The Collector can be installed as a NT Service. By default it runs as a traditional Windows Tray Application. Installed with the Collector is a batch file that will configure the Collector to run as a Service. If you click on the Start menu, choose HACH Company/Hach WIMS/Your Interface/Your Collector you will see the file called 'Install collector as service'. If you select this file it will go ahead and configure the Collector to run as a service. The next time Windows starts the Collector Service will start automatically.
For Windows Vista users you will need to perform the following step: You need to configure the Collector to run as an administrator. To run as an administrator, right click on the collector's executable file (i.e. Q12370.exe) and select Properties. Choose the Compatibility tab and check 'Run this program as an administrator'.
You can now start the Collector and run it as a Service. When you double click on the Collector's executable file it will open up the NT Service Collector Interactive Screen. From that screen you can open the NT Service Status and Control Screen so you can start the Service (after installing the Service it won't be started yet).