Server Deployment

Begin by obtaining the latest stable binary for Windows from the official repository. Extract the archive to a dedicated directory, such as C:\alist-windows-amd64\. Open a command prompt within this directory and initialize the service using the follownig command:

alist server

Upon execution, the terminal will display an auto-generated administrative password and the listening port (default is 5244). Access the web interface by navigating to http://127.0.0.1:5244 in your browser. Log in with the username admin and the provided password. It is recommended to update the credentials immediately via the management panel for security.

Configuring Storage Backends

To connect cloud providers, navigate to the Storage section within the admin dashboard and select Add. Choose the desired provider from the list.

Baidu Netdisk

Configuration requires a refresh token. After logging into your Baidu account via the provided OAuth link in the documentation, copy the generated token. Paste this into the configuration field. Set the root folder path to / to access the entire drive. For the download API, two modes are available:

• Official: Higher stability but potentially slower speeds; may require User-Agent modifications.
• Crack: Potentially faster speeds without UA changes, though stability may vary.

Aliyun Drive (Open)

Follow the specific OAuth flow outlined in the official documentation to authorize the application and retrieve the necessary tokens for mounting.

Mapping to Local Drive Letter

To make the remote storage appear as a local disk, utilize a WebDAV client such as RaiDrive. Install the software and create a new connection. Select WebDAV as the protocol and enter the address http://127.0.0.1:5244/dav. Provide the Alist admin credentials when prompted. Once connectted, the cloud storage will be accessible via Windows Explorer as a standard drive letter.

Automating Service Startup

To ensure the Alist server runs automatically upon system boot without displaying a console window, create a VBScript launcher. Create a new text file named alist_start.vbs and insert the following logic:

Dim launcher, installPath, commandArgs
Set launcher = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
installPath = "C:\alist-windows-amd64\"
commandArgs = "alist.exe server"
launcher.CurrentDirectory = installPath
launcher.Run commandArgs, 0, False

Save this script within the Alist installation directory. Create a shortcut to the .vbs file and place it in to the Windows Startup folder. Access this folder by pressing Win + R and entering shell:startup. Dragging the shortcut into this directory enables the service to launch silently every time the user logs in.