How to launch my application at start-up AND avoid to run any other "UI" process

[sqrt(-1)]

Hi all,

I'd like to run my application at Window start-up but I need to prevent users clicking (and viewing) desktop icons, taskbar, desktop, and other user interface features.

In other words, after Windows login I'd like to prevent explorer.exe from loading at start-up.

Is it possibile?

Thanks all

[TiTou · Accepted solution]

There is a registry key to do that, by default the value is explorer.exe, if you change it to abc.exe, abc.ex will be laucnhed at startup instead of explorer.exe.

Can't remember the key path though but a quick google search should help you.

EDIT :

try that one : HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon\Shell

[Norbert_B]

You can put your application into the Windows Startup.

However, this does not directly provide the feature you are looking for:

- No control over additional startup applications

- Even if you have a full-screen UI and make it non-resizable and non-minimizable, there are options to start new applications (e.g. Windows Start button)

- Beware window modality and "activation"

From the sound of your question, you want to have deep control over windows and reduce interaction options for specific users. This has to be done in the OS itself. Therefore i recommend you to consult Microsoft (MSDN) or Google for further information.

Norbert

[Sam_Sharp]

The best/most comprehensive way to do this is to use Windows Embedded (e.g. WES7), it allows you to fully customise the OS including removing explorer.exe (e.g. taskbar etc.) and set it up to run in a kiosk-mode.

There was a presentation about it at NI Week 2012 - I can't find the actual presentation but there's a writeup about it here - you might be able to get the presentation from the author.

Edit: Another link/discussion is here: https://decibel.ni.com/content/message/119979

[mikeporter]

It's funny, but this question has been asked over and over again for 20+ years, and in the end the answer is still the same: don't run Windows...

The bigger question, however, is why customers think they want to do it? Typically its for reasons that have nothing to do with the basic application. It's because people are playing video games, or the ever-popular and nebulous idea of "security".

Mike...

[sqrt(-1)]

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try that one : HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon\Shell

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Yep,

Replacing "explorer.exe" with application full path in register key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon\Shell works fine

[TiTou]

I totally agree with you Mike... Most the time it's delusional thinking, this idea that somehow if you don't see the the task bar at the bottom of the screen thenm there is no Windows on the computer and then you're safe. Nonesense!

[Dennis_Knutson]

Tried to do something similar when we found users on 2nd and 3rd shifts were downloading music, videos, porn, etc. Nothing ever worked. They always found a way.

[rolfk]

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@AC_85 wrote:

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try that one : HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon\Shell

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Yep,

Replacing "explorer.exe" with application full path in register key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon\Shell works fine

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It may seem to get you there, but it just is enough to fool the real inexperienced. Try Alt-Tab, Ctrl-Alt-Esc, and Ctrl-Alt-Del etc. while your kiosk app is supposedly blocking users from doing anything but interact with your application and you will see that some still work and allow you to run any executable including explorer.exe from there and then you are back at square one. Those key shortcuts can be disabled too, but that makes an awkward debugging experience and still doesn't prevent someone from plugging in a bootable USB stick and restart the system and then do whatever that bootable image provides, for instance a nice Linux based Windows recovery tool that can be used to clean various settings on the internal boot drive.

[sqrt(-1)]

Yes,

I know that a "semi-expert" user can do evertything (he can run task manager, launch any process included explorer.exe and, then, restore normal Windows settings); but I simply need a sort of deterrent, not an expert-proof solution. I think that to prevent explorer process launching a start-up is a good trade-off.