Documentation for WinProxy

Running WinProxy as a Service Under Windows NT

Overview

Windows NT allows you to customize the way you run WinProxy. You can run it:

• As a standalone application.
• As a service, configuring it to either start manually or automatically when Windows NT boots.
• In hidden mode it isn't visible on the screen and the user interface is not available. Even with a visible inter face, most service options won't permit WinProxy configuration changes and generate an error if you try.

The following sections describe several different service options, starting with the simplest. All NT system services are configured by following the click-path Control Panel/ Services. Services are listed alphabetically in the window. Highlight the service to be configured and click Startup.

If you plan to run WinProxy on a computer with more than one user account, we recommend running it under its own account and not as a system account. To assign the rights for running services to that account, go into Policies (NT4 Service Pack 3 and higher will prompt you for it; earlier versions will not). When running on a machine where the user account may change, run WinProxy as a hidden service.

A Few Helpful Tips

If you'll be installing WinProxy as a service, we recommend first configuring it to suit your needs: once it's running as a service, the service must be stopped (and the computer restarted) when configuration changes are made. This is not only tedious but makes it difficult to determine causes if things don't work the way you expected. We also suggest enabling activity logging in WinProxy before running it as a service. Then, if you need to use logging to help with trouble-shooting, you can start the logging application.

Visible Service, Desktop or Start Menu Start and Stop

You're not required to start the program automatically even if you've checked the box in WinProxy instructing it to run as a service. When you begin WinProxy from the Start Menu, it runs in the System Tray so that it doesn't occupy desktop space. You can bring up the user interface by double clicking on the mask icon. WinProxy won't start up with its main screen visible; if it did, you'd have to minimize it before logging into Windows. To put WinProxy in the Startup Group:

1. Click the path Start/Settings/Taskbar/Start Menu Programs/Add/ Browse. Double-click WinProxy.
2. Click Next.
3. Double-click the StartUp folder.
4. Enter the name you want.
5. Click Finish.

Visible or Hidden Service, Manual Start and Stop

1. If WinProxy is already installed as a service, skip to Step 6.
2. Click the WinProxy mask icon in the Start Menu.
3. Select Settings from the WinProxy File Menu.
4. Check Run As A Service in the General Tab.
5. Click OK to exit the configuration. Close WinProxy.
6. Click the path Settings/Control Panel from the Start Menu.
7. Double-click the Services icon in the Control Panel.
8. Scroll to the bottom of the list of services until you find the WinProxy Service. If it's not present, check to make sure that you've exited WinProxy. If it's still running in the task bar, close it and reopen the Services control.
9. Select WinProxy Service and click Startup.
10. Set the Startup Type to Manual.
11. In the Log-On section, select System Account.
12. If you want the service to be visible, check Allow Service to Interact with Desktop. If you want the service to stay hidden, leave the box blank.

You're done! Any time you want to start or stop the WinProxy service, go to the Services applet in the control panel, select the WinProxy service, and click Start or Stop.

Visible or Hidden Service, Automatically Loaded After Logging In

1. If WinProxy is already installed as a service, skip to Step 6.
2. Click the WinProxy mask icon in the Start Menu.
3. Select Settings from the WinProxy File Menu.
4. Check Run As A Service in the General Tab.
5. Click OK to exit the configuration. Close WinProxy.
6. Click the path Settings/Control Panel from the Start Menu.
7. Double-click the Services icon in the Control Panel.
8. Scroll to the bottom of the list of services until you find the WinProxy Service. If it's not present, check to ensure you've exited WinProxy. If it's still running in the task bar, close it and reopen the Services control.
9. Select WinProxy Service and click Startup.
10. Set the Startup Type to Automatic (it should already be selected).
11. In the Log-On section, click System Account
12. If you want the service to be visible, check Allow Service to Interact with Desktop. If you want the service to stay hidden, leave the box blank

You're done! Press OK to return to the Services list. WinProxy should now load the next time you log into Windows NT.

Hidden Service, Automatically Loaded

This is the most complex configuration for running WinProxy as a service. The following set of instructions is for NT 4.0. Windows NT 3.51 users can also run WinProxy as a service, and the configuration is similar.

1. If WinProxy is already installed as a service, skip to Step 6.
2. Click the WinProxy mask icon in the Start Menu.
3. Select Settings from the WinProxy File Menu.
4. Check Run As A Service in the General Tab.
5. Click OK to exit the configuration. Close WinProxy.
6. Click the path Settings/Control Panel from the Start Menu.
7. Double-click the Services icon in the Control Panel.
8. Scroll to the bottom of the list of services until you find the WinProxy Service. If it is not present, check to make sure you have exited WinProxy. If it's still running in the task bar, close it and reopen the Services control.
9. Select WinProxy Service and click Startup.
10. Set the Startup Type to Automatic (it should already be selected).
11. In the Log-On section, select This Account and click the small button on the right containing three dots.
12. You should now have a dialog box labeled Add User, allowing you to select an existing user-any user you like-to run with this service. It's a good idea to go to the User Manager and add a new user called WinProxy.
13. Select the user name WinProxy should use when logging in and press Add. The user's name should appear in the Add Name field.
14. Click OK to return to the Service configuration. The selected user should now appear in the This Account field.
15. Enter this user's password in both password fields (Password and Confirm Password). If your password is blank, simply select the entire field, and press Delete.

All done! Click OK to return to the Services list. WinProxy will now load the next time you boot Windows NT. It may take one or two minutes before the service is enabled; give WinProxy another minute before it starts working.