How do I change the name of my Windows service?

Question

I have a Windows Service and want to change the name of it (as it appears in the Services application). But I'm unsure of the correct way to do so. It appears to be the ServiceName property and searching through my solution I found this:

namespace SI.AService.AService
{
    partial class AService
    {
        /// <summary> 
        /// Required designer variable.
        /// </summary>
        private System.ComponentModel.IContainer components = null;

        /// <summary>
        /// Clean up any resources being used.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="disposing">true if managed resources should be disposed; otherwise, false.</param>
        protected override void Dispose(bool disposing)
        {
            if (disposing && (components != null))
            {
                components.Dispose();
            }
            base.Dispose(disposing);
        }

        #region Component Designer generated code

        /// <summary> 
        /// Required method for Designer support - do not modify 
        /// the contents of this method with the code editor.
        /// </summary>
        private void InitializeComponent()
        {
            // 
            // AService
            // 
            this.ServiceName = "Company.AService.AService";

        }

        #endregion
    }
}

So this seems to be autogenerated code. What's the proper way of changing it? It says "do not modify the contents of this method with the code editor." So where do I modify it then?

Update: I was updating my Windows Service through the build process in Visual Studio, which apparently has no effect on name changes set up in the service installer. I think it runs an uninstall and install command with the InstallUtil. Instead I had to go to the output directory of the build process where 2 files are located. An msi-file and a setup.exe file. The msi installs the service, BUT there is no name changes. However if I run the setup.exe, it does the same but name changes to the service are included. So I guess the projectinstaller/serviceinstaller are included in the setup.exe and not the other.

Lastly, thank you all for your help.

This is a property of the ServiceInstaller that you can set in the designer. You can also set the DisplayName property — Adriaan Stander, Mar 04 '11 at 08:51
This might be a dumb question, but where do I do that in Visual Studio? — Kasper Hansen, Mar 04 '11 at 08:54
You need to do this at install time because it requires elevated priviliges and you can only assume those at install time. — David Heffernan, Mar 04 '11 at 09:00
I was able to change name compiling service build process then unistalling and installing output exe using InstallUtil. nevertheless glad your problem got resolved. — Utkarsh, Mar 07 '11 at 10:32

score 38 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 07 '11 at 05:38

38

You might have added an installer by right clicking the design view of your Windows service class. If you have done this then you will find a ProjectInstaller class within your WindowsService project.

By selecting this ProjectInstaller class you will find two installers on its design view -> 1.ServiceInstaller1 2.ServiceProcessInstaller1

Right click the ServiceInstaller1 and select properties. In the properties window change the ServiceName to the name you want to give to your service.

Hope this works...

answered Mar 07 '11 at 05:38

Harun

5,109
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+1 for "right click the design view of your Windows service class"... That's not immediately obvious, and I've been using VS for 10 years X-D – Chris Ray Oct 31 '13 at 16:02
1

ALso see here for the MSDN walkthrough. This is not easy at all. In your actual project (not the setup/install project, but your service project), you should have a ProjectInstaller.cs. Right click - design. Then click on ServiceInstaller1 which finally shows the serviceName property in the properties window. HERE you set the service name. Whew. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/zt39148a%28v=vs.110%29.aspx – Rob Dec 09 '14 at 17:42
Best answer. Step by step explanation and spot on. Thanks! – Source Matters Aug 19 '18 at 07:01

Utkarsh · Accepted Answer · 2017-11-06T14:56:44.377

27

You have to add an installer class to your Windows service project. Then in its designer you add ServiceInstaller and ServiceProcessInstaller, in objects of these two classes you can specify Service name, display name for service, user etc.

You can see detailed explanation here:
http://utkarshpuranik.wordpress.com/2010/06/07/creating-installing-debugging-windows-services/

edited Nov 06 '17 at 14:56

answered Mar 04 '11 at 08:55

Utkarsh

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There is a "ProjectInstaller : Installer" added to the project already. I guess that is what you are talking about. – Kasper Hansen Mar 04 '11 at 09:06
There is 2 installers. The project installer was placed on to of the service installer. So I have changed the display name in the service installer, but the name stays the same in the "Services" app in Windows 7. – Kasper Hansen Mar 04 '11 at 09:12
I still have no idea where the this.ServiceName = "Company.AService.AService" comes from. When I change it manually, it has no effect. When I write something in the property ServiceName in the AServiceInstaller, it has no effect either:-( I simply can't change the name. – Kasper Hansen Mar 04 '11 at 09:18
I am not sure what are you doing wrong....have you looked at the link I provided? – Utkarsh Mar 04 '11 at 09:50
yes. it's like the serviceinstaller has no effect on the installation. – Kasper Hansen Mar 04 '11 at 11:38
If your service is already installed, you need to uninstall/re-install it in order to see the changes. – Kurt Van den Branden Feb 01 '16 at 10:21
@Utkarsh the link is broken. – Ammar Ameerdeen Oct 18 '17 at 05:18
@AmmarIbnuAmeerdeen - Domain mapping expired, updated the link – Utkarsh Nov 06 '17 at 14:58

score 12 · Answer 3 · answered May 03 '16 at 02:06

12

in VS2012 and 2015, if you want to change it in VS designer, double click on your service class file e.g. MyCustomService.cs and then in design view right click and choose Properties.

that gives you the option to visually change the service name.

answered May 03 '16 at 02:06

Ryan

615
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score 7 · Answer 4 · answered Apr 04 '12 at 14:29

7

In Visual Studio 2010, you could double click the entry for the service file in the Solution Explorer (named "AService" in your case). In the properties window, just change the entry under "ServiceName".

answered Apr 04 '12 at 14:29

Jimmy W

539
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THIS is what I wanted, not the windows service name or display name – Ethan Reesor May 06 '15 at 20:26

score 4 · Answer 5 · answered Sep 27 '18 at 09:46

None of the above work for me, so sharing what works actually Go to your file "ProjectInstaller.Designer.cs" and upadate the line:

this.serviceInstaller1.ServiceName = "Updated Name";

It should be under method: InitializeComponent()

Hope it helps someone!!!

score 3 · Answer 6 · answered Mar 04 '11 at 08:51

3

It depends on the way you install it

If you use SC.EXE then just change the display name parameter
If you use ServiceInstaller Class then change its DisplayName

answered Mar 04 '11 at 08:51

Wojtek Turowicz

4,086
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score 1 · Answer 7 · answered Aug 17 '18 at 14:24

1

A picture sometime worth thousand words so i thought i gave you this image with annotation:

It should be simple.

answered Aug 17 '18 at 14:24

Dung

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How do I change the name of my Windows service?

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