CNS Autoboot 2.0 Documentation

1. Introduction

2. Installation

3. Using CNS Autoboot

4. F.A.Q.

5. Copyright & License Information

CNS Autoboot will start designated applications without any user action after a windows reboot. To accomplish this, CNS Autoboot configures the selected application(s) to run automatically as a windows service, allowing the operating system to start them natively at system boot. This results in significantly faster startup time because no users need to be logged in. It is also more resilient because the service is monitored by the operating system.

CNS Autoboot also allows the user to configure the designated startup order. By starting applications one at a time, resource overutilization is eliminated at boot time. This results in faster startups of all applications and an extremely low rate of failure.

Since the task is accomplished without creating any user sessions, it is not dependant on user profiles and eliminates the possibility of double logged on sessions. The only way a program can be started twice is if the user intentionally starts it manually from the startup menu.

CNS Autoboot starts the designated applications in the console port. The first user logged into the console port will be able to interact with the applications - and should NEVER log off (disconnect instead). CNS Autoboot creates an easy remote desktop shortcut for the subscriber to use when connecting. CNS Autoboot also allows the user to configure all options available in the ‘remote desktop shortcut’, such as redirected devices (i.e. disks, printers, etc..), color palette and graphic display options to improve remote desktop performance over the slowest client Internet connections.

CNS Autoboot is compatible with all CNS Virtual Desktops, Virtual Servers, Dedicated Desktops and Dedicated servers.

Please review this entire manual before using CNS Autoboot.

NOTE: Autoboot is preinstalled in our Hyper-V Trader's VPS. You will find the shortcut to edit the autoboot configuration on your vps desktop.

CNS Autoboot 2.0 requires the Microsoft .NET 2.0 Framework. The installer will not function without .NET 2.0 installed.

To install .NET 2.0

There are two ways to install .NET Framework. Login to your CNS customer control panel. Click to the VE ‘system’ at the top left. Click ‘Applications’ at the left and then ‘Add Application’. Click to add the .NET 2.0 Framework, even if you have other versions installed.

OR

Download and install the .NET 2.0 framework directly from Microsoft.

X64 download: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=b44a0000-acf8-4fa1-affb-40e78d788b00&DisplayLang=en

x32 download: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=0856eacb-4362-4b0d-8edd-aab15c5e04f5&displaylang=en

After the .NET framework is installed, proceed with installing CNS Autoboot 2.0.

Start CNS Autoboot from the start menu. Start->Programs->Commercial Network Services->Autoboot

Please be sure to update the RDP shortcut after adding your first applications to the startup sequence.

CNS Autoboot will not allow you to add new programs while an automatic logon script is installed. This is by design, to prevent duplicate instances of the running applications. If Autologon is detected at startup, a prompt will appear to disable the Autologon configuration. Disabling the autologon configuration will only stop the automatic logon sequence. It does not affect any user accounts or running applications. Simply check the box to confirm removal of the Autologon configuration and select ‘Remove Autologon 1.0’.

NOTE: If you have any shortcuts configured to startup on logon then they should be deleted to avoid two running instances of your program. Autoboot will start the programs before any user logs in. Such a script will only start the program(s) again when you logon.

To add an application to the automatic boot sequence, click ‘Select File’ and select the application’s .exe. For example, to autoboot MetaTrader, click ‘Select File’ and find the ‘terminal.exe’ program. Then click ‘Add new Autoboot Application’.

You can continue to add multiple programs as required.

It is sometimes desired to start applications in a specific order. For example, a critical application or live trading account should be started first. Demos should be started last.

Select an application in the startup order list and click ‘Move UP’ or ‘Move Down’ as required. To reset the displayed startup order to the currently configured settings, click ‘Reset’. The new setting will not take effect until you click ‘Apply changes’.

To remove an application from the startup sequence, select it in the Startup order and click ‘Remove’. This does not uninstall the application. It will only remove the application from the startup order. If the application is currently running then it will stop.

After you are satisfied with the startup order, click ‘Apply Changes’.

NOTE: If your VPS is on our new Hyper-V platform then you can skip this step - all you need to do is add your terminals.

It is important that this page is configured at least once, in order to update the remote desktop shortcut. You will not be able to connect to the running programs until you do.

The remote desktop shortcut (RDP shortcut) is the easiest and most convenient way to connect to your virtual desktop. Optimizing your RDP Shortcut will provide you with the best end-user experience. Optimization does not affect the virtual environments (VE) Internet speed. It merely changes how the VE sends data back to your client. For example, slow Internet clients can elect to display fewer colors. This results in less data traveling the Internet back to the client and a more responsive desktop to user clicks and actions.

You can also configure the RDP Shortcut to automatically share resources with your PC, such as disk drives and printers.

NOTE: In order to interact with the running application, it is important that you connect to the console port. Using the RDP Shortcut every time will guarantee that you log back on to the console port. If you login and do not see your programs running, DO NOT start them. It is likely that they are already running but you can not see them because you are not logged into the console port. In this case, start CNS Autoboot and click ‘update shortcut’. Then LOG OFF (start->log off). Download a new RDP Shortcut from your VE's web logon page and connect again. Even if you have nothing to change, you should still click ‘Update Shortcut’ and download the new shortcut to your PC, the very first time you add a new application.

Select your actual Internet speed in the drop down box. This will set the available options for the recommended configuration.

Unchecking additional options will keep the VE from displaying them and improve over all desktop performance. The slowest connections can reduce the color palette to 256 colors. This will result in a significant reduction in required bandwidth to your client PC and better desktop response to clicks and keystrokes.

Click ‘Update Shortcut’ to save the new settings to the VE.

To share disks, printers, etc., check those items under ‘share resources’.

Click ‘Update Shortcut’ to save the new settings to the VE.

The RDP shortcut can be downloaded by visiting the IP address of your virtual environment (VE) with your web browser. For example, if the IP of your VE is 127.0.0.1 then you would direct your web browser to http://127.0.0.1. The RDP shortcut can be downloaded by right-clicking on the link ‘Remote Desktop Shortcut’ at the left. This should be saved to your PC’s desktop, so you can simply double click to reconnect back to your desktop. If you are away from your primary PC, then click 'open' instead of 'save' to logon without saving the shortcut.

Once logged on, you should never log off the session. Instead, disconnect by closing the remote dekstop window. If you mistakenly log off then you should reboot to reset the services.

Q:  Autoboot displays an error when I install or try to run the program.

A:  Most like you are running low on RAM.  Try adding RAM to your plan or ask support to help you.

Q:  Nothing happens when I click download to intall Autoboot. It prompts me to save a file..

A:  Please install .NET 2.0 Framework.

CNS Autoboot is © 2008 Commercial Network Services. It is licensed for use by Commercial Network Services subscribers only in their subscribed VE or dedicated server without charge. It is not permitted to run this application on any machine outside the Commercial Network Services network. Any other use is expressly prohibited.