Installing the SchoolWise Windows Desktop Client

SchoolWise supports Microsoft Windows 7-11 (32-bit & 64-bit). To install SchoolWise, you must be logged in to the computer with sufficient user rights to install software. In most cases, local admin login is required to install. If you are setting up the client on a highly restricted user, please make sure to allow full access to the C:\SchoolWise folder.

For all new computer installs please download and use this setup file:

• SchoolWiseSetup.exe

If you have an older computer with SchoolWise already installed, updated install files may be needed to display images correctly in custom reports. Please download the existing client file below and extract into the c:\schoolwise folder to update:

• Existing Client Updated Files

New Client Installation Instructions

The SchooWise desktop client is meant to be installed and run locally. It is not good practice to install from a network share.  Running swboot.exe from a network share is also not supported.

Before a new client install, you need to obtain your school-specific credential key. It will be named: schoolwisekey.txt

If you already have this credential key file: 

• Save it to your download folder, desktop or somewhere you can find it easily.

If you don't have the credential key file: 

• You can create it from an existing workstation or request the file from SchoolWise support.

To create your credential key In SchoolWise:

1. Select the File Menu in the top left-hand corner. 
2. Select System Administration 
3. Select Generate Key File 

Once you have your schoolwisekey.txt file, save it to the download folder, desktop or somewhere you can find it easily on the the new computer you are installing SchoolWise on. 

Then follow these steps to install the desktop client:

1. It’s always best to disable any running anti-virus software. You can usually right-click on your anti-virus icon in the Windows task bar (bottom right hand corner) to disable it temporarily.

2. Double-click to download and run the SchoolWiseSetup.exe file. By default, Windows Defender Smart Screen may prompt you with a screen like the one below. Click on More info and then choose Run anyway. You may also have to click Yes on the User Account Control window that pops up depending on your settings.

3. Choose: Use locally or network shared schoolwisekey text file and then click Browse to select the folder you saved your
school-specific schoolwisekey.txt file in. The example below was saved to the user's desktop.

4. The next screen allows you to choose the install location. You can either Browse to a new folder or use the recommended default c:\SchoolWise folder. Click Next to proceed. 

5. Click the Install button.

6. Click OK to Launch SchoolWise.

7. The SchoolWise Setup and Registration window displays your name and organization. These values are not required.  If you used the

schoolwisekey.txt file during installation, the serial number will be filled in automatically. Click Finish to launch SchoolWise. 

8. A desktop shortcut will be created and will bring you to the SchoolWise login page. When you run SchoolWise for the first time, the school selected is the district level. Make sure you select the desired school and year. If not, school-specific features will be unavailable (eg. Courses, Enrollment, Marks, Attendance, etc.). You can select the school and year either on the login screen or from the top center pulldown menu once you log in.

The SchoolWise shortcut on your desktop will look like this:

Creating a new Desktop shortcut for SchoolWise

If you wish to create a new SchoolWise shortcut, the best way to do so would be to Right-click on the desktop SchoolWise 5.0 icon and then choose Pin to taskbar or Pin to Start. If you want to create a new shortcut in a non-standard location, please make sure you point to the swboot.exe file. DO NOT point to the sw.exe file. While running sw.exe directly may work for some time, as soon as a new update is released you will not be able to use SchoolWise until you run swboot.exe. 

Fixing a Desktop shortcut for SchoolWise

If you receive the above message when attempting to run SchoolWise, that normally means your SchoolWise desktop shortcut target is incorrectly using sw.exe instead of swboot.exe which updates the software to the current release. That can easily be fixed if you right-click the SchoolWise desktop icon and select properties and then change the shortcut target to C:\SchoolWise\swBoot.exe.

Desktop Client Troubleshooting

Very rarely other software packages (or installers) may cause issues with our OCX files. If you are running into any OCX issues/errors you might need to re-register them using the batch file here. Please save this file to your problem workstation, make sure that the SchoolWise application is closed, and run this as admin.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/17HDCloClf2dzY6gZhDDOiXlwnTbNHU3Q/view?usp=sharing

Desktop Client (Complete Uninstall Procedure)

In the case of a failed desktop client install, or if you seem to be having unexplained trouble/issues. You may need to uninstall the desktop client and do a fresh/clean install. Follow these steps to uninstall the desktop client: 

1. Open a command prompt as admin.

2. Stop the service using: sc stop swService

3. Remove the service by using: sc delete swService

4. Lastly, delete the c:\schoolwise folder