Accessing the "backend" easily and WITHOUT going into safe-mode - booting straight into the front-end

[mercury]

Hi Everyone,

I purchased game-ex last year and am very pleased with its capabilities.

This year i have started to build a purpose built cocktail cabinet which is finally taking shape. Its really a work of love as there were no expenses spared - from the screen - industrial 26inch LCD monitor used for modern day poker machines, to the genuine (direct from japan) Sanwa controls and the 7 coats of paint that will be used to finish this 1-piece beauty. I can attest to the amount of work that has gone through and can safely say the cabinet is looking as i would like. I have even put extra niggly bits such as front speakers - in-front of the players, a USB slot and a headphone jack that will all be within easy access for the user.

My only problem now is SOFTWARE!

It appears that InstantSheller does not work properly.

These are the problems i am experiencing with InstantSheller:

1. after exiting - it will just display a blank screen - not explorer

2. when i goto safe mode and try to access my "backend" - the mouse is a dot - so i cannot see it - thus i cannot access anything.

3. safe mode does not even display the start bar - so i have to ctrl-alt-del and launch run to access explorer.exe.

I would really like to avoid logging in as safe mode just to modify the "backend"

I am looking for a program similar to instantsheller but would like it to work as i please and more control.

Is modifying the registry my only option? or is there a program similar to the frontend Mala that will modify exactly how i would like to boot into windows. Mala actually has the ability to launch explorer upon exit so you can modify the "backend".

THANK YOU EVERYONE!

BIG BIG HELP!

Merc

[Tempest]

Set Tweaks/Performance > Launch on exit to explorer.exe

Welcome to GameEx!

[mercury]

Set Tweaks/Performance > Launch on exit to explorer.exe

Welcome to GameEx!

Thanks Tempest! I will try that tonight!

What about the start-bar and unhiding everything else upon exit? Does instant sheller provide this? Or is there a way to do it?

Perhaps i am going about this the wrong way?

What are the usual boot setups that is popular now days amongst mame cabinet modders? Is everyone using instant sheller? Or are they doing manual setups?

Thanks guys for the help!

Merc

[Brian Hoffman]

I would like to add to what Matt said.

Instant Sheller will allow you to Shell per user account.

So in essence you can have two accounts, one for Gameex Shelled and one for administration.

When you run instant sheller you can Shell for the current user only. Thus keeping explorer as the default shell for the alt account.

Side note: If you run instant sheller a second time you can UNDO all changes and get your cursor and all settings back.

I usually place instant sheller in the root of my drive, then I can always CTRL+ALT+DEL and run a new task and run instant sheller with 0 navigation issues.

Oh yes, welcome to the forums.

EDIT: I see you replied, changing the shell from explorer will stop the start bar from loading. Most people use Instant Sheller. There is a guide here about what changes it is doing behind the scenes automatically.

The biggest is changing the shell in registry.

[mercury]

I would like to add to what Matt said.

Instant Sheller will allow you to Shell per user account.

So in essence you can have two accounts, one for Gameex Shelled and one for administration.

When you run instant sheller you can Shell for the current user only. Thus keeping explorer as the default shell for the alt account.

Side note: If you run instant sheller a second time you can UNDO all changes and get your cursor and all settings back.

I usually place instant sheller in the root of my drive, then I can always CTRL+ALT+DEL and run a new task and run instant sheller with 0 navigation issues.

Oh yes, welcome to the forums.

Thanks Brian!

I am trying to achieve a clean boot straight into game-ex so i disabled logon and cursor in the InstantSheller settings - so it logs straight into the main account...no option to login to another account...

that is one issue i am trying to address when trying to access a "backend"

Does anyone have any alternative setups? Perhaps a disable instant sheller upon exit of gameex feature?

Thanks guys,

Merc

[Brian Hoffman]

Thanks Brian!

I am trying to achieve a clean boot straight into game-ex so i disabled logon and cursor in the InstantSheller settings - so it logs straight into the main account...no option to login to another account...

that is one issue i am trying to address when trying to access a "backend"

Does anyone have any alternative setups? Perhaps a disable instant sheller upon exit of gameex feature?

Thanks guys,

Merc

Merc,

If you hold SHIFT while booting it WILL prompt for a username and password. This will allow you to successfully use separate accounts. It should also allow you to access your "backend" Also disable the welcome screen.

Remember after "undoing" instant shellers modifications you need to do a second reboot. So, it would make running instantsheller on exit a little less appealing, but all still very possable.

If you have any other questions we can give you more tips on cab administration.

Personally I use VNC and administer y cab from an alternate PC.

[mercury]

Set Tweaks/Performance > Launch on exit to explorer.exe

Welcome to GameEx!

ah sweet launching explorer.exe actually unhides everything and loads the startbar and windows. So its like booting straight into XP when exiting game-ex!

THANK YOU!

[bkenobi]

FWIW, I have 2 users on my cabs. I set the primary user "gamer" to instant shell into GameEx and all Windows screens are hidden. I have a second account "admin" that I log into remotely using remote desktop in windows. This allows me to manage everything from a more comfortable chair rather than having to sit at the cab and balance everything. I also am not limited to my low resolution TV screen and can instead use the high res LCD at my desktop to set things up.

I'm using WinXP on both machines and this approach works flawlessly!

Oh, if I do need to drop to windows for some reason, I simply ctrl-alt-del, kill GameEx, start a new process "explorer.exe" and windows pops up in full. Good luck.