Air Video Server as Service (Windows)

Hi,

thanks for this great tool, but is there any possibility to run the server as a service? Since there's no logged in user after i started my windows-based NAS the Air Video Server is not running.

Maybe there's a tool with which i'm able to run any software as a service?

thanks in advance..

Hi,

currently Air Video Server can not be natively run as Windows Service. We plan to add this feature in future.

You can however use 3rd party tools to run Air Video Server as NET service. For example NT Wrapper should do the trick (even the free lite version). Just remember to check the "Restart Application" option, otherwise Air Video Server will quit during log off.

Also note that when you run Air Video server as service it will run under the Local System user account (so you will have to add the folders / set password again). Also make sure that you uncheck the "Start at Login" option in Air Video preferences because it's no longer necessary.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 10/03/2009 03:11:59

Admin wrote:Also note that when you run Air Video server as service it will run under the Local System user account (so you will have to add the folders / set password again). Also make sure that you uncheck the "Start at Login" option in Air Video preferences because it's no longer necessary.

I am running WHS, i have install Bonjour, Air Video and NT Wrapper. It all works fine.
My only problems is how to configure Air Video as the Local System Account, as I can't seem to get the GUI to come up as System, any ideas please?

I tried this in Windows XP. When Air Video Server ran as LocalSystem account (default setting) I was able to configure it from regular user account (the icon was shown in system tray).

Thats strange.

I can run it interactively, configure it and it works fine. But when I run it using NT wrapper as a service I get no GUI or tray icon and the settings that I used when configured interactively are not being used.

That seems to be the case in Vista. Are you using Vista? or 7?

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 10/03/2009 03:39:38

Windows Home server which is basically Windows Server 2003.

Is there a way to configure it via regedit etc? Or a parameter to start it as a normal window and not a tray icon?

Looks like for security reasons Vista (and 2003 too) blocks services from user interaction.

This document describes it:
http://download.microsoft.com/download/9/c/5/9c5b2167-8017-4bae-9fde-d599bac8184a/Vista_Services.doc
"Services that have a UI, such as a dialog box, cannot display it directly in Windows Vista"
That means Air Video Server will need a significant architectural change to be able to run as service on Windows Vista / 7 / 2003.

mmmmm, so what can I do to configure?

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 10/03/2009 03:56:28

Looks like the only option is to configure the service to be run under your user account. In that case Air Video will pick the configuration files from your account.
In services control panel right click on Air Video service, chose properties and in the Log On tab change Local System Account to This Account. Click Browse and find your user account.

To change settings you will have to temporarily stop the service, run Air Video Server normally, change settings, stop Air video Server and restart the service.

You can find the services control panel in Administrative Tools in system Control Panel.

This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 10/03/2009 04:30:10

I can force most of the settings that are saved in the registry by just exporting and importing them into [HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-18\Software\InMethod].
But where are the shared folders information stored?

UPDATE
I think I found it in C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Application Data\AirVideoServer
But copying this folder to the system appdata doesn't work.
For now I'll use my account

You can run Air Video Server as service under your account (so it takes settings from your configuration). Does this not work for you?

Yep using my account works fine.

But is that less secure than using the local system account? I read in the NT Wrapper help file something about the password being not very securely encrypted.