Windows Installation (Automated) ​

This guide describes how to install, configure, manage, and troubleshoot a DAC Blockchain Node on Windows using the official automated installer script.

INFO

This guide focuses on the automated installation batch script. If you prefer to manually download and run the node binary, please see the Manual Installation guide.

Features ​

The automated installer handles the entire setup process, including:

  • Folder Isolation: Installs all binaries and data into %USERPROFILE%\DACNode\.
  • Node Configurations:
    • Standard Node: Configured for Mainnet (stable channel) with standard resources.
    • Developer Node: Allows choosing between Mainnet (stable) and Testnet (dev), enabling HTTP JSON-RPC APIs, and selecting node storage types (Standard/Light, Full, or Archive).
  • Wallet & Mining Setup: Walks through creating a password file, generating an address, and configuring the node launcher.
  • Local Status Monitor: Generates a custom helper batch file (status.bat) that polls the node IPC Named Pipe (\\.\pipe\geth.ipc) every 5 seconds, displaying synced block numbers, hashes, peer counts, and synchronization status.

Prerequisites ​

  • Operating System: Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64-bit).
  • Architecture: x86_64 / amd64.
  • Permissions: Administrator privileges are recommended (to write to program paths and manage background tasks).
  • Dependencies: Native command line tools (curl for downloading).

Installation Steps ​

  1. Download and Run the Installer

    • Download the install.bat file from the repository and save it locally as dac-install.bat (to avoid naming conflicts).

    Run as Administrator

    Right-click dac-install.bat and select Run as Administrator.

  2. Select Installation Mode

    • 1) Standard Install (Mainnet): Installs a node connected to the stable DAC network.
    • 2) Developer / Advanced Install: Enables advanced API and network customization.

  3. Select Node Storage Type (Developer Mode + Mainnet only)

    • Standard / Light Node: Low storage footprint, fast synchronization.
    • Full Node: Full verification of all transactions (requires more storage).
    • Archive Node: Stores all historical state (huge storage requirements).

  4. Enable JSON-RPC API (Developer Mode only)

    • Offers to enable the HTTP RPC endpoint (http://0.0.0.0:8545).

    RPC Port Exposure

    Enabling RPC allows external apps to interact with your node. Secure your port 8545 using a firewall and do not expose it to the public internet.

  5. Configure Wallet & Mining (Mainnet only, and only if RPC is disabled)

    • If you choose to enable mining, the installer prompts you to set a password.
    • It writes the password securely to %USERPROFILE%\DACNode\password.txt.
    • It generates a wallet address, displays it, and configures the node to start mining automatically.

    ::: important Backup Keystore Back up the generated keystore file located in %USERPROFILE%\DACNode\keystore\ immediately. :::

  6. Status Monitor Script

    • The installer prompts to create a helper script status.bat (highly recommended).
    • This script runs a console loop connecting to the node attach pipe and monitoring syncing progress in real-time.

Managing an Existing Installation ​

When you run the installer script on a machine where a DAC Node is already installed, it detects the installation and prompts you with a management menu:

1) Update Binary ​

  • Stops any running dacnode.exe processes.
  • Backs up the current binary to dacnode.bak.
  • Detects your current network/channel (Mainnet <-> Testnet) and downloads the latest matching executable.
  • Updates the status script.

2) Reconfigure ​

  • Reruns the interactive configuration wizard.
  • Allows you to rename your node, switch network mode, change node storage types, toggle RPC settings, or adjust mining parameters.
  • Rewrites the start.bat launcher script.

3) Uninstall ​

  • Stops any running node processes.
  • Moves the entire %USERPROFILE%\DACNode\ folder to a timestamped backup directory (e.g., %USERPROFILE%\DACNode_Backup_12345/) to ensure no keys or configurations are lost.

4) Check Node Status ​

  • Automatically runs status.bat to monitor your node.

Post-Installation File Structure ​

All files are stored in %USERPROFILE%\DACNode\:

  • dacnode.exe: Node executable.
  • start.bat: Node launcher script (contains startup flags like --miner.etherbase, --unlock, --password).
  • status.bat: Live status monitor script.
  • password.txt: Keystore decryption password.
  • keystore\: Folder containing your encrypted wallet private key.
  • gdacnode\chaindata\: Mainnet blockchain database.
  • testnet\gdacnode\chaindata\: Testnet blockchain database (if using testnet).

Running the Node in the Background (Auto-start on Boot) ​

The Windows script does not natively register a system service. To configure the node to run automatically in the background, choose one of these methods:

  1. Open Task Scheduler.
  2. Click Create Basic Task.
  3. Set the trigger to When I log on.
  4. Set the action to Start a program and select %USERPROFILE%\DACNode\start.bat.
  5. Under properties, check Run whether user is logged on or not (requires entering admin password) to run it invisibly in the background.

Method B: NSSM (Non-Sucking Service Manager) ​

  1. Download nssm.exe from nssm.cc.
  2. Run command prompt as Administrator and type:
    cmd
    nssm install dac-node "%USERPROFILE%\DACNode\start.bat"
  3. Set the startup type to Automatic.
  4. Start the service:
    cmd
    nssm start dac-node

Verification & Troubleshooting ​

  1. Open Command Prompt.

  2. Navigate to your node directory:

    cmd
    cd %USERPROFILE%\DACNode

  3. Run the monitor:

    cmd
    status.bat

    If the status shows "Error: Unable to connect", check if dacnode.exe is running in Task Manager.

    For more details on the status monitor, see the Status Monitor guide.