Sign reset paths
DisplaySync Sign has two independent surfaces for wiping a kiosk's local identity and config. This page is the decision map: which surface, when, and what each one leaves behind.
For the underlying file paths (what lives under the data root that gets wiped), see File locations.
Decision matrix
| Surface | When to use | Trigger | What it wipes | What it preserves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Installer /RESET | Reinstall on an existing kiosk; you have the EXE installer at hand | /RESET CLI flag on a silent install, OR interactive Yes/No prompt during a reinstall | C:\ProgramData\DisplaySync\sign-config.json + database/ + cache/ + legacy %APPDATA%\desktop-sign\ | logs/ (intentional — for diagnostics) |
USB recovery freshConfig | Field recovery; config corrupt or kiosk unbootable; no reinstaller at hand | Set "freshConfig": true in the USB drive's config.json template before deploying | Everything under C:\ProgramData\DisplaySync\ and %APPDATA%\desktop-sign\ for every user | (nothing — full wipe) |
The key behavioral difference: the installer keeps logs, the USB recovery doesn't. If you're triaging why a sign got into the state it's in, prefer the installer path so the pre-reset logs survive.
Installer /RESET flag
The desktop sign's NSIS installer accepts a /RESET flag that wipes prior identity before installing the new copy.
Silent install (most common in fleet workflows):
displaysync-sign-installer.exe /S /RESET
/S is the silent flag (no UI); /RESET is the identity-wipe flag. Both required for unattended deployment.
Interactive reinstall: if you run the installer normally (no /S) over an existing install, the installer detects the existing identity and prompts:
A previous DisplaySync Sign installation is present. Do you want to reset the sign's identity (sign ID, organization, content) before installing?
Selecting Yes triggers the same wipe as /RESET. Selecting No leaves identity intact — the new build inherits the old kiosk's signId and continues claiming as the same sign.
For canonical install-time docs see Installing DisplaySync → Installer flags.
USB recovery freshConfig
The USB recovery drive reads a config.json from the drive root. The freshConfig boolean (default false) controls whether the recovery wipes the data root before launching DisplaySync.
{
"tailscaleAuthKey": "tskey-auth-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX",
"environment": "production",
"freshConfig": true
}
When freshConfig: true, the setup script deletes:
C:\ProgramData\DisplaySync\(machine-wide config,.maintenancesentinel, ANDlogs/— full wipe)%APPDATA%\desktop-sign\for every user (legacy Electron Store config)
For when to set it, see USB recovery → Setup script.
Choosing between them
If both are options, choose by what you want to preserve and how you have access:
| Situation | Use |
|---|---|
| Routine fleet reinstall with the EXE | Installer /RESET (silent flag) |
| Single kiosk needs a reset and you can RDP | Installer /RESET (interactive Yes prompt) |
| Kiosk won't boot to a usable desktop | USB recovery (boots from external media) |
| Kiosk physically inaccessible, only USB-drive hand-off possible | USB recovery |
| Triaging why the kiosk got into this state — logs needed | Installer /RESET (preserves logs/) |
| Need every trace of prior config gone (compliance / re-deployment to another customer) | USB recovery (full wipe including logs) |
Related
- USB recovery → Setup script — the freshConfig JSON template
- Installing DisplaySync → Installer flags — silent install + /RESET reference
- Sign won't claim → Last-resort: full kiosk reset — when to reach for either of these from the troubleshooting path
- File locations — what lives under the data root these surfaces wipe
- Getting support — what artifacts to capture before resetting