Running a Node on Windows

A step-by-step guide for building and running a RougeChain node on Windows.

Prerequisites

1. Install Rust

Download and run the installer from rustup.rs. Use the default options.

After installation, open a new PowerShell window and verify:

cargo --version
rustc --version

2. Install Visual Studio Build Tools

Download Visual Studio Build Tools and install the "Desktop development with C++" workload.

This provides the MSVC compiler and Windows SDK needed to build native Rust projects.

3. Install Git (if needed)

Download from git-scm.com or install via winget:

winget install Git.Git

Build the Node

Open PowerShell and run:

git clone https://github.com/cyberdreadx/rougechain-node.git
cd rougechain-node\core
cargo build --release -p quantum-vault-daemon

The first build takes 5-10 minutes. The binary will be at:

target\release\quantum-vault-daemon.exe

Run the Node

Connect to Testnet

.\target\release\quantum-vault-daemon.exe --api-port 5100 --peers "https://testnet.rougechain.io/api"

Run a Mining Node

.\target\release\quantum-vault-daemon.exe --mine --api-port 5100 --peers "https://testnet.rougechain.io/api"

Name Your Node

.\target\release\quantum-vault-daemon.exe --api-port 5100 --node-name "MyWindowsNode" --peers "https://testnet.rougechain.io/api"

Verify It's Working

In a separate PowerShell window:

Invoke-RestMethod http://127.0.0.1:5100/api/health

Expected output:

{
  "status": "ok",
  "chain_id": "rougechain-devnet-1",
  "height": 123
}

Visit http://localhost:5100 in your browser to see the built-in node dashboard.

Run as a Background Service

Option A: Task Scheduler

Open Task Scheduler → Create Task
General: Name it "RougeChain Node", check "Run whether user is logged on or not"
Trigger: At startup
Action: Start a program
- Program: C:\path\to\quantum-vault-daemon.exe
- Arguments: --mine --api-port 5100 --peers "https://testnet.rougechain.io/api"
- Start in: C:\path\to\rougechain-node\core
Settings: Check "Restart if task fails", set to every 1 minute

Option B: NSSM (Non-Sucking Service Manager)

# Install NSSM
winget install NSSM.NSSM

# Create the service
nssm install rougechain "C:\path\to\quantum-vault-daemon.exe"
nssm set rougechain AppParameters "--mine --api-port 5100 --peers ""https://testnet.rougechain.io/api"""
nssm set rougechain AppDirectory "C:\path\to\rougechain-node\core"

# Start
nssm start rougechain

Windows Firewall

If you want your node to be publicly accessible:

# Allow inbound connections to port 5100
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "RougeChain Node" -Direction Inbound -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 5100 -Action Allow

Docker Alternative

If you prefer Docker, install Docker Desktop for Windows and run:

docker run -d --name rougechain-node -p 5100:5100 -v qv-data:/data rougechain/node --mine --peers https://testnet.rougechain.io/api

Troubleshooting

"cargo not found"

Close and reopen PowerShell. Rust adds itself to PATH but it takes a new session to pick up.

Build errors about MSVC

Make sure Visual Studio Build Tools is installed with the C++ desktop workload. Restart your terminal after installing.

"Access denied" or antivirus blocking

Run PowerShell as Administrator
Add an antivirus exclusion for the rougechain-node directory
Windows Defender may flag the newly built binary — allow it through

Node doesn't respond

Check Windows Firewall isn't blocking the port
Make sure you're using http://127.0.0.1:5100 (not localhost, which may resolve to IPv6)

Updating

cd rougechain-node
git pull
cd core
cargo build --release -p quantum-vault-daemon
# Restart the node

RougeChain Documentation