How do I boot Prime95 in Vista
 

I am a little confused. On the download page it says

[quote]Windows Vista: WARNING: Vista no longer supports services that interact with the desktop. [b]Follow the download instructions below for Windows XP and the first time you run prime95 make sure the "Start at bootup" option is not selected.[/b][/quote]

Right, I've consulted readme.txt, read the FAQ and searched for Vista here in the forums with no luck. I've disabled the start at boot in Prime95, and it just doesn't boot when I boot. I use Vista x64. Is it possible to fix this?

[quote=anodukepos;127465]I am a little confused. On the download page it says



Right, I've consulted readme.txt, read the FAQ and searched for Vista here in the forums with no luck. I've disabled the start at boot in Prime95, and it just doesn't boot when I boot. I use Vista x64. Is it possible to fix this?[/quote]
Try putting a shortcut to Prime95 in the Startup folder. I'm not absolutely sure, as I've steered clear of buying Vista, but it should work.

Right, I tried that now. I'll report back tomorrow. By the way I don't completely understand the readme.txt.

[quote]To fully utilize a dual processor machine, you must run two copies of
prime95.exe. Run one copy of prime95 as described above. Run the second
copy of prime95.exe with the -A1 command line argument. Make sure the
second copy also has the "Start at Bootup" option set.[/quote]

If I try to install another (before I even can select a different folder in program files, it nags about me already having installed it prompting me for uninstalling the current. I have a Q6600 quad processor so there is a lot of potential for me for contributing. Currently I am using the three remaining cores for Folding@Home, but I've done that for a long time now and so I would like to help another project for a while.

Starting at boot-up has to be disabled in Vista. This is because if P95 ever does start at boot up then you can not get a P95 window on your desktop login. Without the window you cannot interactively control P95. This is what is meant by services not being able to interact with the desktop, P95 cannot put up a window and interact with you.

It is a Vista thing, not a P95 problem, MS changed a lot of things in Vista and broke many programs.

[quote=retina;127470]Starting at boot-up has to be disabled in Vista. This is because if P95 ever does start at boot up then you can not get a P95 window on your desktop login. Without the window you cannot interactively control P95. This is what is meant by services not being able to interact with the desktop, P95 cannot put up a window and interact with you.

It is a Vista thing, not a P95 problem, MS changed a lot of things in Vista and broke many programs.[/quote]
I see from the thing there that a service can't interact with the desktop, but the Startup folder isn't a service. It's just as if you were to double click that icon while your computer boots. Unless MS made all automatically starting things unable to interact with the desktop, it should work. Even if they did that, there's probably some way around it, like automatically running a program or batch file that opens Prime95. Then Prime95 isn't automatically starting, it just happened to be called by an automatically-starting thing.

[QUOTE=Mini-Geek;127471]I see from the thing there that a service can't interact with the desktop, but the Startup folder isn't a service. It's just as if you were to double click that icon while your computer boots. Unless MS made all automatically starting things unable to interact with the desktop, it should work. Even if they did that, there's probably some way around it, like automatically running a program or batch file that opens Prime95. Then Prime95 isn't automatically starting, it just happened to be called by an automatically-starting thing.[/QUOTE]Boot-up is when the system starts. Starting at login is when you put P95 into your start-up folder. But when you logout (to let your kid-sister log in) all your tasks, and P95, stop. That is why at-boot-up is very convenient, it doesn't care if you are logged in or not, just turn on the PC and it will be running.

[quote=retina;127474]Boot-up is when the system starts. Starting at login is when you put P95 into your start-up folder. But when you logout (to let your kid-sister log in) all your tasks, and P95, stop. That is why at-boot-up is very convenient, it doesn't care if you are logged in or not, just turn on the PC and it will be running.[/quote]
Oh, ok. This may or may not matter, though, as some people only have or use one account (like me, LLR's service wouldn't work right, so I just put a shortcut in Startup and it works fine).
You could put the shortcut in everyone's (or the All Users) Startup folders.
[quote=anodukepos;127469]Right, I tried that now. I'll report back tomorrow. By the way I don't completely understand the readme.txt.



If I try to install another (before I even can select a different folder in program files, it nags about me already having installed it prompting me for uninstalling the current. I have a Q6600 quad processor so there is a lot of potential for me for contributing. Currently I am using the three remaining cores for Folding@Home, but I've done that for a long time now and so I would like to help another project for a while.[/quote]
You don't need to reinstall it. Make three new shortcuts to Prime95 (you can right click+drag, then Create Shortcuts Here to make them). Right click on the first one, click Properties, go to the Shortcut tab, then at the end of Target, put " -A1" (with a space so there's a divider). Do the same for each of the other shortcuts, but with -A2 and -A3. When you click on these, it will create new sets of configuration files, so it will be like a fresh copy of Prime95 each time.
The exact names and ways to get to the Target may have changed between XP and Vista. I'll post this, then go look up and edit if it's different...

[QUOTE=Mini-Geek;127479]You could put the shortcut in everyone's (or the All Users) Startup folders[/QUOTE]If one leaves their PC turned on but without anyone logged in then P95 can't run. This often happens when someone has finished and logs out, leaving the PC at the login prompt.

[quote=retina;127486]If one leaves their PC turned on but without anyone logged in then P95 can't run. This often happens when someone has finished and logs out, leaving the PC at the login prompt.[/quote]
Oh yeah I forgot about that. Let's wait for the OP to post back if the Startup thing works for him or not. All this discussion is a little pointless if not necessary.

[QUOTE=Mini-Geek;127488]Let's wait for the OP to post back if the Startup thing works for him or not. All this discussion is a little pointless if not necessary.[/QUOTE]Not pointless, others may come to read this and then know not to buy Vista. That is good enough reason to make sure it is perfectly clear. :evil:

[quote=retina;127489]Not pointless, others may come to read this and then know not to buy Vista. That is good enough reason to make sure it is perfectly clear. :evil:[/quote]
This all bodes ill for mass-participation in GIMPS does it not?