How to use UVK remotely

[Rob]

Hello,
I am new to the business. I purchased a branded license key and was wondering how I can use UVK on a clients computer remotely. Example - Client contacts me about doing some remote maintenance to a device. From what I gathered from your site and forum is that this can be done but I seem to be having a hard time finding information on how to best go about doing it. Is a FTP server the best option and if it is can the tools UVK is running be hidden from the client?

Thanks,
Rob

[Fred]

Hello Rob.

OK, people wanting the UVK remote launcher need to send me the following by private message:

1) The License key file.
2) The Logo pic file.
3) The url of a zip file that the application will download and extract locally.

That zip can contain scripts, UVKSR files, UVKSettings.ini, the smart uninstaller's whitelist, etc

The path where the zip files are extracted to can be accessed through the %InstallSourceDir% variable.

To remove the %InstallSourceDir% path, create a script or System repair app that runs the following commad:

Code: Select all

%Comspec% /c rd /s /q "%InstallSourceDir%"

I will have to build a special application for the effect, so it may take a while for me to reply.

[Xander]

I use a WinRAR'd SFX file containing the .exe, .uvkey (and other settings files) which extracts to c:\support\uvk and launches the .exe after extraction. When UVK has an update, I update the extractable.

I send it to my client via ScreenConnect's toolbox which saves it to their c:\support\files folder and autolaunches it. SC doesn't yet clean up behind itself so, just before ending a session, I run a simple batch that flushes any files that I might have sent over.

Fred, what about a UVK premium feature to create a file like this?

[Fred]

That's mostly what I'm talking about, except the zip containing the extra files would be downloaded from your website instead. This way you could update your extra files without the need to update the package. But I guess I could also add the files to the resource of the package.

[Rob]

Fred, Sorry for the newbie question but from my understanding thus far, when you say URL of the zip file, I need to have the UVK.exe, key.uvkey and logopic.png all in a compressed folder. This compressed folder will then be attached to my website. I would remote into my clients device, browse to my site and then click on the link that would be found on my website. If my understanding is correct the URL I would have to supply to you Fred would be something like http://www.repairtechsite.com/toolbox. Just the URL path that the compressed folder would ultimately be attached to.

Please let me know if I am way off here or not.

Xander, I do not know about ScreenConnect's toolbox. Is this like FTP server that would host the UVK tool?

Thanks,
Rob

[Fred]

Not really, Rob. I'm offering a program for "branding" licensed users. This program is very small, so you can quickly transfer it to the remote machine, if needed.

That program will detect if UVK is installed in the remote PC, and activated with your license. If it is not, the program downloads the latest version and installs it.

Before that, the program will use the URL of the zip file you provide to download your zip file, and then extract the zip's contents to a folder. That folder will be %InstallSourceDir%, for UVK.

The zip (compressed folder) does not need to have your license, logo or any UVK package. You just need to put stuff you may need in your repairs, such as scripts, whitelists, UVKSR files, etc.

I plan to start charging $10 for this feature, as I need to build an application each time, and upload it, and provide the download link. All that takes me at least 20 minutes. For now it's still free, so go ahead and take it.

If you don't have a website or FTP server, I can include the zip file in the program itself. In that case, you need to send me the zip file.

[Xander]

For my $.02, Fred, I'd rather not be installing tools on client systems. I'd rather my tools be portable whenever possible, which is why I prefer sending the uvkportable to a folder of my choosing. That way if I forget to remove it, with SC, I can send a cleanup command through the software without connecting.

Rob, basically, yes. I host SC on my main PC from which I do most of my remotes but, because I keep the toolbox programs in its directories, I could connect from another PC somewhere else and have access to the same files. Down the road, I might look into something like a Raspberry Pi to host the software -- I once had some issues on my PC and needed to do remotes but that's been just once so far.

[wmmiller]

I use the download file Fred is talking about. I have UVK and all files I have created delete themselves five minutes after reboot so UVK can finish up anything it needs to do. It’s set up as a third party app. There was some discussion about whether five minutes was enough time and/or if there was a better way to do it but I couldn’t find that thread. I haven’t yet had any trouble with five minutes being enough time after reboot for cleanup but that was one of the issues that was brought up. I asked Fred for help to set it up to do what I wanted. Someone here that is better with that may be able to help you with it if you choose to try it that way.

Bill

[wmmiller]

Found it. Here's the thread I was talking about above.

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1099&hilit=remote+support