want to debug a Windows service but it pops an error message saying

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I want to debug a Windows service but it pops an error message saying

Cannot start service from the command line or a debugger. A windows service must be installed using installutil.exe and then started with the Server explorer, windows services Administrative tools or the NET start command.

Posted 31-Oct-11 5:43am

JawadHafiz

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4 solutions

Solution 3

I used alternative approach: developing of the application which can be run in both modes: as a windows service and as an interactive application. The application can detect during runtime how it is currently hosted and behave slightly differently. In interactive mode, it can do a lot more, for example, use UI to show logging immediately. The interactive mode makes most of the debugging way easier. It can also be used to install and uninstall the application as a service, start/stop/restart the service running in another instance of the process using Service Controller.

Please see my past solution: How to install windows service programmatically[^].

—SA

Posted 31-Oct-11 7:15am

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov

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Mehdi Gholam 31-Oct-11 13:27pm

I have a piece of code that can install itself as a service or run on the command line. Mysql does this also, I love programs like these as they make life easy. :)
5'ed

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 31-Oct-11 13:34pm

You cannot imaging how my approach helped debugging. We managed to debug manufacturing control systems, with all the hardware on my part with authors of close-source software and hardware installed on my site using just telephone and internet (with Web camera) on my machine. We successfully debugged it all with hardware, and I never met the engineers who worked with me as they worked in a different state and did not have time for a trip to our company. Did you even hear of such tricks? :-)

Thank you, Mehdi.
--SA

Espen Harlinn 31-Oct-11 15:18pm

5'ed - Deriving from the service implementation from Component, and using variant of the Log4Net event logger, included with the Log4Net examples, is a nice setup.

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 31-Oct-11 16:07pm

Thank you, Espen.
Not that I understood your note about Log4Net logger (yes, it could be used, of course). I used a logger based on System.Event.Log, but it switched to some interactive logging on if UserInteractive == true.
--SA

Solution 4

I think this article will also be helpful for U
Debugging Windows Services under Visual Studio .NET[^]

Posted 31-Oct-11 7:34am

Menon Santosh

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Mehdi Gholam · Accepted Answer · 2011-10-31T05:46:00

Solution 1

To debug a service add a delay in the OnStart method like Thread.Sleep(10000);.

Then you have to attach your debugger to that process http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/c6wf8e4z.aspx[^].

Posted 31-Oct-11 5:46am

Mehdi Gholam

Comments

Nish Nishant 31-Oct-11 11:49am

Voted 5. I endorse and recommend this answer. ;-)

Mehdi Gholam 31-Oct-11 11:57am

Thanks

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 31-Oct-11 13:16pm

My 5, too, but I used more advanced programming which helped me with debugging a lot. Please see my solution.
--SA

Espen Harlinn 31-Oct-11 11:50am

That's useful too :)

Mehdi Gholam 31-Oct-11 11:57am

Cheers

Abhinav S 31-Oct-11 13:17pm

Is useful. 5.

Mehdi Gholam 31-Oct-11 13:21pm

Thanks

Espen Harlinn · Accepted Answer · 2011-10-31T05:48:00

Solution 2

Take a look at this page:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/50614e95(VS.80).aspx[^]

installutil lets you install, and uninstall services - they have to run under the service control manager[^].

I often find the convenient to test the implementation of a service using a win forms or command line process by separating the actual implementation from the windows service implementation.

Best regards
Espen Harlinn

Posted 31-Oct-11 5:48am

Espen Harlinn

Updated 31-Oct-11 5:49am

v2

Comments

Nish Nishant 31-Oct-11 11:53am

Voted 5. I endorse and recommend this answer. [I am going to use this as my approval template text from now on]

Espen Harlinn 31-Oct-11 12:06pm

Thank you, Nish :)

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 31-Oct-11 13:16pm

My 5, too, but I used more advanced programming which helped me with debugging a lot. Please see my solution.
--SA

Mehdi Gholam 31-Oct-11 12:01pm

There are time when you have to test under the exact conditions (mostly to do with the security settings of the SYSTEM account) and this requires the attachment of the debugger to the actual process.

My 5 anyway.

Espen Harlinn 31-Oct-11 12:08pm

That's true, but usually you would want to run the service under a service account, and not the SYSTEM account - anyway, thanks Mehdi :)

Abhinav S 31-Oct-11 13:18pm

Perfect. 5.

Espen Harlinn 31-Oct-11 15:12pm

Thank you, Abhinav :)

Amir Mahfoozi 2-Nov-11 1:09am

+5 interesting :)