Run BGInfo At Startup For All Users

Question

I have a Windows 7 image which I intend to deploy across a business. For simplicity I intend to install BGInfo on each machine and have it update each time a user logs in. From what I can see, when BGInfo creates a configuration file, the file contains variables which are local to each account - and therefore the configuration file will only work on the user account that created it.

Does anyone have any idea as to how make these configuration files 'generic' so that BGInfo will work for all accounts when they log in? At present I have the BGInfo application and a BGInfo configuration file saved on the C drive and I have written a batch file which is stored in the 'All Users/Start Menu/Startup' directory (which executes every time any user on the computer logs in), however this only works for the account which created the configuration file.

Answer 1

Yes, this can be done. Just don't use a batch, use the Run key in the registry. Install BGInfo to either program files or windows and keep the bgi file in there as well.

We did this for our images at the last company I worked for and it was great, we would have the corporate approved wallpaper stamped with logon time, IP, hostname, all that good info everytime a user logged in. We just added a run entry in the registry. Users were free to change their wallpaper, but after every login it restamped it, the users all just eventually gave up.

Try adding it in your image. You may also get away with mounting the image, adding the .exe and bgi file and mounting the registry and adding it to HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Use the syntax below for reference.

"C:\Program Files\BGInfo\Custom.bgi /timer:0 /silent /nolicprompt"

If you're using MDT (which I highly recomend) Johan Arwidmark over at deployment research has a glorious script he wrote that will do this as part of his Hydration Kit, it's called Install-BGInfo.wsf.

http://deploymentresearch.com/DRFiles/HydrationCM2012R2.zip

Answer 2

This question is marked with an answer, but I wanted to share my easy way to do it, especially if you plan on cloning the machine for distribution. I use this setup and it works for over 80 computers and it has not failed me yet.

First place BGinfo into your programs folder.

Next run BGinfo, accept the license, and set it the way you want.

Then save it as "config.bgi"

Next step is to create a shortcut to BGinfo, it might say 'you cant create a shortcut here would you like to save it to the desktop instead?' If it does then save it to the desktop.

Now navigate to the location of the shortcut and edit the target path to be the following:

"C:\Program Files\BGInfo\Bginfo.exe" "C:\Program Files\BGInfo\config.bgi" /timer:0 /nolicprompt /silent

I know it has two locations in the target, but that is what works. The switches are for timer to equal zero, accept the license prompt and continue without errors.

Next Copy that shortcut and it in "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup"

This will apply that BGinfo configuration to all users. If you decide to make changes to the names or locations just make the appropriate changes to the target path in the shortcut.