Running 2017 SolidWorks on a 2009 Dell model, only equipped with 6 gb of ram. Would upgrading my laptop to have 8gb and a solid-state drive help the situation, or is it time to put down Old Yeller?
Could you post the model also so that we could look at the other specs, it would make it easier for us to give you the best advice we can. Does SOLIDWORKS give you a specific error every time you crash or does it just close down? What models do you have open when it crashes?
SolidWorks 2017 is a new release and fairly unstable. I typically don’t upgrade to the current SolidWorks version until service pack 2 or 3 because of the stability issues. I believe service pack 1 recently came out so you could try upgrading to that and see if it helps.
SolidWorks will give you a popup message in the lower corner letting you know if you are running low on system resources. If you haven’t been getting these messages then you are most likely crashing due to the program instability and not a lack of memory.
Save often!
I’m assuming integrated graphics as well? If so, I wouldn’t bother with the RAM and SSD investment, and just put it toward a new CAD machine instead.
Generally the life cycle for a mid range laptop is 5 years. Looks like its time for you laptop’s retirement.
As a safe rule of thumb, don’t go to a new until service pack 3.
SP0 - Cool new features but LOTS of bugs
SP1 - big obvious bugs fixed
SP2 - big non-obvious bugs fixed
SP3 - small but annoying bugs fixed (also general user complaints are usually fixed here too)
10 years ago, crashes were just a fond way of life. [end_sarcasim]
In the engineering labs at our college, teams of 4 would be at each computer working on some assignment at 11 pm. Without fail, every night I was there, some team would yell as their computer crashed losing valuable work. Immediately, everyone else would stop what they were doing and save their work, even if they had just saved 5 min prior.
Sunsytems computers running I-DEAS. Good times.
It’s probably too late to downgrade to 16 so giving the poster that advice isn’t super useful.
That said, yes, an SSD and 8 GB of RAM will absolutely help. But that money might be better spent on a newer laptop - I feel like even many used 3-5 year old laptops you could get for reasonably cheap off Craigslist / Ebay would outperform a 2009 Dell laptop.
I’m running Solidworks 2015 on a SSD with 32 GB of RAM - the computer doesn’t help the crashes. It’s the service packs.
Plot twist: Daniel added so many Recycle Rush totes to 299’s robot that the laptop just couldn’t keep up anymore.
I use, teach, and run tech support for SOLIDWORKS every day and I recommend more than the current minimum which is 8 gigs of RAM, a supported graphics cards, and a SSD. If you can get more RAM then do so because RAM is cheap. As for the crashing itself you can usually help this by creating your assemblies for your robots in such a way that benefits your machine. And don’t worry, everyone crashes from time to time no matter what CAD system you use so you are not alone.
There are a ton of ways to make your assemblies faster and easier to work with but the key is really how you put them together no matter which CAD software you use. I have a video here that describes how companies actually lose a ton of money because of poor assembly management and a couple of solutions to the problem which exist in the software. Large assemblies will lead to instability and crashes without some checks in place.
Check this video out and see if that helps before buying a new machine:
Our full robot assembly rebuilds in under 10 seconds on student machines and that is because we only have 5 subassemblies in the top level. Most teams I see usually have hundreds of parts in one top level assembly. You can build the parts at the top level and drop them into subassemblies later. Just remember that having tons of mates, complex geometries, and tons of parts in the top level is usually what causes the crashing.
The most complicated parts on most robots are often the transmissions. We save those form a .step file from the manufacturer as a single solid or part because you only need what, 3-4 bolt holes? The rest is just a placeholder.
Hope this info helps!
Going from 6-8 GB of RAM is such an incremental increase it’d be unlikely to lead to real performance gains. Imo you really need at least 16 GB if you’re serious about CAD.
Remember folks.
Save Early, Save Often.
Solidworks crashes less the longer I’ve used it. Keep at it, it’ll get better.
Also buy a nice computer. Get a job! 
My SolidWorks Educational has been crashing like crazy. I have a Dell Precision M3800 with I believe a Quadro K1100M with SolidWorks approved drivers. Crashes seem to most often occur when SolidWorks models go transparent (hole wizard, mating, etc.) it’s very annoying.