# Setting up on a Windows server

> Academium Surepass Help › Setting up your school or centre
> For: Server Edition · Windows
> Web page: https://helpcenter.academium.com.ng/academium-surepass/article/sp-setting-up-on-a-windows-server
> Last updated: 2026-10-06

This guide sets up the **Surepass Server Edition** on a Windows computer. Read [Before you set up](https://helpcenter.academium.com.ng/academium-surepass/article/sp-before-you-set-up.md) first.

## Before you start

The server computer needs **Windows 10 or Windows 11, 64-bit**, with at least **8 GB** of memory (**16 GB** recommended) and **256 GB** of storage. Two drives are recommended: one for the system, one for local backups. See [Choosing your server computer](https://helpcenter.academium.com.ng/academium-surepass/article/sp-choosing-your-server-computer.md).

- [Download Windows 11](https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows11) (recommended)
- [Download Windows 10](https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows10)

Windows needs a valid licence (product key). **Windows 11 is the better choice**: Microsoft no longer gives Windows 10 free security updates.

Need a server computer, a Windows licence, or a school network? Contact **Academium Plus** or Academium support. Academium Plus sells **preconfigured servers** and genuine Microsoft licences, and gives a **free quote** for server computers and school networks.

## 1. Install the Server Edition

1. Download **Surepass Server Edition for Windows** from the Academium downloads page.
2. Open the downloaded file and follow the installer.
3. Open **Academium Surepass Server**. The control panel opens.

## 2. Link the server to your school or centre

1. Open the **Portal** tab.
2. Under **Welcome back**, enter the **email** and **password** of your school or centre administrator account. This is your Academium account. See [Before you set up](https://helpcenter.academium.com.ng/academium-surepass/article/sp-before-you-set-up.md).
3. Click **Log In**.
4. If your account manages more than one branch, **Select a branch**: choose the branch this server is for.

The server prepares itself. This takes a minute or two.

> **Note:** Windows may ask for permission while the server sets itself up. Click **Yes**.

## 3. Set up the school

When the server has linked, the Portal tab may show **School not set up yet**.

1. Make sure the server is running. If the status card says **Server Stopped**, click **Start**.
2. In the Portal tab, click **Set Up School**.

This creates your school (or centre) and your administrator account on the server. Your administrator account uses the **same email and password** you just signed in with.

If it says **Setup incomplete**, click **Retry Setup**. It is safe to run more than once.

## 4. Download the question bank

Once the school is set up, the **Content Library** in the Portal tab starts downloading your question bank, subjects, topics and comprehension passages. It can take a while on a slow connection. It carries on from where it stopped if the connection drops. See [The Portal tab](https://helpcenter.academium.com.ng/academium-surepass/article/sp-the-portal-tab.md).

## 5. Connect your other computers

The **Overview** tab shows the address of your server and a **Scan to connect** QR code. Install the **Client Edition** on your lab and staff computers from the server's own download page. See [Connecting computers to the server](https://helpcenter.academium.com.ng/academium-surepass/article/sp-connecting-computers-to-the-server.md).

## 6. Sign in and set up your school

On any Client computer, sign in with your email and password. Then follow [Your first sign-in](https://helpcenter.academium.com.ng/academium-surepass/article/sp-your-first-sign-in.md).

## Common problems

**Start is greyed out and says "Connect a portal account to start".** Sign in on the Portal tab first.

**"These credentials do not match our records."** Check the email and password. Use **Forgot your password?** under the sign-in form to reset it.

**"This account is not enabled for the Server Edition."** Only School Owner, School Admin, Centre Owner and Centre Admin accounts can set up a server.

**"No school is linked to this account."** Your account does not have Surepass on a school yet. Contact Academium support.

**The server was set up on another computer before.** Each account can run one server at a time. Signing in here signs the other server out.

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Need a server computer, a Windows licence, a school network or a computer lab? **Academium Plus**, from the same company as this product, supplies and sets them up, with a **free quote**: https://my.academium.com.ng/support