how can i run a program BEFORE logon

[Twisted Maniac]

hello ppl, i have a question, how can i run the On Screen Keyboard @ the log-in window (classic style) ?

i got a touch screen and i want to get rid of my normal keyboard so i need to know how to set the On screen Keyboard (%systemroot%\system32\osk.exe) to start up so u can "type" your password and loginname.

i used instsrv to install it as a service but tat does not work (the service crashes after about 10 sconds)

plz help :)

[murr]

on windows xp.. click start -->run -->gpedit.msc

look at the diagram and add batch file pointing to your programs .exe

[Twisted Maniac]

tnx but it does not really work...i tried 2 scripts:

Set WSHShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
WSHShell.Run ("osk")

and

start %systemroot%\system32\osk.exe

but for some reason they don;t work...i see the keyboard being launched but it immediatly goes away....should i use another script?

[kagaku]

Try looking around in accessibility options. I know the language bar will run during login, so you can enter your name in languages such as Japanese or Korean. Also try looking around on msdn/technet. Sorry I can't be of more help, I've just never seen anyone try to run a program before login.

You could always delete the password, or do autologin, but I'm guessing since you're asking you've already considered those options.

[red8Rain]

I thought Windows 2k and Xp doesn't allow any 3rd party script to load before login on (to prevent security risk).

[Twisted Maniac]

well...i figured it out....

when you start the osk with a startup script it runs as a system process, this means that it's "hidden" after you have logged in.

I solved it by creating a logon script this runs when you logon, after the startup script, this script terminates the osk with kill.exe and then starts it again but this time as the logged in user so the user can use the osk :)

[Gary_Player]

interesting...*stashes away for future reference*

Its amazing what you can do with all these mscs

Anyone know of anywere I could get a list of all of them and what they all do?

[Twisted Maniac]

damn...getting sick of this...now i get a weird error!

the OSK starts for a split second and then closes down, when i start it in windows (after logging on) i get this message: "cannot open switching port"

i think i get this @ the startup to, any1 know how to solve this problem?

[Twisted Maniac]

ok, now it runs...this is how i did it:

i made a startupscript called osk.bat:

c:\windows\system32\osk.exe

than i made another script which i placed into the startupfolder of every user, osk2.bat:

c:\scripts\kill osk.exe
c:\windows\system32\osk.exe

these scripts start de osk and the other1 stops the system process and than starts osk.exe again but now as a process of the logged in user.

i did not have any errors this time...

by the way, i got the kill.exe from the NT 4 Resourcekit....

[John Veteran]

have you tried pressing windows + U? that opens the utility manager, from there you can turn on the keyboard.

[Twisted Maniac]

well..the idea is that there is no external keyboard present :p

[John Veteran]

you don't need a keyboard to use the utility manager :huh: just a mouse...

have you even tried pressing windows + U yet? :p

[Twisted Maniac]

@ the logon screen u can;t start the utility manager without a keyboard and yes i used it...

[John Veteran]

ok, i feel stupid now :pinch:

try configuring your mouse to launch it when you click a third button or something? :huh: