Frequently Asked Questions

17. How do I get Windows 95/98 or Windows NT/2000 to automatically start the G2 Server when the computer is turned on?

1. The simplest way to get any version of Windows to automatically start the G2 Server is by copying the G2 Server shortcut to the Startup folder in the start menu.  This, however, does not cause an un-attended computer that is powered on to come up automatically and start the G2 Server if a login is required.  If the computer used to run the G2 Server requires a username and password, then this information will have to be entered before the G2 Server will be started unless the computer is re-configured not to require a password or to automatically supply the username and password.
   
   Also in some cases it may be desired to have a computer come up automatically and start the G2 Server if power is lost.  Whether automatic power on is possible is dependant on your computer's hardware and how your operating system is setup.
   
   These three issues are addressed below.

At the most basic level of your computers hardware is the computer BIOS.  Some systems make it possible to "hardwire" your system to start automatically in the event of a power cycle.  This would be an option in the computers BIOS and would be labeled as something like "Auto Power On".  Not all BIOS's support this feature.  As a foot note to power loss in a G2 system, we recommend that a UPS (uninterrupted power supply) be used with the G2 server.  This will also protect the server from power spikes.

AUTOMATIC LOGIN

If an unattended boot up of the computer and start up of the G2 server is the goal, the second issue you may have to to deal with is the required login.  If a computer is not logged into by use of a required username and password, The G2 Server will not start.  The need for a username and password will have to be eliminated.  Depending on your operating system it will be handled differently.

AUTOMATIC LOGIN - Windows 95/98/ME

In Windows 95/98/ME, you will do the following to eliminate the need for a login username and password.

To prevent Windows 95/98 from prompting you for a password at startup, follow these steps: 

Right-click Network Neighborhood, and then click Properties. 

On the Configuration tab, click Windows Logon in the Primary Network Logon box, and then click OK. 

When you are prompted to restart your computer, click No. 

In Control Panel, double-click Passwords. 

Click the Change Passwords tab, click Change Windows Password.  In the Change Windows Password dialog box, type your current Windows password in the Old Password box (if any). Leave the New Password and Confirm New Password boxes blank, click OK, and then click OK. 

Click the User Profiles tab and verify that the "All users of this PC use the same preferences and desktop settings" option is selected. Click Close. 

Shut down and then restart Windows 95/98. 

AUTOMATIC LOGIN - Windows 2000

In Windows NT/2000 this is accomplished in a different way and a little more straight forward.  First you will need to log into the Windows NT/2000 computer as a user with Administrative access.

In the control panel click "Users and Passwords".

Click the Users Tab.  Uncheck "Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer."  If prompted for a User name and password, enter the user name and password as entered during login.

Click the Advanced Tab.  Under Secure Boot Settings uncheck  "Require users to press Ctrl-Alt-Delete before logging in.

 AUTOMATIC LOGIN - NT

In Windows NT accomplishing an automatic login involves editing the registry. Editing the registry can be tricky and should only be done by someone who understands the Windows registry and how to edit it. 

To Enable or Disable the automatic login process on a Windows NT machine, open the registry by going to the Start menu and click Run.  Type "regedit" and click OK.  

First before editing the registry you should back up the registry.  To back up the registry, click Registry in the menu and click "Export Registry File".  Give the registry file backup a name such as "regbackup" and place it in the root directory of the c: drive.  Select the export range as ALL.

After backing up the registry you will use the small plus to the left to expand the registry's tree.  Go to the following location:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMICROSOFTWINDOWSCURRENT VERSIONWINLOGON

Click on the WINLOGON folder

In window to the right 

Right-click on  AutoAdminLogon
Click Modify
Change the Value Data to:  1

Right-click on  DefaultUserName
Click Modify
Change the Value Data to the user name used to automatically log into the machine (such as "administrator")

Right-click on  DefaultPassword
Click Modify
Change the Value Data to the password setup for the user that will be automatically logging into this computer.  If "administrator" was the username, user the administrators password that was previously entered.  If you do not know the password you will have to find out what it is before proceeding.

If there is no a registry entry for DefaultPassword click "Edit" in the menu and choose "New" "String Value".  Name the new string value DefaultPassword.  Then right-click on it and select modify.  Change the Value Data to the password setup for the user that will be automatically logging into this computer.  If "administrator" was the username, user the administrators password that was previously entered.

Once the registry has been edited click Registry in the menu and click exit.

Restart your computer.

Using the STARTUP folder in the Start Menu

Starting the G2 Server after boot up is simply a matter of placing the G2 Server Icon in the Startup folder in the start menu.  To do this go the start menu, programs, Gravimetric Gateway and right-click on the G2 Server icon and click copy.  Then go to the start menu, Programs, Startup.  Right-click in the startup folder and click paste.  This will start the G2 Server when the computer has booted up.