How to Run CloudMe 24/7 as a Windows Service with AlwaysUp

CloudMe is a European-based file storage service. CloudMe for Desktop includes a Windows application that keeps your files synchronized on your PC.

To install CloudMe for Desktop as a Windows Service:

1. Download and install CloudMe for Windows, if necessary.

   Run CloudMe and configure the folders you would like to share. Please confirm that CloudMe works exactly as you need it to.

2. Download and install AlwaysUp, if necessary.

3. Start AlwaysUp.

4. Select Application > Add to open the Add Application window:

   

5. On the General tab:

   • In the Application field, enter the full path to the CloudMe executable, CloudMe.exe. If you installed CloudMe in the default location, this is:

     C:\Users\<USER-NAME>\AppData\Local\Programs\CloudMe\CloudMe\CloudMe.exe

     where <USER-NAME> is the name of the Windows account where you installed CloudMe.

   • In the Start the application field, select Automatically, but shortly after the computer boots from the list. This instructs Windows to start the service (and CloudMe) a couple of minutes after boot — after important/critical services have fully established themselves.

   • In the Name field, enter the name that you will call the application in AlwaysUp. We have stuck with the default of CloudMe but you can specify something else if you like.

   

6. Click over to the Logon tab. Enter the user name and password of the account where you installed and configured CloudMe. Running in the default System account will not work because CloudMe was never set up there!

   

7. Next, move to the Startup tab and:

   • Check the Ensure that the Windows Networking components have started box. CloudMe uses TCP/IP — the language of the Internet — and AlwaysUp must ensure that the underlying network components are running before CloudMe tries to synchronize your files.

   • Check both the Stop all copies of the application running on this computer and Also whenever the application is restarted boxes. These options will ensure that another copy of CloudMe won't prevent the Windows Service instance launched by AlwaysUp from starting properly.

   

8. We're done setting up CloudMe as a service so click the Save button to record your settings. In a couple of seconds, an application called CloudMe (or whatever you called it) will show up in the AlwaysUp window. It is not yet running though.

   

9. Before starting your file synchronization as a service with AlwaysUp, let's adjust a couple of CloudMe's settings.

   1. Start CloudMe if it is not already running. After it starts, right-click the CloudMe tray icon () and select Settings to bring up the CloudMe settings window.

   2. In the settings window, disable automatic updates. Generally, automatic updates are great but not when running an application unattended. That is because a failure or unexpected change can prevent your application from starting properly after an update. Of course, remember to manually update at a "safe" time during a scheduled maintenance window!

      Also, you should prevent CloudMe from starting when you log on. That feature is no longer necessary because AlwaysUp will launch CloudMe much earlier, as part of the boot process.

      Click the Close button to record your changes.

   

10. If CloudMe is running, stop it now by right-clicking the tray icon () and choosing Exit.

11. To start CloudMe from AlwaysUp, choose Application > Start "CloudMe". The entry's state will change to "Running" after a few seconds:

    

12. Now that CloudMe is running in the background as a Windows Service, you will not see its tray icon when you log on. If you need to make changes to CloudMe, please:

1. Stop CloudMe from AlwaysUp (via the Application menu).

2. Start CloudMe on your desktop (as you would normally, without AlwaysUp).

3. Double-click (or right-click) CloudMe's tray icon and make your changes.

4. Exit CloudMe when you are done.

5. Start CloudMe from AlwaysUp. CloudMe will operate in the background, using the settings you saved.

13. That's it! Next time your computer boots, CloudMe will start up immediately, before anyone logs on.

    We encourage you to edit the service in AlwaysUp and check out the many other settings that may be appropriate for your environment. For example, send an email if CloudMe fails, boost the application's priority, configure a weekly report, and much more.