Skype As A Windows Service How To

[James Bourne]

How To Run Skype as a Windows Service with FireDaemon

Skype can be run as a Windows Service using FireDaemon. This will allow you to have Skype start automatically at boot prior to login allowing you to redirect to voice mail or autoanswer as well as allowing you to run one instance of Skype across multiple logins. This setup will also allow Skype to interact with third-party telephony solutions using the Skype Public API. You can also use PanelDaemon to manage FireDaemon and other Windows services via a web browser. This is how to set it up:

1. Download Skype from here. The current version at time of writing was v2.0.0.97.

2. Install Skype into the directory of your choice (typically C:\Program Files\Skype).

3. VERY IMPORTANT Skype needs a little pre-configuration before running successfully under FireDaemon.

• Ensure you already have a Skype name and password assigned
• Ensure Skype automatically signs you in when it starts
• Ensure Skype DOES NOT start when the computer starts

These can be configured at the Skype login screen:



Or via Skype's Options menu after login:



Once you have Skype setup proceed to the next step.

4. Install FireDaemon Pro. FireDaemon can be downloaded from here.

5. Start the FireDaemon GUI. Click on the "Create a new service definition" button in the toolbar (or type Ctrl+N) and enter the information into the fields as you see below. Obviously adjust paths to suite your installation. Pay special attention to the Parameters list.



The Parameters list defines how the Skype starts up. You can find the complete list of Skype command line options here. /minimized starts Skype minimized. /nosplash stops Skype's splash screen from displaying.

6. Now click on the FireDaemon Settings tab. Change the Show Window setting to Minimized and optionally enter a Login Account. The login account name and password will have to match that of the user name and password you entered when you logged into your computer. This is optional. If you choose to leave this blank Skype will start as the LocalSystem user and you will need to re-enter your login credentials and change you Skype settings again as per step 3 above.



7. Click on the FireDaemon Dependencies tab. Add 'lanmanworkstation' to the list of Services to depend on. This will ensure the TCP/IP and CIFS stacks are initialised before attempting to start Skype:



8. Click on the FireDaemon Pre / Post-Service tab. In order to shutdown Skype correctly, you will need to create two Post-Service Program entries. One to tell Skype to terminate, the other to wait for Skype to terminate. In the Post-Service Programs section click the Append button and complete the Post-Service definition as follows and then click OK:



Click on the Append button for a second time in the Post Service Programs section and complete the Post Service definition as follows and then click OK:



Skype's shutdown is asynchronous - the second Post-Service forces FireDaemon to artificially wait for 5 seconds to allow Skype to cleanly exit. If you don't include this Post-Service Skype crashes - especially if numerous dialogs are open or Skype is in-call.

Once you have entered the two Post-Services programs, the screen will look as follows:



9. That's it - you're done! Click on the Install button and Skype should startup!



Issues ... other problems? Please post in the Public Support Forums!