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How and why to use the Autostart option of the Certero client

2 min read

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The Certero client has an Autostart option. This option can be used to install the Certero client on a Windows computer but not to start it. This article examines the how and why you can use this option.

How to enable autostart

When manually installing the Certero client on a Windows computer using the GUI, you will be presented with the following screen.

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Unticking the ‘Start the service automatically after install’ option will result in the Windows service called Certero AssetStudio Client Service being installed but not being immediately started.

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When scripting the install of the Certero client on a Windows computer. You can use the option /AUTOSTART=0. This will also result in the Windows service called Certero AssetStudio Client Service being installed but not being immediately started.

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For more information on installing the Certero Client see here:

Certero client agent command line switches

When would I use autostart?

When creating images for Windows computers. You may want to include the Certero client as part of a standard build image. When the Certero client is installed, if the Certero AssetStudio Client Service starts then initial communication between the client and an Endpoint Server will occur. A unique identifier is created by the agent and a reference to that identifier is stored within Certero. If the Certero client is used as part of build image then the unique identifier will need to be removed before the image is captured.

It is therefore preferable, that the Certero AssetStudio Client Service is not started and the initial communication and unique identifier creation does not occur. Using the Autostart option described above. The Certero client can be installed in the image, then the image can be captured.

Only when the build image is deployed does the Certero AssetStudio Client Service start for the first time. Each deployed computer gets its own unique identifier, and duplicate computers do not appear with Certero.

After installing the Certero client using the autostart option, do not restart the computer before capture. Doing so will cause the Certero Assetstudio Client service to start and unique identifiers will be created. If the build image computer must be restarted after installing the Client, then first change the Certero Assetstudio Client service startup type to Disabled. But remember to change the startup type back to Automatic (but not to start it) before the image capture is performed.