Invisible Mode does not work

[Potterd]

I am running the HDSentinel Standard software on Windows XP SP3. The option of running as a Service works, but the feature to run in invisible mode by unchecking "Allow service to interact with desktop" does not work. When this checkbox is cleared, tray icons are still displayed, configuration is accessible etc. If you use configuration to try to switch back to application mode, the removal of the service fails when this checkbox is cleared. Also, Help is not accessible when running as a service regardless of the status of the Checkbox metnioned above. Otherwise nice product but the option to run in Invisible Mode does not work. As a paying customer, I hope to see this corrected soon.

[hdsentinel]

Thanks for your message.

In general, it is not widely used as this mode may not be really comfortable,
exactly because of the limited usability.
Originally it was designed to work with the Enterprise Server: to allow
remote monitoring but with a client which runs "invisible" and does not display
anything for the end user.
Then (after that help text was written) "Hard Disk Sentinel silent client" was released
exactly for this purpose - it has absolutely no windowed interface, tray icons and so,
just provides hard disk status information for the remote management console.

Of course we check the "Allow service to interact with desktop" option
and will let you know immediately any results or modifications.

I'm afraid if the Help can't be accessible, it is more likely a Windows issue
(the interactive services may not start Windows Help subsystem).
I'm checking that - and try to improve the situation if possible.
Anyway, the Help is available any time on line at
http://www.hdsentinel.com/help/en/index.html
( www.hdsentinel.com -> Support -> Complete help )

[Potterd]

In your response, you refer to "Silent Client" as a separate version, but there is no way I have found to download this version. In the description of the Enterprise version, you also refer to the "Silent Client" by indicating that the user must have one of 3 clients installed: Standard, Professional or "Silent Client". The following is from the description of the Enterprise version:

•the client computers (hosts) should have Registered Hard Disk Sentinel software installed. It can be standard, Professional or "silent" client which has no user interface, just provides information for the Enterprise Server

If the "Silent Client" does not really exist as a separate version and this refers to either Standard or Professional version running as a service, you should clarify this. If there is a separate "Silent Client" version available, please inform regarding how to download this version.

I am trying to run your software in silent mode so that icons are not displayed, information is gathered but not communicated to the user in real-time, but available for later analysis. Please let me know if there is ANY way to do this, either by running as a service or by downloading a separate "Silent Client" version. As we discussed, the "Running as Service" option on my Wndows XP SP3 systems displays icons, messages and provides acccess to configuration settings etc when the "Allow service to interact" checkbox is cleared. It does not work as advertised. Thank you.

[Potterd]

Just to be clear, it is the following functionality that does not work on my Windows XP SP3 systems:

It is possible to use the software in an "invisible" mode (without displaying windows, tray icons, messages) if the "Allow service to interact with desktop" option is disabled (in the "Service properties" window of the operating system). In this case the user is not able to access the main information and the configuration windows - unless he stops the service by using the "Stop service" shortcut. Windows Vista does not display any user interface for interactive services, so Hard Disk Sentinel service runs in such "invisible" mode under Vista.

Also, the Help web link you provided in your earlier post does not work correctly using IE8. The initial screen displays but when you click on a topic in the left pane, the contents of that topic are not displayed in the right pane - they overlay the index and are displayed in the left pane, and are not readable.

[hdsentinel]

Yes, I see.
Working on to fix this issue and will provide update as soon as possible.
Thanks for your patience.

Also thanks for your attention. It was an issue with IE8, now the online Help is fixed and should work without problems.

[Potterd]

Thanks for your response. Could you please clarify regarding the "Invisible Client". Is this version available or does this language refer to the case where the software is running as a service. Will you be updatng the software so that it runs correctly as a service or will you be releasing something called "Invisible client" as a separate version.

I have confirmed that the display of the complete Help under IE8 works correctly now.

Regards,

[hdsentinel]

Excuse me for the confusion.

The "Invisible client" is a different kind of the software. That is a part of Hard Disk Sentinel Enterprise package: the network administrator can install such "Invisible client" (otherwise displayed as silent client on the website) which provides no windows and user interface (no statistics, no configuration) for the actual user, just provide disk status information to the central management console, Hard Disk Sentinel Enterprise Server.
That client always runs as a service and can't be used alone, just together with the Enterprise Server.

It is completely independent from the version you already have and what will be updated and provided to work "invisibly" on your system. So basically you'll receive an updated version of Hard Disk Sentinel (standard edition).

Thanks for your confirmation about the Help and excuse me for the previous issue with that.

[Potterd]

Thanks again for your response to my post.

Do you have any idea when the updated / fixed version will be available ?

[hdsentinel]

It will be probably on the first half of the next week.
Thanks for your patience.