down until you see your Windows 10 Version.

Check your Windows 10 Update Schedule

Windows 10 has a reconfigured settings interface that can be accessed through your Windows button  and in the menu on the left you will see a small gear, click on it and it will open your Windows Settings.

From there you will find “Update & security”.

Then click on “Advanced Options”.

And it wouldn’t be Microsoft if they didn’t have plans to make changes these update settings. I’ll keep you posted on the changes coming in Version 1903.