I always leave the monitor attached, because it's very difficult for to troubleshoot without one.

 Excellent point

As another POV, I always leave the monitor attached, because it's very difficult for to troubleshoot without one.

Cheers,

Hugh

Thanks much.

Or you can try this software (paid) that can make virtual displays:

https://github.com/waydabber/BetterDisplay

Sorry, but guide my thru your setup here? You have a Mac Mini with Team server installed on it. That you control / login with the your laptop on.

What is your out / output here?

Here are some achieved and old instructions for preparing windows machines for installations: https://web.archive.org/web/20... there is still some useful and relevant information there.

For installations (and any win install for me), I like to run a de-bloater to remove all the stuff you dont need that comes pre-installed on windows Here are a few options 

https://github.com/ChrisTitusT...

https://github.com/Raphire/Win...

https://github.com/LeDragoX/Wi...

There are many more, use these carefully - I have noticed that things run smoother and I can remove so many annoying things with tools like this (especially stopping upgrades).

You can also look into kiosk mode tools, these are designed to stop anyone navigating away to a different app.

Between Always up (above) and integrating into an existing control system (like in a theme park or institution) you can do great things - sending commands to shut down the computer via UPD at the end of each day is great, and wake on lan commands to start a machine from off (I wish OSX had this!!! WOL is so useful).

For a installations I have also created an emergency back-up scenario - I have used windows machines with pull out hard disk trays. I setup the installation test it and run it for a few days. When everything is all running smooth I use a bootable version of this https://clonezilla.org/ to block clone the hard drive - this means that the copy is exactly the same as the original and can be booted. Using pull out hard drives, if there is an issue that escapes the simple debugging steps, then the machine gets shut down, the drives trays are swapped and then on startup it boots from the clone.

Fred

Thanks so much for this.

I am a Mac user but have to set up some Windows stand alone Laptops for an education component of an exhibition.

I don't suppose you or any other kind person has done a list like this for windows (11 in my instance)

We have the following two actors for this:

- Show & Hide Stages

- Capture Control

use a wired mouse and keyboard.

 I usually have at least two mice and keyboards because I'm paranoid 

I haven't used that before. Maybe I'll check it out soon, thanks :)

1. Plug your system into an uninterruptible power supply. And use a wired mouse and keyboard.

2. If there are children involved, I've discovered that their one mission in life is to break things. So make sure everything physical is as bullet proof as possible; even if you think they won't be able to break it, think again!

3. Disable energy saving, except maybe for turning off the display on the main Mac.

4. Train gallery staff in basic troubleshooting of/rebooting the system, and create a "how to" document for them. It most likely will fail at some point. Can the installation be rebooted automatically when the Mac is rebooted? Or can it be rebooted from a large, easy-to-see icon on the desktop? Make sure the staff has your contact information.

John Toenjes https://sites.google.com/jtoen...
 

I just checked, it actually is in my list in the “Project-Specific” section

Ah nuts, did I forget to include that?

There’s a setting to make it log in automatically on boot in the same area of system setting where you either can make new users or if not it’s in the startup section near where you define which harddrive will be used for booting.

I would also add “disable mac os updates - App Store > preferences > uncheck 'automaticaly check for updates”

thanks, added now :)