Installing and Uninstalling ModelSim XE under Microsoft Windows

This document shows you how to install and uninstall ModelSim XE 5.6e, which forms part of the Xilinx FPGA Tools, under Microsoft Windows.

In this document, something like “Start » Settings » Control Panel” means that you click on the Start button, select the Settings sub-menu and finally click on Control Panel. Anything in a bold monospaced font is what you are expected to type in.

Minimum System Requirements

In order to successfully install and run ModelSim XE, you will need to meet at least the following requirements:

Installation Instructions

Installing the ModelSim XE software is fairly straight forward, but please pay careful attention to these instructions:

1.	If you are running Microsoft Windows 2000 or Windows XP Professional, log in as Administrator. If you are running Microsoft Windows XP Home, simply log in.
2.	Run the ModelSim XE setup.exe program in the  xilinx/modelsim-xe/win32 directory on this CD-ROM.
3.	The installation program will ask which version of ModelSim XE you wish to install. Take care that you select “MXE II Starter — Limited Version of MXE II (Free)” as by choosing the wrong option you may end up paying over $600 Australian! Click Next. An introductory window will appear. Click Next to proceed.
4.	The setup program will now display a window with the licence agreement. Read the licence and agree to it by clicking Yes.
5.	You now need to select a destination directory and program folder. The destination directory should be set to something like C:\Modeltech_xe_starter or C:\ModelSimXE. It is tempting to install the program in C:\Program Files\ModelSim XE, where it should be, but this will not work: the ModelSim programmers have yet to figure out how to handle spaces within filenames! Click Next.
6.	You will be asked what type of installation this is to be. Select “Full Verilog” if your UNSW course uses Verilog, or “Full VHDL” if your course uses VHDL (most courses in the Digital Systems Laboratory use Verilog). Click Next.
7.	A summary will be displayed. Click Next. The program will now be installed.
8.	After the program is copied into the correct locations, you will be asked if you want a shortcut to ModelSim XE placed on the desktop. Answer according to taste: No is as good as Yes.
9.	Click Yes in response to “Add ModelSim to Path”.
10.	You now need to register ModelSim XE with Xilinx and receive a licence key to unlock the software. Click Yes to do so. The last window of the setup program will appear. Click Finish.
11.	Your Web browser will now try to open the Xilinx registration page. Please note that you will need an Internet connection up and running for this to work, as well as a valid e-mail address. Follow the directions on the Web page: first, register with Xilinx by selecting the Register link (you will need to enter your personal details). Next, request the licence key by selecting the Continue link (you may need to go back to the original Web page by using the Back button on your browser). The licence key will be sent to you by e-mail within a few minutes of requesting it. Finally, save that licence key to any convenient location (eg, C:\WINNT\TEMP) with the name license.dat.
12.	The e-mail containing the licence key will supply instructions on how to install and use that licence key. In brief, run the ModelSim XE Licensing Wizard (Start » Programs » ModelSim XE II v5.6e » Licensing Wizard), click Continue, then select the location of the license.dat file. Follow the remaining prompts (making sure that you do copy the licence file to the suggested location). Once this is done, you should be able to use ModelSim XE.
13.	You have finished installing ModelSim XE!

Uninstallation Instructions

Uninstalling the ModelSim XE software is quite simple: