Programmatically Install Windows Service On Remote

Question

Similar to https://stackoverflow.com/a/467565/774828 which shows how to start and stop an existing Windows service on a remote machine, I am trying to install a Windows Service on a remote machine. I can start and stop the services on the remote machine fine, but I can't find how to install a new service remotely, without resorting to calling the sc.exe process (https://stackoverflow.com/a/1159059/774828) which I want to avoid if possible.

I know there is a System.Configuration.Install.ManagedInstallerClass.InstallHelper method, but I cannot get this to work to install on a remote machine. And, I cannot figure out if I can use System.ServiceProcess.ServiceInstaller or System.ServiceProcess.ServiceProcessInstaller.

Answer 1

The C# code to do this is as follows:

using (var scmHandle = NativeMethods.OpenSCManager("MachineName", null, NativeMethods.SCM_ACCESS.SC_MANAGER_CREATE_SERVICE))
{
    if (scmHandle.IsInvalid)
    {
        throw new Win32Exception();
    }

    using (
        var serviceHandle = NativeMethods.CreateService(
            scmHandle,
            "ServiceName",
            "Service Display Name",
            NativeMethods.SERVICE_ACCESS.SERVICE_ALL_ACCESS,
            NativeMethods.SERVICE_TYPES.SERVICE_WIN32_OWN_PROCESS,
            NativeMethods.SERVICE_START_TYPES.SERVICE_AUTO_START,
            NativeMethods.SERVICE_ERROR_CONTROL.SERVICE_ERROR_NORMAL,
            "Path to your service.exe",
            null,
            IntPtr.Zero,
            null,
            null,
            null))
    {
        if (serviceHandle.IsInvalid)
        {
            throw new Win32Exception();
        }

        NativeMethods.StartService(serviceHandle, 0, null);
    }
}

Safe Handle

When dealing with unmanaged handles, you should use SafeHandles which ensure that resources are freed correctly in C#.

[SecurityPermission(SecurityAction.InheritanceDemand, UnmanagedCode = true)]
[SecurityPermission(SecurityAction.Demand, UnmanagedCode = true)]
public class ServiceControlHandle : SafeHandleZeroOrMinusOneIsInvalid
{
    // Create a SafeHandle, informing the base class 
    // that this SafeHandle instance "owns" the handle,
    // and therefore SafeHandle should call 
    // our ReleaseHandle method when the SafeHandle 
    // is no longer in use. 
    private ServiceControlHandle()
        : base(true)
    {
    }

    [ReliabilityContract(Consistency.WillNotCorruptState, Cer.MayFail)]
    override protected bool ReleaseHandle()
    {
        // Here, we must obey all rules for constrained execution regions. 
        return NativeMethods.CloseServiceHandle(this.handle);
        // If ReleaseHandle failed, it can be reported via the 
        // "releaseHandleFailed" managed debugging assistant (MDA).  This
        // MDA is disabled by default, but can be enabled in a debugger 
        // or during testing to diagnose handle corruption problems. 
        // We do not throw an exception because most code could not recover 
        // from the problem.
    }
}

P/Invoke signatures

All of the signatures for the functions you need can be found on http://pinvoke.net, and the entire Service Control API can be found here on MSDN: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms685942(v=vs.85).aspx

using System;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;

public static class NativeMethods
{
    [DllImport("advapi32.dll")]
    public static extern ServiceControlHandle OpenSCManager(string lpMachineName, string lpSCDB, SCM_ACCESS scParameter);

    [DllImport("Advapi32.dll")]
    public static extern ServiceControlHandle CreateService(
        ServiceControlHandle serviceControlManagerHandle,
        string lpSvcName,
        string lpDisplayName,
        SERVICE_ACCESS dwDesiredAccess,
        SERVICE_TYPES dwServiceType,
        SERVICE_START_TYPES dwStartType,
        SERVICE_ERROR_CONTROL dwErrorControl,
        string lpPathName,
        string lpLoadOrderGroup,
        IntPtr lpdwTagId,
        string lpDependencies,
        string lpServiceStartName,
        string lpPassword);

    [DllImport("advapi32.dll")]
    public static extern bool CloseServiceHandle(IntPtr serviceHandle);

    [DllImport("advapi32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
    [return: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)]
    public static extern bool ControlService(IntPtr hService, SERVICE_CONTROL dwControl, ref SERVICE_STATUS lpServiceStatus);

    [DllImport("advapi32.dll")]
    public static extern int StartService(ServiceControlHandle serviceHandle, int dwNumServiceArgs, string lpServiceArgVectors);

    [DllImport("advapi32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
    public static extern ServiceControlHandle OpenService(ServiceControlHandle serviceControlManagerHandle, string lpSvcName, SERVICE_ACCESS dwDesiredAccess);

    [DllImport("advapi32.dll")]
    public static extern int DeleteService(ServiceControlHandle serviceHandle);

    [DllImport("kernel32.dll")]
    public static extern int GetLastError();

    [Flags]
    public enum ACCESS_MASK : uint
    {
        DELETE = 0x00010000,

        READ_CONTROL = 0x00020000,

        WRITE_DAC = 0x00040000,

        WRITE_OWNER = 0x00080000,

        SYNCHRONIZE = 0x00100000,

        STANDARD_RIGHTS_REQUIRED = 0x000F0000,

        STANDARD_RIGHTS_READ = 0x00020000,

        STANDARD_RIGHTS_WRITE = 0x00020000,

        STANDARD_RIGHTS_EXECUTE = 0x00020000,

        STANDARD_RIGHTS_ALL = 0x001F0000,

        SPECIFIC_RIGHTS_ALL = 0x0000FFFF,

        ACCESS_SYSTEM_SECURITY = 0x01000000,

        MAXIMUM_ALLOWED = 0x02000000,

        GENERIC_READ = 0x80000000,

        GENERIC_WRITE = 0x40000000,

        GENERIC_EXECUTE = 0x20000000,

        GENERIC_ALL = 0x10000000,

        DESKTOP_READOBJECTS = 0x00000001,

        DESKTOP_CREATEWINDOW = 0x00000002,

        DESKTOP_CREATEMENU = 0x00000004,

        DESKTOP_HOOKCONTROL = 0x00000008,

        DESKTOP_JOURNALRECORD = 0x00000010,

        DESKTOP_JOURNALPLAYBACK = 0x00000020,

        DESKTOP_ENUMERATE = 0x00000040,

        DESKTOP_WRITEOBJECTS = 0x00000080,

        DESKTOP_SWITCHDESKTOP = 0x00000100,

        WINSTA_ENUMDESKTOPS = 0x00000001,

        WINSTA_READATTRIBUTES = 0x00000002,

        WINSTA_ACCESSCLIPBOARD = 0x00000004,

        WINSTA_CREATEDESKTOP = 0x00000008,

        WINSTA_WRITEATTRIBUTES = 0x00000010,

        WINSTA_ACCESSGLOBALATOMS = 0x00000020,

        WINSTA_EXITWINDOWS = 0x00000040,

        WINSTA_ENUMERATE = 0x00000100,

        WINSTA_READSCREEN = 0x00000200,

        WINSTA_ALL_ACCESS = 0x0000037F
    }

    [Flags]
    public enum SCM_ACCESS : uint
    {
        /// <summary>
        /// Required to connect to the service control manager.
        /// </summary>
        SC_MANAGER_CONNECT = 0x00001,

        /// <summary>
        /// Required to call the CreateService function to create a service
        /// object and add it to the database.
        /// </summary>
        SC_MANAGER_CREATE_SERVICE = 0x00002,

        /// <summary>
        /// Required to call the EnumServicesStatusEx function to list the 
        /// services that are in the database.
        /// </summary>
        SC_MANAGER_ENUMERATE_SERVICE = 0x00004,

        /// <summary>
        /// Required to call the LockServiceDatabase function to acquire a 
        /// lock on the database.
        /// </summary>
        SC_MANAGER_LOCK = 0x00008,

        /// <summary>
        /// Required to call the QueryServiceLockStatus function to retrieve 
        /// the lock status information for the database.
        /// </summary>
        SC_MANAGER_QUERY_LOCK_STATUS = 0x00010,

        /// <summary>
        /// Required to call the NotifyBootConfigStatus function.
        /// </summary>
        SC_MANAGER_MODIFY_BOOT_CONFIG = 0x00020,

        /// <summary>
        /// Includes STANDARD_RIGHTS_REQUIRED, in addition to all access 
        /// rights in this table.
        /// </summary>
        SC_MANAGER_ALL_ACCESS =
            ACCESS_MASK.STANDARD_RIGHTS_REQUIRED | SC_MANAGER_CONNECT | SC_MANAGER_CREATE_SERVICE | SC_MANAGER_ENUMERATE_SERVICE | SC_MANAGER_LOCK | SC_MANAGER_QUERY_LOCK_STATUS
            | SC_MANAGER_MODIFY_BOOT_CONFIG,

        GENERIC_READ = ACCESS_MASK.STANDARD_RIGHTS_READ | SC_MANAGER_ENUMERATE_SERVICE | SC_MANAGER_QUERY_LOCK_STATUS,

        GENERIC_WRITE = ACCESS_MASK.STANDARD_RIGHTS_WRITE | SC_MANAGER_CREATE_SERVICE | SC_MANAGER_MODIFY_BOOT_CONFIG,

        GENERIC_EXECUTE = ACCESS_MASK.STANDARD_RIGHTS_EXECUTE | SC_MANAGER_CONNECT | SC_MANAGER_LOCK,

        GENERIC_ALL = SC_MANAGER_ALL_ACCESS,
    }

    [Flags]
    public enum SERVICE_CONTROL : uint
    {
        STOP = 0x00000001,

        PAUSE = 0x00000002,

        CONTINUE = 0x00000003,

        INTERROGATE = 0x00000004,

        SHUTDOWN = 0x00000005,

        PARAMCHANGE = 0x00000006,

        NETBINDADD = 0x00000007,

        NETBINDREMOVE = 0x00000008,

        NETBINDENABLE = 0x00000009,

        NETBINDDISABLE = 0x0000000A,

        DEVICEEVENT = 0x0000000B,

        HARDWAREPROFILECHANGE = 0x0000000C,

        POWEREVENT = 0x0000000D,

        SESSIONCHANGE = 0x0000000E
    }

    [Flags]
    public enum SERVICE_ACCESS : uint
    {
        STANDARD_RIGHTS_REQUIRED = 0xF0000,

        SERVICE_QUERY_CONFIG = 0x00001,

        SERVICE_CHANGE_CONFIG = 0x00002,

        SERVICE_QUERY_STATUS = 0x00004,

        SERVICE_ENUMERATE_DEPENDENTS = 0x00008,

        SERVICE_START = 0x00010,

        SERVICE_STOP = 0x00020,

        SERVICE_PAUSE_CONTINUE = 0x00040,

        SERVICE_INTERROGATE = 0x00080,

        SERVICE_USER_DEFINED_CONTROL = 0x00100,

        SERVICE_ALL_ACCESS =
            (STANDARD_RIGHTS_REQUIRED | SERVICE_QUERY_CONFIG | SERVICE_CHANGE_CONFIG | SERVICE_QUERY_STATUS | SERVICE_ENUMERATE_DEPENDENTS | SERVICE_START | SERVICE_STOP | SERVICE_PAUSE_CONTINUE
             | SERVICE_INTERROGATE | SERVICE_USER_DEFINED_CONTROL)
    }

    [Flags]
    public enum SERVICE_TYPES : int
    {
        SERVICE_KERNEL_DRIVER = 0x00000001,

        SERVICE_FILE_SYSTEM_DRIVER = 0x00000002,

        SERVICE_WIN32_OWN_PROCESS = 0x00000010,

        SERVICE_WIN32_SHARE_PROCESS = 0x00000020,

        SERVICE_INTERACTIVE_PROCESS = 0x00000100
    }

    public enum SERVICE_ERROR_CONTROL : int
    {
        /// <summary>
        /// The startup program logs the error in the event log, if possible. If the last-known-good configuration is being started, the startup operation fails. Otherwise, the system is restarted with the last-known good configuration.
        /// </summary>
        SERVICE_ERROR_CRITICAL = 0x00000003,

        /// <summary>
        /// The startup program ignores the error and continues the startup operation.
        /// </summary>
        SERVICE_ERROR_IGNORE = 0x00000000,

        /// <summary>
        /// The startup program logs the error in the event log but continues the startup operation.
        /// </summary>
        SERVICE_ERROR_NORMAL = 0x00000001,

        /// <summary>
        /// The startup program logs the error in the event log. If the last-known-good configuration is being started, the startup operation continues. Otherwise, the system is restarted with the last-known-good configuration.
        /// </summary>
        SERVICE_ERROR_SEVERE = 0x00000002,
    }

    public enum SERVICE_START_TYPES : int
    {
        /// <summary>
        /// A service started automatically by the service control manager during system startup. For more information, see Automatically Starting Services.
        /// </summary>
        SERVICE_AUTO_START = 0x00000002,

        /// <summary>
        /// A device driver started by the system loader. This value is valid only for driver services.
        /// </summary>
        SERVICE_BOOT_START = 0x00000000,

        /// <summary>
        /// A service started by the service control manager when a process calls the StartService function. For more information, see Starting Services on Demand.
        /// </summary>
        SERVICE_DEMAND_START = 0x00000003,

        /// <summary>
        /// A service that cannot be started. Attempts to start the service result in the error code ERROR_SERVICE_DISABLED.
        /// </summary>
        SERVICE_DISABLED = 0x00000004,

        /// <summary>
        /// A device driver started by the IoInitSystem function. This value is valid only for driver services.
        /// </summary>
        SERVICE_SYSTEM_START = 0x00000001

    }

    public enum SERVICE_STATE : uint
    {
        SERVICE_STOPPED = 0x00000001,

        SERVICE_START_PENDING = 0x00000002,

        SERVICE_STOP_PENDING = 0x00000003,

        SERVICE_RUNNING = 0x00000004,

        SERVICE_CONTINUE_PENDING = 0x00000005,

        SERVICE_PAUSE_PENDING = 0x00000006,

        SERVICE_PAUSED = 0x00000007
    }

    [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential, Pack = 1)]
    public struct SERVICE_STATUS
    {
        public static readonly int SizeOf = Marshal.SizeOf(typeof(SERVICE_STATUS));

        public SERVICE_TYPES dwServiceType;

        public SERVICE_STATE dwCurrentState;

        public uint dwControlsAccepted;

        public uint dwWin32ExitCode;

        public uint dwServiceSpecificExitCode;

        public uint dwCheckPoint;

        public uint dwWaitHint;
    }
}