How To  Install / Upgrade / Uninstall  Advanced Host Monitor

How To Install/Update/Repair   Advanced Host Monitor

youtube demo    (installation just 15 seconds, then this video shows how to enable remote access, set user accounts, create tests and actions, etc) Run installation program, answer "Yes" on the prompt to install Advanced Host Monitor software. Setup wizard will then ask you to choose between the two available types of installation. "Install" - Use this option either for a fresh new installation or to completely replace an old version. With this option the newer installation will overwrite all files of previously installed (if any) version of Advanced Host Monitor unless you selected different disk folder for installation. "Update/repair" - Use this option to update previously installed Advanced Host Monitor to a newer version while keeping all user settings unchanged. Also you may use this option to repair installed software when some files were removed by mistake or after virus attack. Setup program will overwrite all executable modules of previously installed HostMonitor, help files, etc; all user settings will remain intact. After choosing Install or Update mode click "Next" button and select one of the following options: Install Advanced Host Monitor and utilities; Install Remote Control Console only; Install Remote Monitoring Agent only Last 2 options provide quick way to install or update RCC and RMA modules only; while 1st option allows you to choose various sets of applications. If you continue with selected by default "Install/Update Advanced Host Monitor and utilities" option then setup program allows you to choose 2 different folders for Advanced Host Monitor package: one folder for executable files (by default this is the folder where the Advanced Host Monitor was previously installed on your system or \Program Files\HostMonitor\ folder for first time installation); another folder for configuration files E.g. *.EXE, *.DLL, *.DOC files can be stored in C:\Program Files\HostMonitor\ *.INI, *.LST, *.HML files, reports, logs and HM script files can be located at C:\ProgramData\HostMonitor\ Note: if you want to use several different versions of the software on the same system (for testing purpose) then you need to install configuration files using <same path> mode. Also, please see notes regarding UAC and Virtualization There is also a choice of 4 setup packages: "Lite/Standard" - only HostMonitor, HML Manager, samples and help files will be installed. "Professional" - HostMonitor, HML Manager and Log Analyzer will be installed. "Enterprise" - All components (except Remote Monitoring Agent) will be installed. "Custom" - use this option when you need to install some specific utilities, e.g. install RMA, RCC and Log Analyzer. Beside each setup package there is a help button. Press this button to bring up the reminder about the components that will be installed. After choosing the destination path and setup package, press the "next" button of the setup wizard. Now, if you have chosen "custom" setup package the next screen will ask you to select which components to install (selection step is skipped if you have chosen "Lite/Standard", "Professional" or "Enterprise" packages). The next screen will show you a summary of all options you have just chosen. If you change your mind then press "back" button to step back and adjust your settings. Finally press "Install" button to start installation. When the final stage of installation will finish you will be prompted to put the HostMonitor icon on the desktop, create HostMonitor program group and to run HostMonitor right after the installation. Check these options according to your desire and press "Done" button.

How To Uninstall Advanced Host Monitor

Method 1: Run uninstall.exe from the HostMonitor directory (or from the HostMonitor program group) and click the "Start" button. Method 2: Open the Windows Control Panel, double click the "Add/Remove Programs" icon, select "HostMonitor" from the list and click the "Add/Remove" button.

UAC and Virtualization

If you are using Windows Vista or newer Windows system, UAC is enabled and you setup software using separate application/data folders then most applications disable virtualization.
In addition to HostMonitor and RMA Manager (these applications disable virtualization regardless of location), the following modules disable virtualization when data files located in separate folder:
- MIB Browser
- Log Analyzer
- Log Visualizer
- Web Service
- Telnet Service
- WatchDog
- ProcessMeter
- WMI Explorer
- HML Manager
If you install software using single destination folder below Program Files\ then configuration files can be virtualized by UAC.

RMA for Windows modules work differently:
- if you install new copy of RMA using setup program, it will disable virtualization regardless of data files location (RMA agent always keeps rma.ini file in the same folder);
- if you update existing old RMA installation using setup program or RMA Manager, it will keep current settings (in such case rma.ini file can be virtualized depending on UAC settings and installation folder location).
Note: you may enable/disable virtualization for RMA agent using the following registry key:
- on 32bit Windows: HKLM\Software\KS-Soft\HostMonitor\RMAVirtualizationOff
- on 64bit Windows: HKLM\Software\Wow6432Node\KS-Soft\HostMonitor\RMAVirtualizationOff

There is another UAC-related problem: if software is running as Win32 service, it may not have "write" access to data folders (this depends on version of the system, location of the folder and UAC settings). HostMonitor may not be able to store settings even if you provide admin account for the service (admin - user that belongs to Administrators and Users groups).
There are several possible solutions:
- disable UAC;
- use BUILT-IN "administrator" account to start service;
- add "write" and "modify" permissions to Users group.
That's why setup program assigns "write" and "modify" permissions to Authenticated Users group when you install (not update) software on Windows Vista+ using separate folder for data files.
If you are sure you will run HostMonitor as service under built-in administrator account or UAC always will be disabled or HostMonitor will be started as application only, then you may adjust folder permissions (for better security) after installation and initial configuration.

Useful links:
Why administrator gets access denied
Inside Windows Vista UAC
Inside Windows 7 UAC


How to install HostMonitor as Win32 Interactive service

1) Install Advanced Host Monitor package on your system. If you already have Advanced Host Monitor installed, skip this step.
2) Start HostMonitor (hostmon.exe, not host-mon.exe) with the command line parameter "/InstallService" (hostmon.exe /InstallService). HostMonitor will install itself as a service and display "Service options" dialog. "Service options" dialog allows you to specify some important parameters and then lauch the service. If you do not plan to start service right away, select "Launch service later" option and click Ok. In such case service will be started at system startup. Also you may start service at any time using standard Windows "Services" applet or command line like "net start hostmonservice".
youtube demo 

IMPORTANT NOTES:

Note #1: "Local system" account does not allow to monitor remote systems using test methods like CPU Usage, Process, Service, NT Event Log, etc. If you need these tests, you will need to assign a special user account using "Service options" dialog. Also, you may change this account later using options located on the Service page in the Options dialog. In this case HostMonitor will impersonate the security context of the user.
Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 related note: do not change the account using Windows applet "Services". If you do so, HostMonitor service may be unable to interact with the desktop and you will need to use RCC as remote management application.
Windows Vista+ related note: Windows services cannot interact with desktop so you may provide user account for the service using HostMonitor options or using Windows "Services" applet.

• You have disabled "Allow service to interact with desktop" option;
• Service is running on remote system and you are using Terminal Service to login to that system;
• You are using Windows Vista, Windows 7, 8, 10 or Windows Server 2008-2019

Note #3: There is common mistake - install HostMonitor as service, start service, then start application. Please DO NOT start several instances of HostMonitor on the same system using the same installation folder and configuration files. If you do so, several instances will work simultaneously, monitor the same target systems, and launch the same actions. If you modify test settings or profiles using 2nd instance of the software (application), 1st instance (service) will not apply modifications until you restart service. Also, your log files and statistical information will not be accurate when you are running several instances of the monitor using the same log files.
That's why HostMonitor warns you when you are trying to start application while service is running as well, then it may stop service before launching application.

Note #4 (obsolette, we do not support Windows NT 4.0 anymore): We do not recommend installing HostMonitor as a service under Windows NT 4.0. At least not as an interactive service. In the case you really need to start HostMonitor as a service on Windows NT, please, disable the "Allow service to interact with desktop" option for HostMonitor service (option provided by Windows Services applet). In this case you will not be able to see HostMonitor's icon in the system tray.

• gds32.dll to monitor Interbase connections
• fbclient.dll to check Firebird SQL server
• ntwdblib.dll to monitor MS SQL
• libmysql.dll to monitor MySQL
• libmariadb.dll to check MariaDB
• oci.dll to check Oracle
• libpq.dll to monitor PostgreSQL
• libsybdb.dll to monitor Sybase

Technical Info:

If you wish to move the program from one computer to another you do not need to re-implement all the lists and settings again. Simply copy the program files from one computer or install the program on another computer and then copy only the files containing your settings.

File	Used by	Description
Hostmon.chm	All applications	Help file
Hostmon.exe	HostMonitor	Main executable module
LogsMan.exe	Log Analyzer	Main executable module
Rma.exe	RMA	Main executable module
Rma_cfg.exe	RMA	Configuration utility
Rma_mgr.exe	RMA Manager	Main executable module
Telnetservice.exe	Telnet Service	Main executable module
Webservice.exe	Web Service	Main executable module
Hostmon.ini	HostMonitor	Includes all global parameters (almost all of them represented in the Options dialog). You can create different ini files and specify the name of ini file in the command line when starting HostMonitor
HML_Mgr.ini	HML Manager	Options and settings
Logsman.ini	Log Analyzer	Options and settings defined in Options dialog
Rma.ini	RMA	Options and settings
Rma_Mgr.ini	RMA Manager	Options and settings
Telnetservice.ini	Telnet Service	Options and settings
Webservice.ini	Web Service	Options and settings
Actions.lst	HostMonitor	Contains the action profiles
Agents.lst	HostMonitor RMA Manager	List of Remote Monitoring Agents
Custmenu.lst	HostMonitor	Custom menu profiles
Holidays.lst	HostMonitor	List of holidays (for schedules)
Larep.lst	Log Analyzer	Report profiles
MailList.lst	HostMonitor	Mail templates
Palettes.lst	HostMonitor	Color schemes
Prbypass.lst	HostMonitor	Proxy bypass list
RepPList.lst	HostMonitor	Report profiles
Schedule.lst	HostMonitor	Contains the list of schedules
Services.lst	HostMonitor	List which includes TCP port descriptions
Sscripts.lst	HostMonitor	Shell Script profiles (used by Shell Script test)
Udvmacro.lst	HostMonitor	User defined macro variables
Users.lst	HostMonitor	User profiles (operators)
Wsuserprof.lst	Web Service	User profiles (preference settings for each user)

Examples\	-	This directory contains different examples:
Example1.hml	-	A sample HML (test list) file. It is recommend that you save your test configurations in a diferent HML file rather than just modify the one shipped with the program, otherwise your changes will get lost during the upgrade process as the sample HML file will be overwriten with the newest version available.
Errorlev.exe	-	Example of program for external test
Import1.txt	-	The sample import file
Script1.hms	-	Example of HMS sript
AutoRefresh.html	-	This file can be used as an external header for HTML reports. It contains command to auto refresh HTML. Your browser will be refreshing the page's contents at regular intervals
Summary.html	-	Another external header, will display tests' statuses summary
StdHeader.html	-	Just an example of external header for HTML reports, can be used as a base for creating your own headers
CompactHeader.html	-	Sample of external header for Compact HTML report
StdFooter.html	-	Just an example of external footer for HTML reports, can be used as a base for creating your own footers
Summary2.html	-	Another external footer, will display tests' statuses summary
Examples\LAReports\	-	Directory contains samples of the external header, footer, template for Log Analyzer's Report Manager
Examples\Scripts\	-	Directory contains sample scripts for Script test

If you are using HostMonitor with a license key that had been generated illegally or using a cracked version of HostMonitor, the program will become unstable causing frequent software problems and crashes.

If you have any questions, please visit the online forum. There you can find answers to a lot of questions. If not, please do not hesistate ask, we will be happy to help you.
support@ks-soft.net