Set Top Box style running (changing the Windows shell)

[Anzxio]

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DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS IS YOU ARE NOT COMPETANT WITH WINDOWS!!!!
THIS IS DONE AT YOUR OWN RISK! - SO DONT BLAME ME IF YOU HAVE TO FORMAT

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This is a guide for WINDOWS XP

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Do i need any specific software?
Optionally you can use a program called ShellOn v3 to change the Windows shell, this i would recommend
http://www.dx13.co.uk//programs/sov3/ShellOnv3_rc2.zip

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1. Auto login to a specific user

To make Windows automatically login to your account use the following instructions:

START > CONTROL PANEL > USER ACCOUNTS > 'CHANGE THE WAY USERS LOG ON AND OFF' > UNCHECK BOTH OPTIONS > APPLY OPTIONS

START > RUN > "CONTROL USERPASSWORDS2"
- Select the user you wish to use
- Uncheck 'Users must enter a username and password to use this computer'
- Apply
- Enter passwords

2. Change the Windows shell

I suggest that you create a batch file to set as the shell, rather than use Xlobby.exe, this will mean that you can start other programs up easily (eg. Reg Kill...).

Firstly make a shortcut to XLobby.
- Right click on XLobby.exe
- Select 'Create Shortcut'
- Name it 'startXLOBBY'

Open Notepad
START > ALL PROGRAMS > ACCESSORIES > NOTEPAD

Type in the location of the XLobby shortcut, eg:
start C:\startXLOBBY.lnk
(keep the 'start')

FILE > SAVE AS
- Change 'Save as type' to 'All files'
- Enter in your file name, follwed by .bat
- Eg. Startup.bat


- Unzip the ShellOn v3 program downloaded earlier
- Double click and run 'Config'
- Press 'OK' to all the boxes that appear
- The main window will now be open, right click in the white area and select 'Add'
- Fill in the details for your batch file
- Press 'OK'
- Right click on the shell you added
- Select 'Set as Shell'
- Click the 'Settings' tab
- Press 'Set ShellOn as Shell'
- Check under 'Information' that the shell has changed from Explorer.exe, to your batch file
- Press 'OK'
- Reboot!


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How do i get back to normal Windows?
- Press CTRL + ALT + DEL
- FILE > NEW TASK
- Type in: explorer
- Press 'OK'

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This is V1.1, so if there are any changes then please suggest them.
Like i say this is done at your own risk!
It should be straight forward enough though.

[dalanik]

I am yet to try this with XLobby but i would assume it would work in a similar manner to my current myHTPC setup.

Until you try...

I tried this with MyHTPC and it worked (I actually set the shell to LiteShell and then lounched myHTPC from LiteShell), but when I tried the same with XLobby2, it didn't work - I got some error message (similar to the ones you get when XLobby crashes)... I'd really appreciate other's experience with this..

Dalibor

[Anzxio]

Thread updated now

[steele]

If you have more than one user does changing the shell affect all users? I am guessing it does but thought it would be good to have a user called say media player and when selected it runs the altered shell whilst still having the option to select normal users and it then runs a normal shell including explorer.

steele

[lar282]

did anybody get this to work?
I just get an error when xlobby starts and an error regarding .net

And how the heck do u get the old one back. When I change the value in winlogon to explorer.exe, a explorer just opens, but no shell at all?

//Lasse

[Anzxio]

Works fine for me

[lar282]

And u just created a linc to Xlobby and created a bat file with start ...link.lnk

[lar282]

And u just created a shortcut to Xlobby and created a bat file with start ...link.lnk

then pointed the program to the bat file??

Nothing else, and the .net worked?
Are u running XP SP1 also?


//Lasse

[Anzxio]

If i get time i'll give it all a go on my main machine and see what it does Check back in a few days, and if i haven't done anything then moan a bit :p

[Berra]

Lasse, i have experienced the same problem and it took me days, maybe even weeks to figure it out.. the hint is "not" to write "xlobby2.ink" but only "xlobby2"

look, simply create an .bat file and edit it and write this (correct to your directories though)
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start D:\htpc\xlobby2

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mine looks like this, but i start alot of other stuff, and i open my mapped network drive so that it connects correctly.

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z:

start C:\Program\PowerStrip\pstrip.exe

start C:\Program\RSHUT\RshutPro.EXE

start D:\htpc\xlobby2

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PS: if you want the .bat file (wich you select in shellon to be your Shell) to start more then one program, dont forget to use the "start" command in your .bat file. if you dont write "start" before the link the bat file will only open the first stated line (or link) and dont read the other untill you close the first program.

Im sorry i havent been around either on the forum and IRC. Im hoping that i will have some time next mounth.

[lar282]

THANKS.
I'll try tonite when the misses is sleeping


//Lasse

[jmatienzo]

Hi, Berra can you post a copy of your bat file, I'm having problem with my map drives. I also open a lot of stuff in the bat file(powerstrip,girder,BZhide,etc), but I seem to be having problems with the map drives. I have three map drives they work find for two to three weeks and then won't map again with the script until a do it manually,tks.

Here's mine:

net use Z: /d
net use Y: /d
net use X: /d
net use Z: \\192.168.1.101\files
net use Y: \\192.168.1.101\moviesdb1
net use X: \\192.168.1.101\kidsmoviesdb1
start c:\powerstrip\pstrip
start c:\girder32\girder
start c:\Xlobby\startXLOBBY.lnk
start c:\bzhider
start c:\RAserver.lnk

[art]

I have three map drives they work find for two to three weeks and then won't map again with the script until a do it manually,tks.

I had similar problem, but mine was not so "regular", anyway what solved my problem was to map drives at the very end, and also before mapping I put a little pause (I think some network service or something like that wasn't loading fast enough and that's why I had this problem) - here is last part of my bat file:

PING 1.1.1.1 -n 2 -w 1000 >NUL
NET USE R: \\mainserver\Programs
NET USE P: \\mainserver\Pictures
NET USE M: \\mainserver\Music
NET USE O: \\mainserver\Movies

[jmatienzo]

tks art, I going to try your settings see how it goes.