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System maintenance

A terminal running 24/7 requires a variety of maintenance settings that ensure that the terminal will be available at all times.
1. System/screen settings
This option allows you to specify for every single day of the week when the computer is supposed to shut down/restart, the screen is supposed to be turned on/off or when the computer is supposed to go to sleep and wake up.
Please note that mouse/keyboard input will turn the screen back on even if you turned it off previously. Sleep mode can be turned off in the same way.
Note that combining the option to shut down the computer with the option to restart the computer does not automatically result in the computer starting up again automatically after a few hours. This cannot be achieved as SiteKiosk is a Windows application and as such allows for the computer to be shut down and restarted (rebooted) immediately. If require this feature, you can, however, make use of time switches and/or adjust the BIOS settings accordingly.
Note on the use of time switches and/or corresponding BIOS settings:
If you want the computer to reboot after a certain period of having been shut down, recommend that you use any ordinary time switch.
Example: You set the time for daily shutdowns to 6pm, and the computer shuts down. Set the time switch in such a way that the power will be cut off at 6.05pm. The PC is now turned off. The time switch will turn the computer back on at, for instance, 9pm. To ensure the computer will start back up, go to your BIOS settings and look for the setting that tells the computer how to act after a power failure and ensure that the computer will boot up. The computer boots up and launches SiteKiosk automatically. The time switch, thereby, guarantees that the computer will only run without your personnel intervening at the times you specify.
If you are running a computer of the later generation, you should be able find options for booting the computer in your BIOS settings. You will usually have the option to configure on which days of the weeks and at what times the computer is supposed to turn on automatically. You will, however, need an ATX board to have this option. You will not need a time switch if this is the case.
Note:
The sleep mode should be tested extensively under Windows beforehand, as this function depends on whether the devices (drivers) installed and configured under Windows properly support the sleep mode. Especially older devices (drivers) do not always fully support this Windows function.
You should also deactivate Hibernate mode under Windows (e.g. using command line: powercfg /h off) to ensure that SiteKiosk can send the Windows system to sleep and wake it up again at the configured times.
If you are still having problems, you should check that the option Sleep -> Allow wake timers is enabled in the advanced power settings of the Windows Control Panel.
2. ProgramPatcher
Some external application require specific access rights to function properly. This applies, in particular, if SiteKiosk is launched under the limited SiteKiosk user. Also, when using certain applications on public kiosk system, you sometimes want to erase certain directories/files when a specific action is performed.
ProgramPatcher takes care that these settings will be applied for the user under which SiteKiosk is run and to the most commonly used programs.
When you press the "Update" button, ProgramPatcher will search online for the most up-to-date settings. If new data is available, the existing data will be overwritten.
You have the option of supplementing ProgramPatcher with settings that you require for additional applications. To do so, edit the file ..\SiteKiosk\SystemSecurity\patcher.xml (e.g. in Notepad). You will find a description as to how you can create your own entries at the beginning of the XML file.
You are also welcome to email us the entries you added yourself (support-europe@provisio.com) so that we can integrate them into our online updates.
3. Monitoring
SiteKiosk was equipped with various safety features. These features also include a software watchdog (watchdog.exe). Watchdog.exe is a program that is launched every time SiteKiosk is opened and runs in the background.
SiteKiosk is required to report back to watchdog.exe after certain (adjustable) intervals. If the SiteKiosk fails to report, this is, more likely than not, due to the fact that the browser or SiteKiosk is overloaded or has crashed. If this is the case, watchdog.exe will restart SiteKiosk, making sure that there is little or no downtime of the application.
However, should you wish to disable this software watchdog, you can do so by opening your .skcfg configuration file in an editor. Go to ..\SiteKiosk\Config\.. to find and open your configuration file and look for the entry <watchdog>true</watchdog>. Set this entry from true to <watchdog>false</watchdog>.
The software watchdog also features a failsafe to restart the entire system in the event of a system crash. If SiteKiosk crashes, watchdog.exe will automatically restart the application. However, if your system has insufficient memory, it might not be able to launch the application. If it is unable to restart SiteKiosk after making three attempts to do so, watchdog.exe will reboot the computer, which will usually take care of the problem.
Should you still wish to turn off the memory monitoring feature of the watchdog, open the configuration file .skcfg stored in the directory ..\SiteKiosk\Config\.. in an editor and look for the entry
<start-monitoring emergency-interval="1200" emergency-count="10">true</start-monitoring>
. Replace it with the entry
<start-monitoring emergency-interval="1200" emergency-count="10">false</start-monitoring>.
SiteKiosk also records the number of SiteKiosk crashes that occur within a specific time period. The default setting is 10 (emergengy-count) occurrences within a period of 1200 seconds (emergency-interval). Should this number be exceeded, a restart of the system will be triggered automatically. You can adjust these values to your requirements.
If using Windows 8, 10, you should also go to CONTROL PANEL->SYSTEM->ADVANCED->START AND RECOVERY and disable the Automatically restart option. This will prevent the computer from restarting automatically after a system crash.
As they are recorded in detail in the Log files, you can keep track of program restarts that are caused by memory problems.
3.1 System monitoring (Software Watchdog)
Here, you can set time intervals that specify for:

- how long the watchdog will wait for SiteKiosk's report before it restarts SiteKiosk and
- how long a window may be blocked before SiteKiosk is restarted by the watchdog.

Make sure that these intervals are not shorter than 20s.
3.2 Memory threshold values
Some web pages never release the memory they used in IE. If you frequently open these pages, SiteKiosk may respond more slowly or stop responding altogether due to excessive memory usage.
The memory watcher allows you to define so-called threshold values which, when reached, will cause the application to be relaunched. Leave the preset values (97% / 20000 MB) unaltered if you are in doubt as to which values you should set.

- Maximum usage of page file
  You can adjust the size of the page file in the system performance options on the Windows control panel. As a rule of thumb, you can increase the size of the physically available memory by a factor between 1.5 and 3.0.
  Go to Control Panel->System->Advanced->Performance-> Performance Options->Advanced->Virtual memory to view and alter the base values of the page file.
- Maximum accepted memory usage
  This value is not the amount of available physical RAM but is, in fact, higher. As a rule of thumb: Current usage plus 50 to 100 MB is the minimum value you should use. SiteKiosk will ignore values lower than the amount of physical RAM plus 64 MB.
- Note:
- Please note that the automatic memory monitoring of the watchdog mentioned above will automatically restart SiteKiosk once the physical memory usage nears 100%, regardless of whether the threshold values for the allowed global memory usage have been reached or not..

3.3 Current memory usage
You can use the indicated current memory usage as a reference point when setting the memory threshold values. Press the Refresh button to have the values read again.
4. Connection
The connection settings are described on this page.
5. Tips and recommendations

1. You will also find options to erase the cache and delete cookies under Screensaver and Logout.

See also

Welcome
New Features
Scope of Supply/Installation
Support
System Requirements
Demo Version Restrictions
Registering SiteKiosk
PROVISIO Contact Information
Remote Monitoring (SiteRemote)
Guide for First-Time Users
Password
Start Page & Browser
Surfing Area
Screensaver
Logout
Applications
Print
Email
Files & Downloads
Input Devices
Access/Security
Logfiles
On-Screen Keyboard
Content Filter
Telephony (SIP)
Payment Devices
Customization (Skins)
System Security Manager
OpenSource Components
About

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