Can InTouch Edge HMI 8.1 run as service?

It is possible. WindowViwer could be configured in the same way as OFS Factory Server. Please note that the service of "OFS Factory Server" is just a wrapper while OFS.exe runs in the "hidden" mode. So, you could simply configure WindowViewer "Start up as icon" from WindowMaker | Configure | Preference. 

Then you could use either Task Scheduler or Program Auto Startup to configure WindowViewer. The user context running WindowViewer should be the same as the one used by ofs.exe. As for OFService, if it is configured to run in Local System, you may have to log on Windows for OFS to send data updates to WindowViewer. If it is the case, you should run OFService under the same user as ofs.exe and view.exe. 

You may have to review the DCOM settings on this machine if something doesn't work properly when no one logs in.

We set it up similar to this way, but wound up with a port conflict error in viewer. We are trying to run it as a service AND allow a logged in Windows user to launch viewer and see live/historical data. I'm assuming viewer cannot be run as a console app when you are also running it as a service? The port conflict at least suggests so.

We set it up similar to this way, but wound up with a port conflict error in viewer. We are trying to run it as a service AND allow a logged in Windows user to launch viewer and see live/historical data. I'm assuming viewer cannot be run as a console app when you are also running it as a service? The port conflict at least suggests so.

If you still want to see the UI with Viewer, you shouldn't run it as service. One or another and you cannot have both. To solve your original problem,

• Enable the auto sign in on Windows startup (see Windows 10 auto login: Quick guide)
• Add View.exe's short-cut to the start up group (launch "Startup" window with the following command)