Installing on Windows, and the SmartScreen warning

Railbase for Windows ships as an MSI installer. Today that installer is not yet Authenticode code-signed, so Windows shows a warning before it runs. This page explains exactly what that warning means, how to check the file yourself instead of taking our word for it, and what will change when the certificate is in place.

We would rather tell you this here than let you meet an unexplained security dialog and wonder what you just downloaded.

What the warning actually says

When you run the MSI you may see a blue full-screen dialog:

Windows protected your PC. Microsoft Defender SmartScreen prevented an unrecognised app from starting.

The word doing the work is unrecognised. SmartScreen is a reputation check, not a malware scan:

• It does not say the file contains malware.
• It does not say the file was modified or tampered with in transit.
• It says Microsoft has not yet seen this exact file, signed by a certificate it already trusts, enough times to vouch for it.

An unsigned installer from a small vendor always starts in that state. A signed one from a vendor with an established certificate does not.

Verify the download yourself

You do not have to trust the dialog or us. Every release publishes a SHA-256 checksum for each file, and the checksum is generated from the same bytes we upload. Check it before you install:

Get-FileHash .\railbase_windows_amd64.msi -Algorithm SHA256

Compare the value with the one listed for your version on the release page in your account. If the two match, the file you have is byte-for-byte the file we published. If they differ, stop — delete the file and contact support; do not install it.

Installing past the warning

Once the checksum matches:

1. On the SmartScreen dialog choose More info.
2. Choose Run anyway.
3. Approve the Windows administrator prompt. The installer writes to C:\Program Files\Railbase, adds a Start-menu entry, and registers Railbase in Installed apps so it can be removed the normal way.

After installation Railbase runs in the notification area (system tray). It starts automatically when you sign in, restarts itself if it stops unexpectedly, and opens the admin panel in your browser on first run.

Your data lives in %APPDATA%\Railbase on that machine — the installer never touches it, including on uninstall.

Removing Railbase

Use Settings ▸ Apps ▸ Installed apps ▸ Railbase ▸ Uninstall, or the tray menu's Uninstall Railbase. That removes the program, the Start-menu entry and the autostart entry. Your data folder is left in place deliberately; delete %APPDATA%\Railbase yourself if you want it gone.

What changes when the certificate lands

An Authenticode code-signing certificate is being procured. Once releases are signed with it:

• The publisher name (Silkway Tech, LLC) appears in the Windows prompt instead of "Unknown publisher".
• The SmartScreen warning disappears for good on an EV certificate, and fades as reputation accumulates on a standard one.
• Nothing else about the installer changes — the same MSI, the same layout, the same uninstall path.

Until then the checksum above is the honest way to confirm what you are running, and it stays valid afterwards too.

macOS and Linux

Neither platform has this gap:

• macOS installers are signed and notarized by Silkway Tech LLC, and the notarization ticket is stapled — they install offline with no prompt.
• Linux packages are OpenPGP-signed; the public key is linked from the download page so apt/dnf can verify signatures.