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Here are the steps to set up the United Devices client as a service in Windows XP (and 2000) and still have access to it.

What you'll need:

1) An installed and registered copy of the United Devices client.
2) A copy of INSTSRV.EXE (Also found by googling).
3) A copy of SRVANY.EXE (Also found by googling).

Here is what you do:

1) Place both INSTSRV.EXE and SRVANY.EXE into your United Devices folder.
2) Open a DOS window by clicking Start>Run and typing CMD.
3) At the C:\ prompt type with out quotes "cd C:\Program Files\United Devices" (assuming you installed the client in the default location) and press enter.
4) Type the follow exactly as seen here including the quotes to install the service: INSTSRV UnitedDevices "C:\Program Files\United Devices\SRVANY.EXE" and press enter (You will get a confirmation that the service has been installed) Close the DOS window.

Warning: The following steps involve editing your registry. Proceed with caution!

5) Open the registry editor by clicking Start>Run and typing regedit in the box.
6) Navigate to the new United Devices registry key located here: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\United Devices
7) Right Click on the United Devices key and Select New Key. Name that new key Parameters. You should now have a key Named United Devices with two sub keys, Security and Parameters.
8) Left click on the Parameters key. You should now have the default key on the right with white space. Right Click in the white space and select New> String Value. You'll get a new string value named New Value #1. Rename that AppDirectory by Right Clicking on it and selecting rename. Repeat these steps to create a string value called Application.
9) Double click AppDirectory. Type the following in the Value data box: C:\Program Files\United Devices then Click OK.
10) Double click Application. Type the following in the Value data box: C:\Program Files\United Devices\ud.exe then Click OK.
11) Close the registry editor and start breathing again. The hard part is over.

---END OF REGISTRY EDITING---

12) Remove the UD entry from start up by clicking Start>All Programs>Startup then right click on the UD entry and select delete. This step is required to avoid two instances of UD starting.
13) Reboot
14) Open the newly created service entry by Clicking Start>Administrative Tools>Services then scroll to the service called United Devices and double click that service.
15) Click the Log On tab and select Allow service to interact with desktop then click apply. The blue pill will immediately be visible in your task bar. Click OK.



16) Close the services window.

That's it, you're are done. Now United Devices will start as a service even if no one is logged in. These steps were adapted from installing Folding@Home as a service and were tested on Windows XP Pro SP1a.

Notes:

1) Because it is now running as a service, you can't just close the client. You'll now have to stop the service by Clicking Start>Administrative Tools>Services then scroll to the service called United Devices and double click that service and clicking the Stop button.
2) You can set recovery options that force UD to restart if it fails by making appropriate selections under the Recovery tab in the service options.
3) You may remove the service one of two ways:

a) Open a DOS window by clicking Start>Run and typing CMD then typing cd C:\Program Files\United Devices and press enter. Then type INSTSRV UnitedDevices REMOVE.
b) Manually delete the United Devices service key by opening the registry editor and navigating to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\United Devices and selecting the key and pressing delete on the keyboard.


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by jazzman916 See Profile edited by slash See Profile
last modified: 2007-02-07 21:22:18