c# error on windows service

Question

I have the following error:

 OpenSCManager Failed 5: Access is denied.

Can someone help me? Is there another way besides using installutil to install the windows service ?

P.S : I am using Visual studio 2008. I did look for installutil in C:\VisualStudio... but i can't find it either.

I found the InstallUtil.exe executable. I run the application and now i have the error: c:...\InstallUtil,installLog is denied. WHY?

@elisa, it should be in C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework. Best way to install a service. However, you can also do it progmatically -- but if you have to ask, just don't try to. — Stephen Chung, Mar 28 '11 at 09:50
ok.thx i found it:). Can you tell me how can i access the installutil example if i have the path of this executable? — elisa, Mar 28 '11 at 09:59
@elisa Under UAC admins run with a standard rights token. In order to gain admin rights token you elevate, run as administrator. You are au fait with UAC aren't you? — David Heffernan, Mar 28 '11 at 10:07
I do run the application as an administrator. so that is not the problem — elisa, Mar 28 '11 at 10:14

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 29 '11 at 04:22

There are two questions here:

For the access denied problem. Chances are you are don't have permissions. Run the command with administrative privilegies. This means that you have to be a member of administrators group and your process has to be elevated, i.e. you have to right-click -> Run As Administrator to lauch the process.
There are many ways to install service. Since you already know InstallUtil, I don't have to mention it.
- There is Win32 API called CreateService.
- There is command line utility sc.exe -- it comes with OS by default
- If you are so inclined, you can hack registry -- it is not that difficult to reverse engineer records under HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Service\

I personally prefer sc.exe. It installs managed services just fine.

1 Answers1