One year free Windows VPS for Su Social – Full Guide

Introduction

Let’s quickly review what a VPS is and why you would want or need one for Su Social before we get into the specifics of how you can acquire one for free for a year.

As Su Social is not cloud-based, all data is saved locally, and both the computer and Su Social must be operational at all times for the program to continue carrying out its planned duties. In addition, for a great automation experience, Su Social strongly depends on the speed of your internet connection.

We recognize that this entire situation might not be feasible for some people, which is totally acceptable, but nobody should be prevented from taking full use of Su Social. Using a VPS and installing Su Social there will allow you to keep it running always, even while your machine is off.

What is a VPS?

A Virtual Private Server (VPS) may appear complicated to non-techies, therefore we will attempt to explain the concept as clearly as possible. Simply defined, it’s like having a computer somewhere else; a virtual computer where you may download and install software and keep your information without taking up any storage space on your real computer, the one you use.

Because you can keep your virtual computer running even when your real computer is turned off, this is the greatest solution for individuals who don’t want to have their computer running all day, as well as those who don’t have a Windows-based computer.

Where can I get a VPS?

There are several VPS providers on the market, but if you simply have one or two Su Social accounts, a free Windows VPS that you can use for a year at no cost would undoubtedly be enough.

It may not be powerful, but it is adequate for operating a few accounts on Su Social.

Please keep in mind that this is not for people who demand a higher powerful machine and have a large number of accounts. You will need a better server for that configuration, and there are many sites where you can acquire that online; you should know better if you’re at that level, so we won’t get into that.

This tutorial will go through the following topics:

1. Acquiring a Windows VPS for a year at zero cost
2. Using a Windows remote desktop to connect to your VPS
3. Using a remote desktop on Mac OS X to access your VPS
4. Connecting remotely to a local drive (or how to transfer data from your PC to a VPS)
5. Connecting remotely to a local drive (or how to transfer data from your Mac OS X to a VPS)
6. Installing Su Social on your new VPS and using it
7. Disabling IE Enhanced Security in Windows Server 2019
8. Getting notifications when you go over the limits of your free Amazon VPS

Let’s begin!

1. Acquiring a Windows VPS for a year at zero cost

• a credit card; it will not be charged because the VPS is free, but they ask for it.
• a phone number – they will call you to confirm your identification (the call is automated)
• 5-15 minutes of your time, depending on how quickly you fill out forms and follow instructions.

What you stand to gain:

• 1Gb of RAM
• 30Gb Hdd  (you’ll have roughly 11GB free after installing the OS)
• 1 virtual processor running at 2.49GHz
• Microsoft Windows Server 2019 is the operating system.
• 1GB of free bandwidth every month (if you go over, they will charge you $0.12 per 1GB, which is also virtually free).

There would be additional information regarding the free plan on their page, which you may read, or you can just proceed by clicking the orange Create a Free Account button as seen below.

You will then be directed to the AWS service sign-in page, where you can continue and create a new account by selecting Create a new AWS account:

It will ask you for the email address and the AWS account name (username) that you will use.

Click the orange Verify email address button after entering the necessary data; this will direct you to another form where your identity will be verified. The code must be sent to your email address.

Enter the code on the box provided then click on Verify.

You will then be prompted to create your AWS account password, which you must then confirm on the second box. To move on to the next stage, click continue.

To move on to the following step, you must fill out this form. You can select a Personal or a Company account; I chose a Personal one.

When filling out the form, be sure to be as accurate as possible and to use your real name, address, and phone number. If you don’t, you risk having your application rejected and losing all of your previous work. You should therefore enter your Full Name, your company (if any), your country of residence, your address, city, state, zip code, and phone number, and then check the AWS customer agreement box. When everything is ready, press the Continue button.

The Payment Information page, where you must enter your credit card information, will then be redirected to you. You should take note of the disclaimer on the side, which states that although they won’t charge you for the free tier limits, they might hold up a transaction worth up to $1 USD in order to verify your identity:

Enter the expiration date and your credit card number. As before, type your name, choose your current address or enter a new one, then click Verify and Continue. You’ll be taken to the Identity verification step after that.

In order to continue, you must enter the provided PIN after receiving an automated SMS from Amazon at the phone number you provided. This is where they will confirm that you are who you say you are. You must also successfully complete the security check by resolving the captcha that is displayed. Before you click the Send SMS button, double-check that you entered your phone number correctly and that it is nearby.

Amazon should send you an SMS right away, though occasionally it can take up to ten minutes. After entering the code, press Continue. The screen where you must choose the support plan for your VPS will be directed to you is as follows:

This one ought to be fairly easy; if Basic (Free) is already selected, keep it that way. If something else is chosen, select Basic (Free), then click Complete sign up, and your Amazon Web Services account will be created:

Cheers! You now have an account with AWS. The next step is to configure your Windows VPS; to do so, simply click the yellow Go to the AWS Management Console button.

Your AWS password, which you provided during the signup process, may be requested again at this point. Simply continue and provide the necessary data to re-login to the AWS management console.

Don’t worry about the additional services that Amazon is offering; there are many of them and a beginner would be easily confused. The management console would have an appearance as shown in the image above.

Once more, ignore everything else and click on Services > EC2 – Virtual Servers in the Cloud. The next screen you see presents a ton of information again; Amazon is having so much fun with all of this.

Simply click one of the two Launch Instances buttons boxed on the image below to be taken to a page where you can select the operating system you want to install on your virtual private server:

Here, you will be prompted to give the instance a name and given a number of operating system options. You can currently choose between Linux and Windows if you’re doing this to use it with other software. However, you must choose Microsoft Windows Server 2019 Base in order to use the VPS for Su Social. As you can see, there is a note indicating that this choice qualifies for the free tier.

You will then need to complete a few additional steps to choose the specifications for your new VPS. Always choose the option with the Free tier eligible text to keep it free. If it isn’t already selected, choose t2 micro, which has a 1vCPU and 1GB of memory. 

You just created a new account, so since you don’t yet have a key pair, enter a name for it and select Create a new key pair.

Re-enter the key pair name and choose .pem as the file format in the pop-up window that appears. Your browser should prompt you to download a new file to your computer with the name you’ve given above, without spaces, and a .pem extension after you enter the name for your key pair and click  Create Key Pair. We cannot stress this enough: save it to a secure location on your computer for later use.

As previously stated, this is a crucial step because, without it, you won’t be able to connect to your VPS. As such, if your browser does not prompt you to download this file, make sure any plugins that might prevent it are turned off. Additionally, select to save the file rather than open it on your computer.

As soon as the setup time is complete, click the orange Launch instance button on the Summary view, and you should see the following message: Successfully initiated launch of instance.

On this screen, you might also notice a Get notified of estimated charges notification that you can later configure to notify you if your VPS exceeds the free limits.

Then, after returning to the AWS console, click the View all instances button. Your newly created VPS instance will now be listed there; it should resemble the image above.

Your VPS will appear with running status. Check the box next to your instance, then note the Connect button above it. Click that, and a new window with instructions for connecting to your VPS should appear and it looks like this:

Activate the RDP Client tab. Yes, I understand and share your frustration. However, keep going; we’re almost there. Take a deep breath and remember that you only need to complete this signup process once to receive a free VPS for an entire year.

In order to connect to your VPS, click the button that says Download Remote Desktop File and save it to your computer. Then, click the Get Password action link because you will need one. You must now present the Key Pair that you previously generated and downloaded in order to decrypt your password:

To decrypt the password in your .pem file, either upload it or copy the contents into the appropriate box before clicking the button. Your VPS password should appear shortly after that; make a note of it and keep it secure because you’ll need it each time you connect to your VPS.

Finally, the time has come… You’re finished! You now have access to a free Windows VPS that will be operational for the entire year.

You already have your password and the .RDP file you’ll use to connect to your VPS. If you have ever used a VPS, you should be very familiar with the process. Please continue reading if you’re one of the new kids on the block.

Also, I just want to reiterate that this is just a one-time setup process; moving forward, all you have to do is connect to your VPS, which is always ready and running.

2. Using a Windows remote desktop to connect to your VPS

If you don’t have the .RDP file that you previously downloaded, you will need to manually construct your connection and provide the IP address of your freshly created VPS. Connecting to your newly created VPS through a remote desktop is rather simple. If this isn’t the case, simply double-click the .RDP file, which should have the name the-ip-of-the-vps.rdp (for example, 192.168.1.1.rdp). When you initially access it (by double-clicking), a pop-up window like the one below would appear:

To avoid having to do this each time you connect, make sure the box labeled Don’t ask me again for connections to this computer is checked. Then click the Connect button. The login screen will next appear, where you must type your password:

Put your password in the box provided. Additionally, tick the box next to Remember my credentials so you won’t have to enter your password each time. Then press the OK button. A second window will open because this is the first time you’ve done this:

To prevent seeing this dialog box the next time you connect, simply check the Don’t ask me again for connections to this computer button and then click Yes.

Immediately after you click Yes, a connection will be made that will take you to your VPS, your brand-new Windows VPS machine, where you may do whatever you want. Simply use it the same way you would any other computer; you may download and install apps, among other things. Even when you are not connected to it, it will continue to operate.

3. Using a remote desktop on Mac OS X to access your VPS

Things would be a little bit different for MAC users. However, if you follow the above tutorial, you will already be halfway there because you will have your .RDP file prepared, which you will use to connect to the Windows VPS.

You must first install a remote desktop connection client on your computer before you can connect to your VPS via it. Microsoft Remote Desktop, a free app that is quite user-friendly and can be found in the App Store, was installed as part of this guide. It will appear as follows:

Once the installation is complete, you must establish your connection. It will save you time to import the .RDP file rather than manually setting up the connection, so be sure to have it on hand.

In order to establish a connection without the .RDP file, enter the IP address of your VPS, the user name, and the password as shown below:

• PC Name – enter your VPS IP here
• User name – your VPS username;  “Administrator” is the default username unless you changed it to something else
• Password – your previously decrypted password when setting up your VPS

Let’s make a few more changes while we’re on this screen. If you imported the .RDP file, edit the imported connection, add the password (so you don’t have to type it every time you connect), and choose the resolution that looks the best on your screen.

Once you’re finished, don’t forget to save your settings. Once everything is configured, simply double-click on your newly created connection to access your VPS.

4. Connecting remotely to a local drive (or how to transfer data from your PC to a VPS)

You might need to use one of your local drives in remote desktop connections, depending on what you wish to set up on your VPS. This will make it easier to transfer files, such as installers, post-containing folders, or the full Su Social folder, if you already have it running on your machine, from your computer to the VPS. Despite being a simple activity, few people are aware of it because it is a lesser-known feature. Let’s start:

1. Locate your Amazon VPS .RDP file, right-click and choose edit.
   The Remote Connection window would then open, looking something like the illustration below:
   
   
2. Next, select the Local Resources tab. Then, select More… from the drop-down menu next to Local devices and resources at the bottom of the page.
   
   
3. Then, all of your local drives will appear when you click the + sign next to Drives.
   
   
4. You can choose all of them or just a handful to make them accessible when you connect to your VPS. Keep in mind that only one user may connect to the VPS at a time, keeping your data entirely safe. Your disks are only accessible when you are connected.
   
5. Clicking OK after choosing one or more drives will return you to the Local Resources pane. The modifications you made to the remote connection can now be saved by moving to the General tab.
   
   
6. Then, you can connect as you would normally do and you will notice in ‘My Computer’ (on your VPS) that you also have access to your local drives when you’re connected to your VPS.

TIP: Should you want to move Su Social to your VPS, you will find the files in C:\Users\yourname\AppData\Roaming\Su%20Social\ – where ‘yourname’ is the user name you are using on your computer.

5. Connecting remotely to a local drive (or how to transfer data from your Mac OS X to a VPS)

You can take these easy steps if you’re using a Mac and wish to share files between your computer and your new VPS:

1. Open the Microsoft Remote Desktop program you previously installed to get started. Your already established connection will be visible. You can edit your connection by right-clicking on it.
   
   
2. Alternatively, you can choose your VPS connection and select Edit from the menu. The General, Session, and Redirection tabs will show in the Edit window.
   It should be possible to add a new local folder to your VPS by going to the Redirection tab and then clicking the + button. Simply give it a name, specify the destination folder by typing the Path into the corresponding field, or just select Browse to find the folder.
   
   
3. Your shared folder on your VPS should be visible if you followed the instructions correctly. You can connect to your VPS after closing the Edit window. You should be able to see the chosen folder from your Mac computer when you launch File Explorer on your VPS and navigate to the Devices and Drivers section.
   

TIP: Simply repeat these procedures for all the files you require for your work, and you should be set to go.

6. Installing Su Social on your new VPS and using it

Su Social can be set up on your VPS in much the same way that it is on a Windows-based PC. Simply double-click the installer to begin the installation process, and you will be led through each step.

Either use your VPS’s local disks, as described in the steps above or download the software straight to your server to get the installer there.

You can get the link from Su Social Installation if you decide to download Su Social on your VPS. You may view the installation tutorial on the same page in addition to the download link.

Once the installation process is complete, you may begin using it just like you would on your own computer. Additionally, because Su Social is operating on your VPS and is available round-the-clock, you can set it up and it will begin automating your social media chores. Simply use the remote desktop connection to periodically check Su Social on your VPS to make sure everything is proceeding according to plan.

7. Disabling IE Enhanced Security in Windows Server 2019

Even though this may not directly relate to using Su Social on your VPS, we nonetheless wanted to share this information with you in case you have trouble downloading, browsing, or doing other things with Internet Explorer—the only browser available on your VPS.

For some reason, Microsoft decided that developing IE Enhanced Security would be a good idea. In essence, IE Enhanced Security prevents you from accessing any website, including Google, unless you first do 5-7 clicks to add it to the safe list. You will also need to add it each time you conduct a Google search and click on the resulting website or page, and so on.

You can choose to disable this function if you want to skip all of these pointless processes.

In the lower-left corner, you must first click the Start/Windows menu:

You will be taken to another window where you must select Server Manager:

Click Local Server after the Server Manager has loaded.

The IE Enhanced Security Configuration setting can be found on the right side of the screen when you arrive at the Local Server Properties page. Make sure it is set to ON.

When you click On, a smaller window will appear where you can click Off to turn the setting off.

As you can see from the graphic above, we have already chosen Off for Administrators, and you should do the same. You can choose to choose the Off selection for Users if your VPS has additional users. Otherwise, you can keep it as is if you’re the only person who will log in to and utilize the VPS.

Click OK once Off has been selected. The IE Enhanced Security Configuration will still display On, and you will need to press F5 to refresh the window in order for the display to be altered.

Once you’ve launched IE, you can leave the Server Manager page and the annoying prompts should stop appearing. You can select to download your chosen browser while you’re at it for your convenience.

8. Getting notifications when you go over the limits of your free Amazon VPS

1. Your username or email will be visible in the top right corner; click on it.
2. Clicking on Account will take you to your Amazon VPS account page.
3. From there, choose Billing Preferences from the list on the left.
4. Select the Receive billing alerts checkbox.
5. To save your preferences, click the button.
6. Then, click the Manage billing alerts link in the page’s center to be taken to another page.

You’ll be taken to the Alarms section of CloudWatch. To create an alarm, select Create Alarm and then Select Metric, making sure you are in the Billing tab.

After that, you will assign a graph name (for this example, we used Billing) and details. Since the free tier is valid for 12 months or 1 year, select the Custom 12M (12 months) view. Click Billing > Total Estimated Charge > USD > Select Metric under Metrics.

Select Static from the Threshold type menu. Select Greater for Whenever Estimated Charges is. Enter the monthly threshold that must be surpassed (for instance, 200) to set off the alarm in that field. Let’s adjust it to 0, then select Next. 

To receive notifications, choose In Alarm. When the alarm is in the ALARM state, choose an SNS subject to be notified about, or create a new topic. If there aren’t any topics yet, you should select Create a New Topic, type in the topic’s name and the email address or addresses to which you want to send notifications, and then click Create Topic. Once the topic has been created, this will be picked as the SNS topic automatically. Click Next.

Click Next after giving the alarm a name and a description.

If everything looks good, click Create Alarm after seeing a preview of the alarm. The alarm has been successfully established, and a banner will appear when you return to Billing Alarms.

If this is your first setup, you will also see a notice warning you that Amazon SNS doesn’t send messages to an endpoint until the subscription is confirmed. To email the confirmation initially, you must click on View SNS Subscription.

Request Confirmation by checking the box next to the item marked Pending Confirmation in the pop-up menu. A notification will then be delivered to the specified endpoint or email address as a result of this. The email might take some time to arrive, so check your spam and junk mail bins as well.

Select Confirm Subscription on the AWS email.

It will take you to another tab that informs you that the subscription has been confirmed. take note of the URL in that tab,

Then return to the Subscriptions list and choose the item once more while selecting Confirm Subscription this time.

Then click the orange Confirm Subscription button after pasting the URL you had already copied.

After that, the subscription’s status should be changed to Confirmed.

 

Conclusion

Although setting up your VPS took some time, once you’re done, you’re ready to go for the complete year of free server use.

You won’t run into any issues if you observe the restrictions and use them responsibly. It might become slower if you intend to post thousands of times each day across multiple accounts, but it will still function. Beyond that, you should upgrade to a premium VPS that offers additional resources and power. The free VPS should, in general, be adequate for moderate users.

In addition to utilizing your VPS for Su Social, you can test it out for other things. For example, if you have other software that is resource-light and that you wish to keep running continuously, this might also work with it.

But keep in mind that the server has a set of restrictions and that Amazon has your credit card on file, so if you exceed those restrictions, you will be charged for the extra usage. Even if the fees are very reasonable, we believe we owe you a warning so you can avoid abusing your VPS and be fully informed of the consequences. Installing software that downloads and crawls a lot of large photos may generate a lot of traffic and might cause you to reach your restrictions sooner than you anticipated. Try to avoid doing this as much as you can.