>I am developing a background program that is tracking the clock which needs to start on windows start up. The program will be distributed to a wide number of users. How do I associate the programm with the Windows startup during the installation process?

When do you need it to start, and what is the target O/S?

You have several mechanisms available to you, depending on what OS is running and when the program is started.

If the program needs to be started before any user has logged in, you have no choice other than to create a registry entry to start the program by creating a value for a RunServices key to start it. Win9x does nothing special with a service (as opposed to any other software) other than to start it before login; NT and 2K have special operational requirements for services that are very likely to make problems when trying to run a standard app as a service.

If the application needs to be started after login, a wider range of choices are available. You can create a Run registry key, or you can create a shortcut and drop it into the StartUp folder for users. In both cases, be aware of the user environment - it will matter under NT and 2K in all cases, and may make a difference under Win9x if user profiles are enabled.

In a network environment, you can also use the login script for NetWare or a server-based MS network to run an application during the login process.