CareTV Windows Standard Setup v001

One double-click turns an ordinary Windows PC into a predictable CareTV node: discoverable networking, standard accounts, consistent permissions, and a repeatable path to Mom's recording storage.
Fast Repeatable Non-destructive

Why this is efficient

CareTV should not require remembering a pile of Windows networking steps every time a new PC is added. This package turns those steps into infrastructure. The same versioned installer can be used on the temporary server, the bedroom node, a future kiosk/demo box, and later CareTV Windows nodes.

The result is less setup time, fewer credential mistakes, fewer forgotten firewall settings, and a much easier path from an emergency Windows file server to the eventual Linux-based CareTV storage system.

One-click networking

The installer permanently enables Private networking, Network Discovery, File and Printer Sharing, Function Discovery, and SMB services. These settings survive reboot.

Standard identities

caretv-admin, caretv-service, and caretv-mom have stable names everywhere. Setup asks for passwords every time so credentials are deliberately established instead of left ambiguous.

Clear separation of duties

Admin gets full control. Service gets modify access for recording and automation. Mom stays a standard user and gets write access to her own recording area.

DrivePool-friendly

The setup detects the existing SMB share and its backing path. It does not format disks, reconfigure DrivePool, rebalance data, or convert storage.

Current emergency server

\\LIVING-ROOM\CareTV-SSD-Pool

LIVING-ROOM is temporarily acting as the CareTV file server. The script can run there and on BEDROOM using the same package.

Standard account model

caretv-admin — local Windows Administrator; full control over the CareTV pool tree.

caretv-service — standard non-admin service account; modify/write access across the CareTV pool for recording, indexing, automation, camera, audio, video, and screen-capture processes.

caretv-mom — standard non-admin interactive account; modify/write access to her own CareTV storage area.

Mom's standardized data tree

\\LIVING-ROOM\CareTV-SSD-Pool\Users\Mom\
    Audio\
    Video\
    Screens\
    Photos\
    Documents\
    CareTV-Captures\

When caretv-mom logs in, the package installs an automatic mapping for M: to her storage area.

How to use

Keep the files together and double-click:

Run-CareTV-Standard-Setup-v001-Admin.bat

Windows asks for Administrator approval, then the installer handles the rest. Use the same package on LIVING-ROOM, BEDROOM, and future CareTV Windows nodes.

Why this migrates cleanly to Linux

The important standard is the logical tree and permissions model, not the Windows drive letters. Later, a Linux server can expose the same structure through Samba, for example /caretv/Users/Mom/..., while Windows clients continue seeing a familiar network share. That means today's emergency setup is useful infrastructure rather than throwaway work.

Safety choices in v001

This version is intentionally additive. It adds CareTV permissions but does not remove existing DrivePool or administrator permissions, reducing the chance of accidentally locking out an existing administrator while the system is still being stabilized.

SMB1 is not enabled. Physical disks are never initialized, formatted, pooled, or altered by this setup.

CareTV Windows Standard Setup v001 — 2026-08-26