Run RealtimeSync as a Service (Windows only)

The following step-by-step guide describes how to setup RealtimeSync (or any other application) as a Windows Service. This can be useful if the tool shall run on a SYSTEM account without necessarily requiring a user to log in.

1. Get access to the command-line tools "instsrv.exe" and "srvany.exe" which come with the Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit Tools:

Download: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=9d467a69-57ff-4ae7-96ee-b18c4790cffd&displaylang=en

2. Create and register a new Service via command line:

instsrv <ServiceName> <PathToResourceKit>\srvany.exe


 

3. Link the new Service with RealtimeSync:

• Open the Registry editor (Regedit.exe) and navigate to key "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\<ServiceName>"

• Add a new key "Parameters".
  

• Add a new String value named "Application" and specify a command line that shall be executed as value.
  

That's it!

Attention:
When running RealtimeSync as a service the application has no means to interact with the user. Therefore any popup dialog will stop the process flow! Consequently consider the following rules when setting up a FreeFileSync batch job:

• Enable checkbox "Silent mode" to prevent showing a status dialog at the end of the process.

• Set "Error handling" to either "Exit instantly" or "Ignore errors".

The new service can now be started via command line or Windows Service administration:

net start <ServiceName>


 

 

Note:
By default the service is created with start-up type "automatic" which runs it on Windows start. This behavior can be changed in Windows Service administration.

If the Service shall be removed from the system, enter via command line:

instsrv <ServiceName> remove


 

(Reference: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/137890)