What are the best practices for using/launching Emacs as Server
on Windows 7/8?

For example, on Windows Vista, I used to be able to make a file
association with .TXT files that invoked emacsclient with the
--alternate-editor=runemacs option so that if Emacs wasn't
running, it would be launched.

In Windows 7 and 8, the GUI simply does not allow any options.  I
am not sure if I could hack the registry directly to stuff the
options in there, but since the GUI no longer supports it, I fear
the underlying support might not be there either.  I have
considered trying to associate .TXT with something like a
Emacs.BAT/Emacs.CMD file that could invoke emacsclient with
options, but this has its own problems, and seems like a bad idea
for ultimately launching a "windows mode" program Emacs.exe
(which is not a "command line mode" program).

I am wondering what others do.

Perhaps I'm expecting too much automation, for example, the idea
that if Emacs Server isn't already running, it gets launched
seamlessly?

Thanks!
Mark