Run SkyDrive as a Windows Service with AlwaysUp

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

Ensure that SkyDrive starts to synchronize your important files as soon as your PC boots up. No need to log on!

SkyDrive is a cloud-based file hosting service integrated with Microsoft's online offerings.


To configure SkyDrive with AlwaysUp:

  1. Download and install AlwaysUp, if necessary.

  2. Download and install the SkyDrive desktop client, if necessary. Please make a note of where you installed it as this will be used in a later step.

  3. Start AlwaysUp.

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

    Add Application

  5. On the General tab:

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

      C:\Users\<USER-NAME>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\SkyDrive\SkyDrive.exe
      where <USER-NAME> is the name of the Windows account where you installed SkyDrive.

    • In the Arguments field, enter /background to signal that we want SkyDrive to run unattended in the background. Without this, SkyDrive may open your folder in Explorer when it starts.

    • In the Name field, enter the name that you will call the application in AlwaysUp. We have typed in SkyDrive but you can specify virtually anything you like.

    SkyDrive Windows Service: General Tab

  6. Click over to the Logon tab and enter the user name and password of the Windows account in which you installed and configured SkyDrive. SkyDrive must run in this account so that it can find its settings.

    SkyDrive Windows Service: LogOn Tab

  7. Click over to the Startup tab and check the Ensure that the Windows Networking components have started box. This informs AlwaysUp that SkyDrive needs TCP/IP networking support to do its work.

    SkyDrive Windows Service: Startup Tab

  8. Click the Save button. In a couple of seconds, an application called SkyDrive will show up in the AlwaysUp window. It is not yet running though.

    SkyDrive Windows Service: Created

  9. Before we start SkyDrive as a Windows Service, we must stop any existing instance. If SkyDrive is running, stop it now by right-clicking on the tray icon (SkyDrive Tray Icon) and choosing Exit.

    Exit SkyDrive

  10. To start SkyDrive from AlwaysUp choose Application > Start "SkyDrive". Note that you won't see SkyDrive's icon in the task bar (nor will you see the nice icons in your SkyDrive folder) because SkyDrive is running in the background, but your files will be synchronized.

    SkyDrive running as a Service with AlwaysUp

    On Windows 7, 2008 or Vista (or when connecting via RDP), you can choose Application > Start "SkyDrive" in this Session if you wish to show SkyDrive's tray icon. (More on this in the AlwaysUp Frequently Asked Questions.)

  11. Now that SkyDrive will always be running 24x7 in the background, there is no need to start it again when you log on. We recommend using the free Autoruns tool from Microsoft to disable SkyDrive's auto-start but any "startup manager" should do the trick.

    With Autoruns, click over to the Logon tab and un-check the box beside the SkyDrive entry:

    Disable SkyDrive autostart at login with Autoruns

  12. That's it! Next time your computer boots, SkyDrive will start up immediately, before anyone logs on. We encourage you to edit the entry in AlwaysUp and check out the many other settings that may be appropriate for your environment.



SkyDrive not working properly as a Windows Service?

  • From AlwaysUp, select Application > Report Activity > Today... to bring up a HTML report detailing the interaction between AlwaysUp and your application. The AlwaysUp Event Log Messages page explains the more obscure messages.
  • Consult the AlwaysUp FAQ for answers to commonly asked questions and troubleshooting tips.
  • Contact us and we will be happy to help!

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