Because SolidWorks 2018 was never certified for Windows 11, running the installer and activator in compatibility mode can eliminate many errors.
In the Installation Manager, navigate to .
The is a critical registry and system conflict error that occurs when unauthorized SolidSquad (SSQ) licensing tools fail to modify Windows registry keys, write system environment variables, or establish communication with the local FlexNet mock server. It predominantly impacts users trying to deploy legacy CAD environments on newer operating systems like Windows 11, where advanced security boundaries block older script behaviors.
: SolidWorks 2018 is not officially supported on Windows 11. Users trying to run it on newer OS versions often encounter Error 6 because the activation library fails to initialize in the new environment. Antivirus Interference
If Error 6 appears during the installation of specific modules like SolidWorks Electrical, it may be related to the SQL instance.
When running the SW2010-2018_SSQ_Activator.exe (or similar named tool), you see:
: The script cannot modify critical keys under the HKLM\SYSTEM paths due to User Account Control (UAC) constraints.