Install and activate
Get PreciSim running on Windows, activate it (including offline), and confirm the virtual machine works.
Requirements
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 1809 or later / Windows 11, x64 |
| Memory | 8 GB minimum; 16 GB if you work with large-format cameras |
| GPU | DirectX 11 capable (rendering is hardware accelerated) |
| Runtime | Bundled with the installer — no .NET prerequisite |
| Network | Not required. First activation can be done offline |
Install
- Get the latest stable installer from the download page.
- Verify the SHA-256 against the value shown there:
Get-FileHash .\PreciSim-Setup-0.1.0.exe -Algorithm SHA256- Run it. The default location is
C:\Program Files\PreciSim; configuration and calibration results go to%ProgramData%\PreciSim— not a user profile, so that every Windows account on the machine shares one set of calibrations.
On a production PC, add
%ProgramData%\PreciSimto your backup list. Losing calibration results means calibrating everything again.
Free edition: no activation needed
Install and open it. The free edition includes the complete virtual machine and Lab 1, never expires, and needs no account.
Activating a paid edition
Online
Help → Activate, paste the licence key, confirm.
Keys look like PSIM-4H7KQ-2M9XD-8PT3V-YB6CW and appear both in your purchase email and
in your account. One key covers three machines by default — desktop,
laptop and a spare.
Offline
School labs and factory networks usually have no internet. Use this route:
- On the offline machine:
Help → Activate → Offline, copy the machine code. - On any device with internet, open your account, paste the machine code and generate an activation code.
- Carry the activation code back, paste it, done.
The machine code is a hash of motherboard and disk serials. It carries no personally identifiable information and cannot be reversed into hardware details. Activation codes are valid for 30 days; generate a new one if it lapses.
Moving to another machine
Help → Activate → Deactivate this machine, or use your account page. The seat is freed
immediately — no support ticket.
What happens when the network is down
Nothing. Online checks are deliberately forgiving: the credential issued at activation is valid for 7–30 days, and during that window nothing needs the network. An outage on our side will never stop your class or your line.
Confirm it works
Open the app. You should see:
- a calibration target in the camera view, with slight grain — that is the virtual camera's noise model doing its job;
- three axis readouts that change as you jog;
Devices → Virtual devicesshowing camera, X/Y/Z axes, IO and galvo all connected.
No image? See the first entry in the FAQ.
Next: run the first lab, about 30 minutes.