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We have automatically started service which in some cases spends a lot of the time loading necessary data, let's say 10 minutes. During this time it works as expected (processing some huge data files required to start). I report the progess by C++ SetServiceStatus function, it is working fine.

This service is not dependent on anything and has only one dependency which is again our own service. It is started after those 10 minutes, it needs the first "server" service to be fully running to accept the requests.

I thought that windows would start all other automatic services (in less then 10 minutes as usually) and then start working normally but system is completely blocked during startup (i can't login to computer or ping the computer) until this one specific service is started (reports SERVICE_RUNNING by SetServiceStatus). When out service completely starts, the other missing system services (required for network, remote desktop, whatever, it's quite random) are also started. Is this normal behaviour? Why are non-depending processes (as remote desktop, network connections, etc.) waiting for this process? Am I missing something?

I tried to add some dependencies to postpone the startup of my service but I ended up with many dependencies and behaviour still somehow random (as order of services is random). Sometimes I was able to login but for example Start button started working only after those 10 minutes when my service was started. I am not sure what is "the last service" to depend on and what services to include to my depend-list and on some computers this services can be disabled and it can bring new problems... so I don't like this solution very much.

Another option was Delayed start option for our service. This should start service when all other automatic services are running. Well, this works fine, windows boots, computer running and responding, our service is started, but the performance is very bad, many times slower than usually, it seems that delayed started services have much lower priority or something like that.

My only current solution is to report to system that my service is running (by SetServiceStatus function), but to continue loading (this works, I tested it). But then we have problem with our dependent service as it needs to be started when the first one is really ready. It can be solved but I still wonder how is this possible and if there is something I could use to keep the current state of automatic started service which reports "started" when it is really fully started and prepared to work. Thanks for any ideas.

Martin
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    Set `SERVICE_RUNNING` as soon as possible, and then continue processing in background. Make your other service resilient to the first service being in a running state, but not yet ready to service. – David Heffernan Nov 13 '12 at 14:47
  • Yes, thanks, that's the solution I am currently going for. It just seems somehow strange to set service to running state if it is not yet running and listening (server app and its clients) and then trying to make some workaround for it. If Windows wants to be blocked, OK, but what is the delayed start good for then if it slows down the service significantly? I was just thinking that maybe the other services are blocked because of some resources (rights, whatever) which can be assigned to only one service at time or something like that and maybe I can release it somehow, to set some flags, idk. – Martin Nov 13 '12 at 15:26
  • David's description is *the* way to start a potentially long-loading service startup. Your service can always terminate (cleanly) if it cannot finish loading correctly. It can further expose the appropriate service control API to allow querying for true-ready-state. Yes, it is a pain, but it plays nicely with the SCM, which is *always* a good idea (never bite the hand that feeds you). – WhozCraig Nov 13 '12 at 21:38

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Set SERVICE_RUNNING as soon as possible, and then continue processing in background. Make your other service resilient to the first service being in a running state, but not yet ready to service. The longer the service is in the starting state the more problems we get from different windows versions.

Martin
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