How to make a .NET Windows Service start right aft

Question

Besides the service.StartType = ServiceStartMode.Automatic my service does not start after installation

Solution

Inserted this code on my ProjectInstaller

protected override void OnAfterInstall(System.Collections.IDictionary savedState)
{
    base.OnAfterInstall(savedState);
    using (var serviceController = new ServiceController(this.serviceInstaller1.ServiceName, Environment.MachineName))
        serviceController.Start();
}

Thanks to ScottTx and Francis B.

Answer 1

You can do this all from within your service executable in response to events fired from the InstallUtil process. Override the OnAfterInstall event to use a ServiceController class to start the service.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.serviceprocess.serviceinstaller.aspx

Answer 2

To start it right after installation, I generate a batch file with installutil followed by sc start

It's not ideal, but it works....

Answer 3

You need to add a Custom Action to the end of the 'ExecuteImmediate' sequence in the MSI, using the component name of the EXE or a batch (sc start) as the source. I don't think this can be done with Visual Studio, you may have to use a real MSI authoring tool for that.

Answer 4

To add to ScottTx's answer, here's the actual code to start the service if you're doing it the Microsoft way (ie. using a Setup project etc...)

(excuse the VB.net code, but this is what I'm stuck with)

Private Sub ServiceInstaller1_AfterInstall(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.Configuration.Install.InstallEventArgs) Handles ServiceInstaller1.AfterInstall
    Dim sc As New ServiceController()
    sc.ServiceName = ServiceInstaller1.ServiceName

    If sc.Status = ServiceControllerStatus.Stopped Then
        Try
            ' Start the service, and wait until its status is "Running".
            sc.Start()
            sc.WaitForStatus(ServiceControllerStatus.Running)

            ' TODO: log status of service here: sc.Status
        Catch ex As Exception
            ' TODO: log an error here: "Could not start service: ex.Message"
            Throw
        End Try
    End If
End Sub

To create the above event handler, go to the ProjectInstaller designer where the 2 controlls are. Click on the ServiceInstaller1 control. Go to the properties window under events and there you'll find the AfterInstall event.

Note: Don't put the above code under the AfterInstall event for ServiceProcessInstaller1. It won't work, coming from experience. :)

Answer 5

Visual Studio

If you are creating a setup project with VS, you can create a custom action who called a .NET method to start the service. But, it is not really recommended to use managed custom action in a MSI. See this page.

ServiceController controller  = new ServiceController();
controller.MachineName = "";//The machine where the service is installed;
controller.ServiceName = "";//The name of your service installed in Windows Services;
controller.Start();

InstallShield or Wise

If you are using InstallShield or Wise, these applications provide the option to start the service. Per example with Wise, you have to add a service control action. In this action, you specify if you want to start or stop the service.

Wix

Using Wix you need to add the following xml code under the component of your service. For more information about that, you can check this page.

<ServiceInstall 
    Id="ServiceInstaller"  
    Type="ownProcess"  
    Vital="yes"  
    Name=""  
    DisplayName=""  
    Description=""  
    Start="auto"  
    Account="LocalSystem"   
    ErrorControl="ignore"   
    Interactive="no">  
        <ServiceDependency Id="????"/> ///Add any dependancy to your service  
</ServiceInstall>

Answer 6

The easiest solution is found here install-windows-service-without-installutil-exe by @Hoàng Long

@echo OFF
echo Stopping old service version...
net stop "[YOUR SERVICE NAME]"
echo Uninstalling old service version...
sc delete "[YOUR SERVICE NAME]"

echo Installing service...
rem DO NOT remove the space after "binpath="!
sc create "[YOUR SERVICE NAME]" binpath= "[PATH_TO_YOUR_SERVICE_EXE]" start= auto
echo Starting server complete
pause