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?

score 117 · Accepted Answer · edited Jan 28 '15 at 15:52

117

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 '15 at 15:52

Edward Brey

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answered Nov 09 '09 at 23:47

Josh Yeager

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1

This looks like exactly what I want -- however I can't get it to work. I just keep getting a "usage" message. – Nathan Nov 10 '09 at 15:42
35

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". – Nathan Nov 10 '09 at 15:56
Ah, I forgot about that. Sorry for giving you a bad example. – Josh Yeager Nov 11 '09 at 19:47
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" – John Gilmer Sep 08 '19 at 15:35
When running from `PowerShell` window, make sure to use `sc.exe` instead of `sc`, otherwise `PowerShell` thinks you mean `Set-Content`. – Aage Oct 19 '22 at 09:46

Sachin Kainth · Answer 2 · 2013-02-21T17:49:45.300

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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 '13 at 17:49

answered Feb 06 '13 at 10:48

Sachin Kainth

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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 – PUG Dec 15 '14 at 22:50
4

Does not work. Gives an error that my service already exists. – Jason Kelley Sep 01 '15 at 19:42
3

Works if you have a project installer and override the install and uninstall like in @Volodymyrs answer http://stackoverflow.com/a/25259719/169714 – JP Hellemons Jul 05 '16 at 10:22
does not work on a default installer created from Visual studio – Gelootn May 11 '17 at 12:31
If I change parameter "servicename" to "name" it works for me. – dbd Sep 21 '18 at 21:29
Received this Error: An exception occurred during the Install phase. System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception: The specified service already exists Any way around? – Ayush Singhania May 03 '19 at 10:45

score 26 · Answer 3 · edited Jul 07 '15 at 17:01

26

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 07 '15 at 17:01

Crab Bucket

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answered Aug 12 '14 at 08:38

Vova Bilyachat

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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. – Terry Kernan Jul 08 '16 at 11:20
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. – J3RM Feb 02 '21 at 17:05

score 7 · Answer 4 · answered Jun 14 '13 at 19:06

7

enter image description here

This exactly worked for me!

I hope someone can use this.

answered Jun 14 '13 at 19:06

kulNinja

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image is broken – J.SMTBCJ15 Dec 16 '19 at 11:30
dedicated to copy paste: `sc create FooService_v666 binPath= "c:\path\foo\bar.exe" DisplayName= "foo bar service" start= auto` – Max May 20 '23 at 19:33

score 2 · Answer 5 · answered Nov 09 '09 at 23:46

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 09 '09 at 23:46

jsw

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

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