This article presents a step-by-step guide on installing the Gala Node software on the latest version of Windows. This tutorial is for Desktop operating systems that support Docker Virtualization, such as Windows 11, and not operating systems, such as Windows 10 Home and Windows Server.

Knowing how to install the Gala Node software on a Windows computer will help a user run their Gala Node properly to both help support the network and get credit in the distribution. 

 

This article assumes a user has a valid node license and has downloaded the Windows software and understands the information in the following articles:  
 
What is a Distribution? 

What is the Gala Games and Entertainment Ecosystem

Where are Rewards Found After Distribution?‍ 

Sign Up for a Gala Games and Entertainment Account

Purchase a Founder's Node License‍ 

Download the Gala Node Software

Gala Node Software Requirements

 

Download Gala Node Software at this link: https://links.gala.com/DownloadWindowsNode

Before installing the Gala Node software on Windows, there are three prerequisites to run the Gala Node Software.

Gala Node Prerequisites:

CPU Virtualization

Docker

Linux Kernel

CPU Virtualization

A user’s computer needs a CPU with virtualization enabled in the BIOS to make sure Docker runs properly as it would throw an error message if it’s not enabled. Please refer to the Check and Enable Virtualization in Windows 11 article for more information.

Docker Installation

 

Navigate to https://docs.docker.com/desktop/release-notes/ and select Windows under Download Docker Desktop.

 

 

Download the executable and begin the Docker Desktop installation.

Select the default settings and click Ok.

 

Wait until the installation is complete, this may take a few minutes.

 

Once installation is complete, click Close and restart to complete the Docker setup.

 

Once the computer is restarted, the Linux Kernel needs to be installed.

 

Linux Kernel Installation

 

This error may appear when Docker starts. When this happens, a user will need to install the Linux Kernel for Windows.

 

 

1) Navigate to learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install-manual#step-4---download-the-linux-kernel-update-package and download the latest package.

 

 

2) Open the installer and click Next.

 

 

3) Once the installation is complete, click Finish.

 

 

4) A Windows Defender Firewall prompt may appear, Allow Access to continue.

 

 

Gala Node Installation

1) After downloading the Windows Gala Node executable, open the installer, and click Next.

 

2) Read through and accept the end-user license agreement and click Next.
 

 

3) Select the installation location and click Next.

 

 

4) Click Install.

 

 

5) Once the installation is complete, make sure the Launch Gala Node Desktop is checked and click Finish to open the software.

 

 

 

6) Users will need to enter an API key generated from their account from the Gala Node Dashboard. Please see the Gala Node Software API Key articles to learn more about it. 

Once the API Key is generated from the Gala Node Dashboard, click Enter Now to continue.

 

 

7) Paste in an API key and click OK.

 

8) The Gala Node software will now be started. It can be found in the system tray section of the Windows toolbar.

 

 

9) Right-click on the Gala Node icon to present the node controls. Make sure to check off all of the desired workloads under the select workloads section.

 

 

Note: If the Gala Node software isn’t started, search for the Gala Node Desktop software to open the program.

 

Please read this article here to learn more about navigating the Gala Node software: Managing the Gala Node Software on Windows or MacOS.