I am working on an XP Home machine with multiple users.
Security isn't a priority.

I'd like to configure the machine so that if there's a
power outage while I'm away and the machine reboots, that
a certain program will load and run automatically...even
though no one is there to log on to a given account.

I imagine there might be two ways to do this: first, to
write some kind of a startup script that automatically
loads this program whenever Windows reboots (even if no
user is logged on). Second, perhaps I can create a dummy
user account which automatically logs on without a
password and have this app in my startup folder for that
account.

I know that I can achieve the second result if I have
only a single, non-password protected user account on the
computer...but I don't want to delete the other two user
accounts.

So, can anyone tell me the easiest way to achieve my
objective?

Convert it as a service? (Depending upon the necessity)

Srvany.exe: Applications as Services Utility - Windows XP Resource Kit
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en
* Once installed, open Helpctr to learn more about srvany.exe and instsrv.exe

FireDaemon :: Install and run Win32 applications as Windows NT/2K/XP/2K3/Longhorn services:
http://www.firedaemon.com/

--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell/User
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

AumHa VSOP: http://www.aumha.org

"GaryB" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:1d39b01c45398$85088900$(E-Mail Removed)...
I am working on an XP Home machine with multiple users.
Security isn't a priority.

I'd like to configure the machine so that if there's a
power outage while I'm away and the machine reboots, that
a certain program will load and run automatically...even
though no one is there to log on to a given account.

I imagine there might be two ways to do this: first, to
write some kind of a startup script that automatically
loads this program whenever Windows reboots (even if no
user is logged on). Second, perhaps I can create a dummy
user account which automatically logs on without a
password and have this app in my startup folder for that
account.

I know that I can achieve the second result if I have
only a single, non-password protected user account on the
computer...but I don't want to delete the other two user
accounts.

So, can anyone tell me the easiest way to achieve my
objective?

Hi

You can use a product like Service+ from Nicoware.
(http://nicoware.net/software/products/serviceplus)

We are using it on our servers and workstations without any problems.
Can even run Java programs as a service.