How To: Run uTorrent as a service (with FireDaemon)

[TapSiLogMACHINE]

Holy mother of tartar sauce! I'm gonna try this thing out like a crazed shopaholic in the lingerie department! Thank you for creating this guide.

But first:

Open uTorrent. Click on Options -> Preferences. Click on the Downloads settings. Create 2 directories for new downloads and completed downloads.

Do you meant creating 2 separate directories, or just set directories for each (can be the same folder)?

And oh, I didn't set a password to my administrator account (since everyone uses my darn computer). After I clicked on "Install", it says that "The account password has not been entered.". Well, of course I didn't enter anything on the fields because I don't have a password for the account. For now, I just left the "Logon Account" field blank, since I can just edit the service later.

[mauirixxx]

the reason for the new directories is to make managing torrent related stuff easier. My thought process goes like this for folder naming goes like so:

1 - To be sorted (this folder contains COMPLETED - and seeding - bit torrent downloads - anything in here I *know* is DONE - and can be moved/sorted accordingly)

2 - Currently Downloading (It's as its name suggests - any files in here are currently being downloaded via uTorrent - and will automatically be moved to "1 - To be sorted" when they're completed)

3 - Torrents (I configured uTorrent to store all of the .torrent files in here, for multiple reasons - it gives me quick access to previously downloaded torrents in the event I need to download them again, and also gives me a poor mans history of I've already downloaded)

However, you CAN obviously dump everything into one folder if that's how you want to do it - personally I think it looks messy.

And oh, I didn't set a password to my administrator account (since everyone uses my darn computer). After I clicked on "Install", it says that "The account password has not been entered.

That's easy to fix - put a good password on, and create a secondary account that everyone else can use. If you want ANY kind of folder customization for uTorrent, you HAVE to have it tied to an account. If you don't care that uTorrent dumps everything in the default directory (I don't even remember where or what it is to be honest) then don't worry about tying an account to the service.

Hope this helps.

[xbob82]

I'm becoming crazy because of FireDaemon. Because of FireaDaemon, Utorrent is always on top on my desktop, and even if I want to close it is reopened, and I can not even surf. How can I do?

[mauirixxx]

If you only want to run uTorrent when you're logged in, don't run it with Firedaemon.

The point of running uTorrent as a "service" is so that it CAN'T and WON'T be shutdown so it will ALWAYS run, unless you do it in one of the 3 specific ways outlined earlier.

Please read THIS post. It explains everything.

You really should read this thread in it's entirety, there's some useful information scattered throughout.

[Tordenflesk]

With the Lite Version of Firedaemon I'm unable to define my User/Pass AND select Interact With Desktop. If i leave User/Pass empty and select Interact With Desktop it starts as a new install, If i enter my User/Pass it starts as a background service.

[sunnysmith70]

Hi

I know that your method is good but here is an easy method of doing same things.

1. Download the latest uTorrent from utorrent.

2. By default uTorrent installs to "C:\Program Files\uTorrent" so for the purposes of this HOWTO, we will use that directory.

3. Install FireDaemon Pro into the directory of your choice (typically C:\Program Files\FireDaemon). FireDaemon can be downloaded from here.

4. Next start the FireDaemon GUI from the desktop shortcut. Click on the "Create a new service definition" button in the toolbar (or type Ctrl+N) and enter the information into the fields as you see below. Obviously adjust paths to suite your installation. Pay special attention to the Parameters list.

5. Now click on the Settings tab. If you DON'T want to see uTorrent running, uncheck the Interact with Desktop check box & select "Hidden" from the "Show Window" dropdown. Also uncheck Graceful Shutdown as uTorrent doesn't respond to it. You can optionally run uTorrent as the user you installed it as. In the Logon Account field type your username (eg. Administrator) and then enter the user's password twice in the Password and Confirm fields.

6. Now click on the Advanced tab. You can change the Process Priority to allocate more CPU time to uTorrent or specify which CPU or core uTorrent will run on (in the case of multi-processor, hyperthreaded or multi-core CPUs).

7. Now click on the Dependencies tab. Make sure the service depends on the lanmanworkstation (Workstation) service to ensure the TCP/IP and CIFS stacks are both up prior to starting uTorrent.

8. Now click on the Install button to install and start uTorrent!

[zhd]

does anyone know how to keep the ut icon on tray, i did every step correctly, but utorrent just run at background, it's impossible to change queue or start and stop downloads, and after reset the service every active torrents are rehashed, so after every reboot i have to rehash like 10~20 torrents before the downloads, it's very annoying. i'm running ut1.8.4 on windows 7.

[savarna23]

thanksssss muririxxxx---this is the suggestion iam looking for

[redmasq]

FWIW, there are guides to running µTorrent as a service here (though yes, they're not "native" solutions).

Thanks, always good to have an extra reference. I had forgotten about a couple of those things listed and was about to embark on an overkill solution. "Native", though preferred for "purity" sake is not an absolute requirement.

[teohhanhui]

does anyone know how to keep the ut icon on tray, i did every step correctly, but utorrent just run at background, it's impossible to change queue or start and stop downloads, and after reset the service every active torrents are rehashed, so after every reboot i have to rehash like 10~20 torrents before the downloads, it's very annoying. i'm running ut1.8.4 on windows 7.

Did you run the service in interactive mode?

Also, from http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms683502%28VS.85%29.aspx

Important All services run in Terminal Services session 0. Therefore, if an interactive service displays a user interface, it is visible only to the user who connected to session 0. Because there is no way to guarantee that the interactive user is connected to session 0, do not configure a service to run as an interactive service under Terminal Services or on a system that supports fast user switching (fast user switching is implemented using Terminal Services).

[alfitz]

This looks like a great thread, but it's way over my head. My problem is I keep get threatening letters from my internet provider and I want to be anoynumus when I seed or download.

Is there a simple solution for a laymen to understand?

[DreadWingKnight]

This thread is COMPLETELY unrelated to your issue alfitz.

[Ultima]

What does "can't open utorrent web interface" mean? What version of µTorrent are you running?

[Ultima]

... Let me rephrase my question once more. What happens when you try visiting WebUI?

[DreadWingKnight]

That's because it's using a different user account and as such a different set of settings.

[Ultima]

Indeed, was about to get to that ;D

@maxirk: http://www.utorrent.com/faq/installation#faq5

[gaby de wilde]

Shouldn't this topic start with explaining what the purpose is of running utorrent as a service?

Excuse my ignorance.

[mauirixxx]

gaby, you're correct, maybe I should've stated WHY you would want to run uTorrent in this method - I had assumed that anyone looking for this info would already know WHY they would want to run it as a service.

Also, posts #25 & #29 explain WHY you would want to, which I'll quote here for you:

sorry I don't have time to answer more indepth, but essentially: firedaemon + uTorrent = no matter HOW you exit uTorrent, the ONLY way to stop it from running is via the Firedaemon control panel, the Services control panel, or via typing: net stop firedaemon_utorrent_service_name_here

Or by shutting down the computer. As soon as someone right clicks the tray icon and selects exit, or even the File -> Exit, Firedaemon will notice the uTorrent process isn't running any more and will restart it.

Hope this clarifies it for you.

If you only want to run uTorrent when you're logged in, don't run it with Firedaemon.

The point of running uTorrent as a "service" is so that it CAN'T and WON'T be shutdown so it will ALWAYS run, unless you do it in one of the 3 specific ways outlined earlier.

Please read THIS post. It explains everything.

You really should read this thread in it's entirety, there's some useful information scattered throughout.

I hope this explains it to your satisfaction?

[gaby de wilde]

no no, I'm not satisfied until the first post contains all useful information in the right order. *pounds fist on desk*

Having the useful information scattered throughout[sic] turns my posts into annoyance. I'm still wondering if I should have just ignored the topic in favor of learning nothing new and posting off topic. I'm not sure what I hate more, having to read an entire topic trying to find tit bits of information or reading off topic nonsense like this post in the process. ha-ha

Anyway, thanks for educating my ignorance.

[mauirixxx]

Sorry about that, I'm a self appointed forum whore, so I personally will read an entire thread (which yes, it DOES suck sometimes) before I make a reply, and I (always) incorrectly assume everyone does the same thing

I know it's a pain in the ass to find useful info scattered throughout a thread, which is why i tried to contain as much info as I could in the first post. And like I said, people looking to run uTorrent like this already have their reason for wanting this information.

Glad I could help though <3

[GTHK]

Or so it starts running without anyone actually being logged in.

[rorschach]

Can somebody please tell me where the options button is on the home page?

[heazlewood]

Has anyone tried running the service under a different user account?

I have utorrent set up to run as a service (using the 2003 Resource Kit method), however i want to run it under a different user account (for security reason). I found that this was a problem with configuration, different users having different settings.

I decided to try using a portable version of utorrent, which allowed me to run without having to install utorrent, and the settings are stored with the application. This mostly works however when i stop and restart the service all the active torrents disappear, I am unsure why.

I'm setting this up on windows home server, when you connect to home server it is always as the admin, hence i do not want to run the service as that user (esp as the webui is enabled and public).

Any thoughts on how i can get this to work correctly?

[Lord Alderaan]

The settings are stored in the application data folder (%appdata%) of the user µTorrent is run under. If you run µTorrent under a different user it won't be able to find the settings you had while logged in as administrator and make a new profile.

If you run µTorrent in portable mode under a different user (by creating a or moving the settings.dat next to the utorrent.exe) you might run into read/write security issues.

What you could try is copying your current settings to the other users profile:

Login as administrator.

Make sure utorrent (all instances) is closed.

Goto to %appdata% in windows explorer (winkey+r, type "%appdata%" and press enter)

Copy the utorrent folder (r-click on it and pick copy from the menu).

Then press alt+d. Now you will be in the address bar and it will have a path that has administrator in it somewhere. Replace just the administrator bit with the username you want to run µtorrent under (this user needs to exist already) and press enter.

Now you will be in the appdata folder of that user. Paste the utorrent folder (ctrl+v) and overwrite if asked.

Make sure utorrent is NOT in portable mode (goto the folder where utorrent.exe can be found and remove settings.dat and any other settings file that are there).

Now try running utorrent as service under that user.

[heazlewood]

I have set it up in portable mode, with the settings in the same dir as the app.

This is working well, i am able to run the service under one user account, and can stop the service and run the app with the same settings by double clicking the icon using a different account.

I didn't know about the portable mode, works a treat.

I would suggest that people running utorrent as a service to use a limited account (maybe the howto could be updated to explain how to do this?). Running the service using an account with admin access to your pc is a bit if a security risk, esp if you have the webui publicly accessable.

Imagine someone works out how to hack the utorrnet webui, they could then have admin access to your PC.

Thanks for you help.