Windows 2008R2 service that runs another app, after cold reboot

Question

Im working on application for Windows Server 2008 R2 (.NET 3.5.1) that would work even after cold reboot, without requring someone to log on any account on the server.

Few words about application itself, it is written in c# application for registering employees work time at the company. Users (employees), have thier cards which are beeing scanned by barcode scanner, each scan means either "work started" or "work stopped", everything is serlialized into xml file which is later on modified and put into .csv but that doesn't matter.

Barcode scanner is working as a keyboard, so all codes are beeing "typed" like from a keyborad, to the PC. I made application read the keys despite the fact that console application is not in focus, or not visible at all.

What i need to do is to make that application work even after cold reboot, it has to be fully automatic.

So far i figured out 2 approaches to do it, one is to create a service which would keep another process alive (if its not working, just turn it on), i didin't have much luck with this one, i have already created service that launches another process for me, but the process is working differently, if i would run it myself, there is no communication with the process so i cannot even tell if its the right one.

Another one is to just put my app into registery /microsoft/windows/current version/run, and enable autologon for user with limited prividges. This actually could work but it is not perfect solution, because after all we do not want to have user logged in on server in company 24/7 right?

I know that most of you are way more experienced in programming than i am, so i would appriciate any solutions how to solve my problem

Lichoniespi

Answer 1

Your options depend on physical security of the system (whether passers-by can do much to it apart from scanning a barcode), but let us assume that it is an easily accessible desktop. In that case, you probably do not want a logged in user.

Use the service approach. You do NOT need a separate process for accessing the keyboard. Create a global hook of type WH_KEYBOARD_LL.

Declare your callback function like this and put it into place with SetWindowsHookEx.

Answer 2

I would use the first approach, create a service, and to comunicate with the running application i would be using a network socket or pipe. For the service be sure that you're using an existing user account (not System) and allow it to interact with the Desktop.