Ensuring the integrity of your assessment process is essential for your effort to have academic validity. SMOWL CM (Computer Monitoring) is the tool that will allow you to take your online exams securely and reliably, ensuring that the digital environment complies with your institution's requirements.
In this article, you will learn how to prepare your computer, download the software, and install it correctly. By following these steps, you will avoid technical problems during your activity and will be able to focus solely on demonstrating your knowledge.
Prerequisites and Technical Requirements
Before starting the download, it is essential to check that your computer is ready. SMOWL CM requires the system to have the necessary permissions to monitor activity during the exam.
If you are using a corporate computer (from a company or institution), contact your technical department. Make sure you have administrator permissions, as new software installation is usually restricted on these devices.
Verify that your computer meets the following minimum requirements:
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How to Find and Download the SMOWL CM Installer
The SMOWL CM download link is not generic; it is located within your Learning Management System (LMS). The exact location depends on how your educational institution has configured it.
If you have difficulty finding it, look for the SMOWL tool within your course. These are the most common locations depending on the platform you use:
Instructions for Moodle and OpenLMS
On these platforms, it is most common to find a sidebar block or a specific activity within the course. The block design usually includes the Smowltech logo and a direct button to download the installer.
Instructions for Blackboard, Canvas, and D2L
In these cases, the download button usually appears when you click on the SMOWL tool within the course modules. If you do not see the button, we recommend contacting your teaching staff directly.
Step-by-Step Installation Process
Once you have downloaded the file, follow these steps to complete the installation on your Windows device:
Locate the file: Look for the installer in your "Downloads" folder or in the location you chose.
Run the program: Double-click on the downloaded file to open the wizard.
Follow the wizard: Click on the "Next" or "Install" buttons that appear on the screen.
Finish the process: The installer will confirm when the operation has finished successfully.
When finished, close the installer window. You are now ready to proceed with your academic activity. SMOWL CM will only activate when you start the monitored test.
First Launch and Monitoring Permissions
When you access your exam on the virtual campus, the system will automatically detect that you need SMOWL CM. At that moment, your browser will show you a confirmation pop-up window.
It is very important that you select the "Always allow" checkbox and then click on "Open SMOWL CM". This ensures that the tool can communicate correctly with your exam platform.
Remember that SMOWL CM only monitors your activity during the duration of the test. Once you finish the exam, supervision will stop automatically. Everything that happens on your computer during that period will be reported to your institution to validate the integrity of the process.
Automatic Updates Management
Starting with version 5.0, SMOWL CM includes an auto-update feature. This simplifies your experience, as the software will look for improvements and security patches every time you are about to take an exam.
If a new version exists, the system will download and install it automatically before starting the test.
Once the update is complete, SMOWL CM will launch again and you can access your assessment normally.
Troubleshooting: Update Error
Occasionally, external factors such as network configuration or system restrictions may interrupt the automatic update. If this happens, you will see an error message on your screen.
To resolve this inconvenience, you must perform a manual update by following these three steps:
Uninstall the old version: Go to the Windows control panel and remove SMOWL CM.
Download the new version: Go back to the monitoring block of your course and download the updated installer.
Reinstall and refresh: Install the new version, refresh your exam page, and verify that the alert message has disappeared.
⚠️ Architecture Error: How to choose the correct version (32-bit or 64-bit)?
For SMOWL CM to function correctly, the installed version must match your Windows operating system architecture.
If you attempt to run a 32-bit version on a 64-bit system (or vice versa), you will see a warning message.
1. How do I know my Windows architecture?
Before installing, or if you encounter the architecture error, check your computer's specifications:
Press the Windows key + I on your keyboard to open Settings.
Click on System, then scroll down the left-hand menu and select About.
Look for the System type section. It will indicate if your computer is a "64-bit operating system" or a "32-bit operating system".
2. What should I do if I installed the wrong version?
If you see the "Incompatible Architecture" (Arquitectura no compatible) error, follow these steps in order:
Uninstall the current version: You must remove the incorrect version before installing the new one. Go to Control Panel > Uninstall a program, find SMOWL CM, and select "Uninstall".
Download the correct version: * You can click the "Download 64-bit version" (or the suggested version) button directly in the error message window.
Alternatively, return to the official download page and select the link corresponding to your architecture (x64 for 64-bit or x86 for 32-bit).
Reinstall: Once the correct file is downloaded, run it to complete the installation successfully.
How to Configure Your Antivirus to Avoid Blocks
Some security programs mistakenly identify the SMOWL CM update process as a threat. To prevent your antivirus from blocking the tool's functionality, you must add an exclusion for the update.exe file or for the folder where SMOWL CM was installed.
Below, we explain how to proceed with the most common antivirus programs:
Windows Defender Configuration
1. Open Windows Settings (Windows key + I).
2. Go to “Privacy and Security” → “Windows Security” → “Virus and Threat Protection”.
3. In the “Antivirus and threat protection settings” section, click “Manage settings”.
4. Find the “Exclusions” section and click “Add or remove exclusions”
5. Click “Add an exclusion” and select File or Folder.
6. Locate the SMOWL CM file or folder and add it.
Avast Configuration
1. Open Avast and go to “Menu” (upper right corner).
2. Select “Settings”.
3. In the menu on the left, go to “Protection” and select “Main Shields”.
4. Scroll down until you find “Exclusions”.
5. Click “Add file” or “Add folder”.
6. Locate the update.exe file or folder containing SMOWL CM and select it.
7. Save the changes
You can learn more about how to exclude SMOWL CM in Avast by clicking on the following link:
Norton Configuration
1. Open Norton and go to “Settings”.
2. Select “Antivirus” → “Scanning and risks”.
3. Find the “Items to exclude from scanning” section and click “Configure”.
4. Click “Add folders” or “Add files” as needed.
5. Locate update.exe or the SMOWL CM folder and add it.
6. Save the changes.
You can learn more about how to exclude SMOWL CM in Avast by clicking on the following link:
Mcafee Configuration
1. Open McAfee and go to “Settings” → “Real-Time Scanning”.
2. Click “Exclusions” or “Add exclusions”.
3. Select the option to add a file or folder.
4. Locate the update.exe file or SMOWL CM folder and add it.
5. Save the changes.
Bitdefender Configuration
1. Open Bitdefender and go to “Protection”.
2. Select “Antivirus Settings”.
3. Find the “Exclusions” section and click “Manage exclusions”.
4. Click “Add exclusion” and select the type (file or folder).
5. Locate the SMOWL CM file or folder and add it.
6. Enable the option to exclude it from both on-access and scanning analysis.
Optimizing your antivirus configuration is a preventive measure that will give you peace of mind during your assessments. If you continue to experience problems after making these adjustments, we recommend restarting your computer and trying to access it again.
Do you have more questions?
Check our related articles or contact our support team via chat. You can open it by clicking on the blue owl located in the lower right corner of this page.