Run roon server separate from app on windows

Roon Software Discussion
1

Is it possible to run the roon server, so that it doesn’t require the UI on windows and doesn’t appear in the task bar, but still be able to launch the UI when required (it has capabilities not available on the ios version)? Ideally, I would like to run Roon as a windows service.

2

Yes you can install Roon Server on Windows. You still need to keep the full Roon installation if you want to access the UI. See also:

Yes that’s the way it is.

That is not supported.

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3

Thanks for the reply. I did find some of that doc - however what I want to do is to run both the Roon server and the Roon client on the same machine (i.e. in a typical client server configuration), given that I constantly close Roon by mistake and then can’t access it from other locations. I’m now beginning to think that isn’t possible, however?

4

Absolutely possible, just ask @Rugby or @wizardofoz.

It’s their way of running Roon. :slightly_smiling_face:

I don’t believe in that myself as it seems to defeat the purpose of RoonServer.
In most cases, one should just run the complete Roon package, which has RoonServer ‘embedded’.

Most people who run both Roons do so out of confusion, but I guess there are reasons.

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5

You can. I believe you can run the server version and the client. Then when you close the client the server keeps on trucking.

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6

Completely possible been doing it for 5 years.

It might be helpful if you explained what you have tried and how it did not work, then I could speak to specifics. As mentioned, you must login to start RoonServer as it is not a service. It can be set to “Run At Login”, so all you need to do is to login and it will run. This setting is found by Right-clicking the RoonServer Icon on the Taskbar after it has been installed.

But, otherwise, in general:

  1. If the computer has never had Roon installed, then just install RoonServer, and then install Roon but choosing to be client of the new Server, which you should see as an available option. Do not click “use this PC”.

  2. If the computer had Roon installed originally as being a server, then you want to remove Roon completely first. Otherwise, when started Roon will still load it’s server portion. Then do #1.

Again, make a backup of Roon’s database before doing anything. Unless, you want to start completely fresh.

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7

Roon can be a run as a service by using NSSM - I successfully used the guide here: Running RoonServer as a windows service

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8

Thanks Rugby - your instructions were very clear, all working now - I was confused by the official doc, which is probably talking about installing the client and server on different machines. In any case, very useful to play around with it a bit, as now I have a better idea of how to relocate Roon database without borking my core database. This software is really impressive!

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9

Thanks Jon, appreciate that - Have used NSSM before and already have it installed, so hopefully this won’t be too hard. Don’t have time to finish this evening, will give it a go tomorrow.

10

Glad to hear you have it working like you wanted! Anything else just ask :smiley:

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