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Installation & first run

Windows blocked the installer or the app does not start

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When Windows blocks the installer

Neither the installer nor the program is digitally signed yet (signing is being considered before version 1.0). Windows and browsers are therefore more cautious with them:

  • The browser blocks the download (“not commonly downloaded”, “unverified file”): in the list of downloads choose Keep for the file (in Edge through the … menu and then Keep anyway).
  • SmartScreen (blue Windows protected your PC window): More info › Run anyway.
  • The file is blocked (it starts and quits at once, or says Windows blocked it): right-click the file › Properties › tick Unblock at the bottom › OK.
  • Smart App Control (Windows 11; Windows Security › App & browser control): it blocks unsigned programs with no exception possible. You can turn it off in the same place – according to Microsoft, however, it often cannot be turned on again without reinstalling Windows, so consider it carefully. Without turning it off, RF Studio cannot run on such a PC for now.
  • An antivirus deletes the file or quarantines it: restore it from quarantine and add an exception for the installer and the program folder. You can report a suspected false positive to the antivirus vendor, and please write to us at RFstudio@simulators.cz.
  • File authenticity is checked with a checksum: SHA256SUMS.txt is next to the installer. In PowerShell run Get-FileHash "RF Studio <version> Setup.exe" – the Hash value must equal the one next to the file name in SHA256SUMS.txt (letter case does not matter). If it differs, do not run the file and download it again.

When the app does not start

  • Empty window or no window at all: check the WebView2 Runtime (see Requirements).
  • The window shows “Starting RF Studio…”: right after installation the core can take tens of seconds to start (the antivirus checks the files). The window loads the app by itself as soon as the core is ready; it waits at most 120 s.
  • The Studio is already running: starting it again opens no second copy, it only brings the window of the running Studio to the front.
  • The “RF Studio – data folder not available” window (disconnected disk, read-only folder): Yes = choose another data folder (written into the rfstudio_data.json pointer; when that is not possible, it applies to this run only), No = continue with the fallback folder %LOCALAPPDATA%\RF-Studio for this run only, Cancel = quit – connect the disk and start the Studio again. With the fallback folder, a bar at the top of the app warns that settings, projects and outputs from the original folder are not visible now.
  • A message that the server did not start: the Studio uses the local port 8765 (on this computer only). If another application holds it, close it and start the Studio again.
  • On a start-up error the window offers Create an error report? – the zip is saved on the Desktop and the folder with it opens. E-mail it to RFstudio@simulators.cz. See Troubleshooting.

Based on the RF Studio manual (F1 › Manual, version 0.11.2-beta). Post your questions and experience in this thread.