N
Nicholas
The Windows XP fax service cannot be started unless it is
configured (as by default) to run under the "System"
account. So, if you want your faxes (or a copy of your
faxes) to be saved directly to a network folder, you're
out of luck because the System account does not have
network rights.
I have seen at least three articles on the internet
confirming this limitation, which was not a limitation in
the version that came with Windows 2000. Despite the fact
that Microsoft's documentation leads you to believe it can
be done, it simply can't. Try it for yourself by opening
Control Panel->Administrative Tools->Services. Select
Properties for the "Fax" service and in the "Log On"
panel, select "this account" and type in Administrator (or
whatever account you have access to) and give the
password, then try to start the service.
Does anyone know if there are plans to fix this soon?
Anyway, here are some workarounds:
(1) Share the local folder where faxes are saved (or the
folder where a copy of faxes are saved). If only your
server is being backed up, then configure your server
backup software to include the shared folder if it
supports this option.
OR
(2) Setup a batch file to "xcopy /D" the files from the
local folder to the network folder. Configure a service
(see FireDaemon.com or use the SRVANY utility provided in
Microsofts resource kit) to run the batch file but MAKE
SURE you put a loop in the batch file with a delay in the
loop. You can write your own (if you're a programmer)
delay program that takes one parameter or you can download
a SLEEP.EXE from numerous places (just beware of
downloading a virus). Also make sure you start the
service at least once directly from the Services manager
so that the user is granted service Log On rights
(assuming your setup as a domain login), and use a
user "log on" account that has access to the network
folder. You might need to use UNC naming for the network
share since the drive mappings may not be available to the
account used to run the service.
Example batch:
:TOP
XCOPY /D <source> <dest>
SLEEP 30
GOTO TOP
configured (as by default) to run under the "System"
account. So, if you want your faxes (or a copy of your
faxes) to be saved directly to a network folder, you're
out of luck because the System account does not have
network rights.
I have seen at least three articles on the internet
confirming this limitation, which was not a limitation in
the version that came with Windows 2000. Despite the fact
that Microsoft's documentation leads you to believe it can
be done, it simply can't. Try it for yourself by opening
Control Panel->Administrative Tools->Services. Select
Properties for the "Fax" service and in the "Log On"
panel, select "this account" and type in Administrator (or
whatever account you have access to) and give the
password, then try to start the service.
Does anyone know if there are plans to fix this soon?
Anyway, here are some workarounds:
(1) Share the local folder where faxes are saved (or the
folder where a copy of faxes are saved). If only your
server is being backed up, then configure your server
backup software to include the shared folder if it
supports this option.
OR
(2) Setup a batch file to "xcopy /D" the files from the
local folder to the network folder. Configure a service
(see FireDaemon.com or use the SRVANY utility provided in
Microsofts resource kit) to run the batch file but MAKE
SURE you put a loop in the batch file with a delay in the
loop. You can write your own (if you're a programmer)
delay program that takes one parameter or you can download
a SLEEP.EXE from numerous places (just beware of
downloading a virus). Also make sure you start the
service at least once directly from the Services manager
so that the user is granted service Log On rights
(assuming your setup as a domain login), and use a
user "log on" account that has access to the network
folder. You might need to use UNC naming for the network
share since the drive mappings may not be available to the
account used to run the service.
Example batch:
:TOP
XCOPY /D <source> <dest>
SLEEP 30
GOTO TOP