Starting SageTV as a Service

[Narflex]

I've got an idea how to do this....many have asked for it on XP for various reasons (user switching, recording while logged off, etc). Give this a try and let me know what happens.

1. Setup SageTV to load at startup in the system tray.
2. Quit SageTV
3. Open RegEdit and go to:
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
4. There will be a SageTV value there. Make an identical one underneath:
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices
(you may need to create the RunServices key)
5. Quit RegEdit
6. Start SageTV and disable loading at startup.
7. Quit SageTV and restart Windows.

Let me know what happens. Thanks in advance for the help.

[jmeeks]

Narflex, does this only apply for XP? Will it work for W2K?

[justme]

I tried it and I didn't get anything. In other words SageTV didn't start, as a service or otherwise. I had to create the RunServices key so maybe I mistyped something. Did anyone else have any luck?

PS:Jeff, did you change the way Sage works with fast user switching? Or the way the SageTV setup works for "install for this user only"? While trying this experiment, I noticed a change in Sage's behavior. After the service test failed I started SageTV manualy. I then used fast user switching to go to my wife's account. Now SageTV doesn't try to start a second instance for her account. When I go back to the main account Sage is fine. No loss of sound or recording gaps like before.

Not sure if this is the result of this experiment, 1.4.9RC2, or the new install that occurred with 1.4.9. Either way it's good since multiple active accounts don't seem to be a problem anymore. I just hope it stays like this.

[malore]

justme, SageTV didn't try to start a second instance, because you removed the run on startup option when doing this experiment. I would imagine if you placed a shortcut in your startup folder, then sagetv would start when you're logged in, but not for anybody else. This would allow you to do fast user switching like you've done.

[malore]

Narflex, this MSDN page seems to indicate that the RunServices key is only for Windows 95/98/ME.

Has anyone tried using http://www.firedaemon.com/. "FireDaemon is a utility that allows you to install and run virtually any native Win32 application or script (eg. BAT/CMD, Perl, Java, Python, TCL/TK) as a Windows NT/2K/XP/2K3 service." I've read about people using it for distributed computing projects.

[justme]

I would imagine if you placed a shortcut in your startup folder, then sagetv would start when you logged in, but not for anybody else.

Thanks for the tip. Unfortunatly I don't use the "start in system tray" normally. I have been using a shortcut in my startup directory. But I'd still like to have Sage run as a service, since Sage has occasionally lost sound(not video) when I use fast user switching. This is just one of many reasons.

Has any tried using http://www.firedaemon.com/.

Thanks, I'll try the daemon method later tonight. I've got to get some sleep now.

[drifting]

I wonder if the runas utility that comes with the Win2K resource kit would work? really must get round to trying it.

As for Firedaemon, it does work well, and the free version is limited to only strating a couple of services (But then you only want one)

Regards Paul.

[insomniac]

service+
If you want a great little utility to help create a service out of anything, check out service+

http://www.activeplus.com/default.a.../sp/default.asp

You can also use the utility that microsoft provides with all nt based OS(you can find it in the reskit): instsrv.exe

ill host them for a bit for anyone that wants to dl them..

http://mezor.bounceme.net/service/


I.

edit:

usage would go something like this:

Go to DOS prompt and type in "INSTSRV <service name> C:\srvany\srvany.exe" This
>will create a service named "service name"

[RAlfieri]

I'm trying to do this as well. I tried it with AppToService from Basta and had trouble. SageTV kept asking for my registration key and getting errors loading Java libraries.

Has anyone done this successfully?

Cheers,
Rob

[RAlfieri]

After reading through the forums, I tried starting SageTV in Scheduled Tasks using the -startup option.

Upon reboot, SageTV did show in the task list as having been started. The issue is that I cannot get SageTV's attention when I log in. I have tried running using the -awake command and that does not work.

SageTV is running in the background and making recordings (good thing), but I cannot get it to interact with the desktop after I log in (bad thing).

Ideas?

Cheers,
Rob

[edmc]

> SageTV is running in the background and making recordings (good thing), but I cannot get it to interact with the desktop after I log in (bad thing).

Have you tried using SageTVClient?

As I understand it, there is no way to get to the GUI of SageTV when run as a Service. However, SageTVClient can certainly be configured to look for the Server on "localhost".

[danward79]

Did anyone get this to work?

Did you try an app called at your service?

Dan

[RAlfieri]

Hmm... that seems to make sense. I'll give it a try...

Originally posted by edmc
> SageTV is running in the background and making recordings (good thing), but I cannot get it to interact with the desktop after I log in (bad thing).

Have you tried using SageTVClient?

As I understand it, there is no way to get to the GUI of SageTV when run as a Service. However, SageTVClient can certainly be configured to look for the Server on "localhost".

[insomniac]

Ive had it working just fine. I created it as a service and started sage as the account that it is installed as. The option that you stated "interact with desktop" is necessary. Not sure where you had the problem...I can take a look at my rig and post more specifics if your interrested.

BTW:

In the past, I had posted instructions on doing just this with a link to a service creating utility. Poke around..It might still be in this board somewhere..


I.

Originally posted by RAlfieri
After reading through the forums, I tried starting SageTV in Scheduled Tasks using the -startup option.

Upon reboot, SageTV did show in the task list as having been started. The issue is that I cannot get SageTV's attention when I log in. I have tried running using the -awake command and that does not work.

SageTV is running in the background and making recordings (good thing), but I cannot get it to interact with the desktop after I log in (bad thing).

Ideas?

Cheers,
Rob

[RAlfieri]

Thanks. I would like to see the values in the Sage Properites file. I tried this again and still could not get it to work. I would log in, the service would be running; however, I could not interact with it.

I even tried installing the SageClient and had minimal success. My system dragged down to a crawl.

I'll keep trying...

Thanks,
Rob

Originally posted by insomniac
Ive had it working just fine. I created it as a service and started sage as the account that it is installed as. The option that you stated "interact with desktop" is necessary. Not sure where you had the problem...I can take a look at my rig and post more specifics if your interrested.

BTW:

In the past, I had posted instructions on doing just this with a link to a service creating utility. Poke around..It might still be in this board somewhere..


I.

[BigGator]

Try FireDaemon, that may do the trick..

Fire Daemon
"-)

[justme]

I tried all these suggestions and I kept having a problem with it logging on to my account. I don't mean the nornal windows logon, I use tweakui to bypass that. I mean the service apps couldn't seem to logon to my account. I verified my computers name and password but it kept failing. I believe this was with firedaemon. One of the others didn't even try to load as a service.

Right now I just use the startup folder in windows, but I'd really love to get this working. I use WinXP Pro. Any help would be great.

[insomniac]

For some reason winblows does not use your password on a newely created service. e.g. if you setup a service and then tell it to use the "Administrator" account, you must go into it and re-enter your password. It is very commonly overlooked and usually always the root of the problem.

I.

Originally posted by justme
I tried all these suggestions and I kept having a problem with it logging on to my account. I don't mean the nornal windows logon, I use tweakui to bypass that. I mean the service apps couldn't seem to logon to my account. I verified my computers name and password but it kept failing. I believe this was with firedaemon. One of the others didn't even try to load as a service.

Right now I just use the startup folder in windows, but I'd really love to get this working. I use WinXP Pro. Any help would be great.

[insomniac]

RAlfieri:

Unfortunately, I blew up the box that i had sage recorder setup as a service. Firedaemon as mentioned earlier will help to simplify this service creation. Service+ is also a small and good app for this. Lastly, Microsoft released their own service .exe which requires a little more thought (In the Resource kit).

I create services out of apps, etc all the time, so it is pretty straight forward to me, but im sure that if you try out one of those apps, you will be fine.

If you want to fool around with mickysoft's ver of service creation, you can grab them off my site: http://mezor.bounceme.net/service

I.

Originally posted by insomniac
Ive had it working just fine. I created it as a service and started sage as the account that it is installed as. The option that you stated "interact with desktop" is necessary. Not sure where you had the problem...I can take a look at my rig and post more specifics if your interrested.

BTW:

In the past, I had posted instructions on doing just this with a link to a service creating utility. Poke around..It might still be in this board somewhere..


I.

[justme]

For some reason winblows does not use your password on a newely created service. e.g. if you setup a service and then tell it to use the "Administrator" account, you must go into it and re-enter your password. It is very commonly overlooked and usually always the root of the problem.

Thanks for the advice. I'll go back and try firedaemon again, probably latter on tonight.