Any way to override .NET Windows Service Name without recompiling?

Question

I have a windows service executable that I know is written in .NET which I need to install under a different service name to avoid a conflict. The install doesn't provide anyway to specify a service name. If I only have access to the binary, is there anyway to override the service name when I install it with installutil?

Edward Brey · Accepted Answer · 2015-01-28 15:52:24Z

118

Do you have to use InstallUtil? Here are the commands to do what you want using sc:

sc create MyService binPath= "MyService.exe" DisplayName= "MyService"  
sc description MyService "My description"

Reference: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/251192

edited Jan 28, 2015 at 15:52

Edward Brey

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answered Nov 9, 2009 at 23:47

Josh Yeager

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5 Comments

Nathan Over a year ago

This looks like exactly what I want -- however I can't get it to work. I just keep getting a "usage" message.

Nathan Over a year ago

My problem was that there apparently must be a space between the equal sign and the binPath value, e.g. sc create ahSchedulerService binPath= "MyService.exe", not sc create ahSchedulerService binPath="MyService.exe".

Josh Yeager Over a year ago

Ah, I forgot about that. Sorry for giving you a bad example.

John Gilmer Over a year ago

When I used the SC command to create a service instance, I found that I had to put the entire path before the EXE name. Before running SC, I had changed my command prompt directory to be the same as the EXE, thinking that would be enough, but it wasn’t. When I tried to start the service, I got an error saying “system cannot find the file specified”. So the SC command has to have a parameter like: binPath= "C:\whatever\servieName.exe"

Aage Over a year ago

When running from PowerShell window, make sure to use sc.exe instead of sc, otherwise PowerShell thinks you mean Set-Content.

Sachin Kainth · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-21 17:49:45Z

30

It is not true that InstallUtil doesn't allow you to configure the service name. I do it all the time like this

InstallUtil.exe /servicename="<service name>" "<path to service exe>"

edited Feb 21, 2013 at 17:49

answered Feb 6, 2013 at 10:48

Sachin Kainth

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6 Comments

PUG Over a year ago

if you already have a service with same name as exe, it will give error System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception: The specified service already exists. I was trying to install 2 instances of same service and naming them differently. Use sc create methods given in below answers

Jason Kelley Over a year ago

Does not work. Gives an error that my service already exists.

JP Hellemons Over a year ago

Works if you have a project installer and override the install and uninstall like in @Volodymyrs answer stackoverflow.com/a/25259719/169714

Gelootn Over a year ago

does not work on a default installer created from Visual studio

dbd Over a year ago

If I change parameter "servicename" to "name" it works for me.

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Crab Bucket · Accepted Answer · 2015-07-07 17:01:57Z

28

Add project installer to your service

Add method to get CustomService name

private void RetrieveServiceName() 
{
    var serviceName = Context.Parameters["servicename"];
    if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(serviceName))
    {
        this.SomeService.ServiceName = serviceName;
        this.SomeService.DisplayName = serviceName;
    }
}

call on install and uninstall

public override void Install(System.Collections.IDictionary stateSaver)
{
   RetrieveServiceName();
  base.Install(stateSaver);
}


public override void Uninstall(System.Collections.IDictionary savedState)

{
   RetrieveServiceName();
   base.Uninstall(savedState);
}

installutil /servicename=”My Service [SysTest]” d:\pathToMyService\Service.exe

Source

edited Jul 7, 2015 at 17:01

Crab Bucket

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answered Aug 12, 2014 at 8:38

Vova Bilyachat

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2 Comments

Terry Kernan Over a year ago

This was very useful, I did have to recompile my service executable to get it work once I added this code, that wasn't an issue for me.

J3RM Over a year ago

taken from the source link but incase... You need to change the “someService” to the ServiceInstaller name. It’s probably ServiceInstaller1 as that is the default.

kulNinja · Accepted Answer · 2013-06-14 19:06:29Z

7

enter image description here

This exactly worked for me!

I hope someone can use this.

answered Jun 14, 2013 at 19:06

kulNinja

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2 Comments

J.SMTBCJ15 Over a year ago

image is broken

Max Over a year ago

dedicated to copy paste: sc create FooService_v666 binPath= "c:\path\foo\bar.exe" DisplayName= "foo bar service" start= auto

jsw · Accepted Answer · 2009-11-09 23:46:15Z

2

Try installing your service with sc.exe. A quick search will yield lots documentation. With that tool it's easy to modify existing services and/or add new ones -- including names.

Edit: I install my .NET services with this tool.

answered Nov 9, 2009 at 23:46

jsw

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