How to delay user login until RunOnce is completed? [Win XP]

Question

Currently I have an application that runs at startup when a user log's in to the account (administrative), as well as something under HKLM...\Run which is also executed - but I need to run something once and BEFORE both these things are executed.

My solution was to use HKLM...\RunOnce which is executed before the HKLM...\Run but the task can take 30-45 seconds which gives enough time for the user Startup to be executed and launch the application prematurely.

I thought of maybe including a SLEEP but RunOnce doesn't block the user account load... Then I considered the group policies but they do not have a RunOnce equivalent that I can use... Also I am not sure if Group Policy is run at the right time (never used it before).

Is there anyway to make my RunOnce delay the account startup of my application, or a better place where I can execute it before both HKLM...\Run and user Startup? Or any recommended alternatives?

Any ideas or help would be much appreciated... Thanks,

Answer 1

Do you actually need to delay user login or you just need to delay the secondary applications? Assuming the latter you can use a Mutex to synchronize the separate processes. The first can declare and acquire a named mutex. The later processes can block wait on the mutex.