Run PPPshar as a service in NT - (For advanced users and system admins only)

Note: This section is only for system administrators. Do it only if you know what you are doing.

Also see the Microsoft's Knowledge Base article HOWTO: Create a User-Defined Service for instructions to make any application to run as a service.

Microsoft's WinNT Resource Kit CD includes a very useful utility called Srvany. Srvany allows WinNT users to convert most Desktop applications into a Service application. SrvAny is great for running mission critical applications in an unattended mode. You can use this utility to start PPPshar before any user logs on.

  1. Copy the file Srvany.exe (available on an NT Resource Kit CD) to any folder in your drive. Or copy it to the pppshar folder. typically it will be "C:\Program Files\PPPsharPro"
  2. Copy the file Instsrv.exe (available on an NT Resource Kit CD) in the Windows NT System32 folder. Typically it’s in "C:\WinNT\System32".
  3. Click on START, RUN. Then type the following into the OPEN text box and click <OK>:

    4. instsrv "PPPshar Pro" C:\Program Files\PPPsharPro\srvany.exe

  4. For a brief moment the screen will darken and then reappear. Go to Control Panel, and open the "Services" area to look for your new service named "PPPshar Pro". If it appears, what you have done so far is correct and can continue.
  5. If you make a mistake in naming or if you want to eliminate your new service, you can delete a service by copying the file Delsrv.exe (available on an NT Resource Kit CD) to the Windows NT System32 folder. Then click on START, RUN. Then type the following into the OPEN text box and click <OK>:

    6. delsrv "PPPshar Pro"

  6. You must now identify this new named service with PPPshar application. PPPshar program is located at "C:\Program Files\PPPsharPro\pppshar.exe". Run "regedt32" from the command line and various registry windows will appear. To specify an application to start as a service go to the window named "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE on Local Machine". Drill down into System\CurrentControlSet\Services.  You will see a folder with the name of your new service "PPPshar Pro"; select it.  Then, at the RegEdt32 main menu area, click on menu item EDIT and the select "Add Key". Type in the following value:

    7. parameters

    Leave the entry "Class" empty. Click <OK>. The folder named 'parameters' is created. Select this new folder and click on menu item EDIT and select "Add Value". Type in the following value entry (use a data type selection of REG_SZ):

    Application

    Then click on <OK>. Then, a dialog box prompting for a string value will appear. Enter in the path of the PPPshar.exe file to run as your service. Like this:

    C:\Program Files\PPPsharPro\pppshar.exe

    Then click on <OK>.  

    Tip:  To get an accurate path string reading, copy a shortcut of the application to your desktop first, right-click to select its properties, and copy its shortcut path from there.  Paste it into the string entry box (remove the quotes before clicking on <OK>).

  7. If you've performed the above steps correctly, you'll be able to go into the Control Panel, locate your service, and click on the <Start> button to start up the service. If you get an error, you should go back and check your work. If you need to correct your incorrect value in the registry, run regedt32 again and select the incorrect line to remove, click the <Delete> key, answer the prompt <OK>; then re-enter it correctly.
  8. After the registry entry has been entered in, reboot the machine. The service should start after rebooting. It will start hidden from your view.

There are also some freeware utilities which will make pppshar or any application to run as a service. Email us to get the list of utilities.