Another Win7 startup frustration

[Uncle Michael]

I've tried to find all the reports of issues and resolutions to starting HS with Win7, but I haven't seen this one yet. Sorry if it's come up before.

Win 7 Starter, 32 bit.
UAC is disabled. There are no pop-ups when starting HS.

If I double click on a shortcut, HS starts normally.
If I put a shortcut in the Startup folder, HS starts normally, but too quickly. (It needs to wait for some com port manipulation).
If I use Task Scheduler I can introduce a delay, but the programs start without a GUI ! I've tried "at startup" and "at logon". Neither gives me a GUI. And it's not just HS. Other programs behave the same way.

I also tried starting an AutoIT script that starts HS after an appropriate delay.
Using Task Scheduler, no GUI. But, if I put the AutoIT script in the Startup folder, then the programs open normally.

So, I think I have beat it into doing what I want, but I'd really like to know what is going on.

[Rupp]

Why would your hardware (com ports) not be initialized before the operating system starts apps? Was this not the case on XP?

[rmasonjr]

Mine starts up fine - do you have anything else in the startup folder? Here's a screenshot of mine:

[Pete]

I've noticed a similiar wierd thing with W2011.

Playing again. It seems to be OK running on the 64 bit OS. I haven't done much with it yet. Going really slow and now its become a very manual swap over; step by step. Its still though a somewhat tweaked W2011 with bits of W7 32bit thrown in.

Yesterday put HS in the startup as above. Cold boot the box and have it currently just going to the desktop auto logging a user to the desktop.

It appeared that HS was running way before the desktop was showing anything. I saw it in the task manager; but it looks like it starts; then quits then starts again.

I'm wondering if I should actually do something other than put it in the startup folder to start it.

I've really paid attention last year when I set up the W7 32 bit test Ultimate real, 64 bit real and starter VM; because it worked just fine once it was running.

I guess a test of sorts would be to create a MS Event in the logs tracking the bits of HS starting; it would show times etc.

Its been a while and forgot how to do this (used it to debug an oracle database / client thing a few years back).

Thing is too that the W2011 (2008R2 64bit) like its predecessors not meant to be cold booted unless something really bad happens; which is really good relating to what it will run anyways.

[Uncle Michael]

Why would your hardware (com ports) not be initialized before the operating system starts apps? Was this not the case on XP?

I'm using Eltima's Serial Splitter to allow two programs to share one physical serial link. The com ports are there, but I'm guessing the linkage between the physical port and the virtual ports may require a bit more time. That's really only a guess, though. All I know is that the programs stop with an error that the com port is not available if they start unfettered.

[Pete]

Michael,

A non related to your issues question.

Does you serial program splitter allow for both RX and TX comm from the two programs to the one link?

I used GPS Gate in the early 2000's and was going to try something with the GPS output and maybe the Russound serial com link using something similiar.

What two programs are you using with the serial spliitter?

[Uncle Michael]

Mine starts up fine - do you have anything else in the startup folder?

The only thing in the Startup folder right now is the AutoIT script. See my previous post. HS starts ok for the startup folder, it just starts before the virtual com port is ready for it.

[Uncle Michael]

Does you serial program splitter allow for both RX and TX comm from the two programs to the one link?

Yes. It works extremely well. Both programs operate as if they have sole access to the com port.

[Uncle Michael]

I'm disappointed. No one has addressed the question that has me the most puzzled. Why does a program started by the Task Scheduler in Win7 run without a GUI? (They also do not show up in Task Manager as Applications, only as processes.)

[Pete]

Michael,

I'll help but I have see exactly what you are seeing. My issue is similiar with the 64bit box with HS starting via the startup folder.

I'll replicate it here on the W2011 box.

Tell me how you have HS starting in the task manager?

[Rupp]

I'm disappointed. No one has addressed the question that has me the most puzzled. Why does a program started by the Task Scheduler in Win7 run without a GUI? (They also do not show up in Task Manager as Applications, only as processes.)

What other software are you running on your pc? I'm wondering if it's an antivirus or firewall package blocking access to the GUI?

[RAM]

DelayStartHomeseer.exe

I use a little utility called DelayStartHomeseer in my Startup group. It was created by Rick Tinker. You can find out about it http://board.homeseer.com/showthread.php?t=112357. You just tell it how long to delay the startup of Homeseer and it puts up a little screen showing the countdown time and then starts Homeseer for you.

[Uncle Michael]

What other software are you running on your pc? I'm wondering if it's an antivirus or firewall package blocking access to the GUI?

No AV or firewall. The only software that I deliberately added is Eltima Serial Splitter running as a service. Lots of processes listed in Task Manager, but I haven't researched them. I tried to delete everything that looked like bloat-ware, but could well have missed something that is causing the problem, I guess.

[Uncle Michael]

I use a little utility called DelayStartHomeseer in my Startup group.

I've used it too, but I need to delay the start of both HS and my Stargate utility (the other program that shares the com port connected to my Stargate box). That's why I created the AutoIT script. It does essentially the same thing but stages both program starts. I've been using it for some time with XP, but thought that the Win7 Task Scheduler would do the job with less fuss. Boy, was I wrong!

Just to be clear, the AutoIT script works fine, just as it did in Win XP - if I put it in the Startup folder. If I run it from Task Scheduler the programs it launches run without a GUI. I realize this is a M$ product, but the behavior is unexpected even taking that fact into account.

[Uncle Michael]

Tell me how you have HS starting in the task manager?

Pete,
Thanks for your interest. Bear with me. I'll try to describe the setup as clearly as I can.

Task Scheduler setup:

General Tab:
Run with highest privileges is checked. I've tried both 'run only when user is logged on' and 'whether user is logged on or not.' No difference.

Trigger Tab:
I've tried 'Any user' and 'specific user'. No difference.
I've tried 'at startup' and 'at logon'. No difference.
Delay is specified. I've tried 30 sec and 1 min. No difference.
The 'Enabled' box is checked.

Action Tab:
Start a program. The path to Homeseer.exe is specified.

Conditions Tab:
Start the task only if the computer is on AC power is checked.

Settings Tab:
Allow task to run on demand is checked.
If the running task does not end when requested, force it to stop is checked.