Starting a service: "Error 1053: The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion"

Question

I installed my c# application as windows service, by using the command installutil. It get successfully installed. While starting the service I am getting the following error.

"Error 1053: The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion"

Why it happens?

Below is the source code

static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            // Get the version of the current application.
            Assembly assem = Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly();
            AssemblyName assemName = assem.GetName();
            Version ver = assemName.Version;
            // Console.WriteLine("{0}, Version {1}", assemName.Name, ver.ToString());

            Console.WriteLine("{0} version {1}", assemName.Name, ver.ToString());

            TouchService touchService = new TouchService();


            if (Environment.UserInteractive)
            {
                bool show_help = false;
                bool install_service = false;
                bool uninstall_service = false;
                string servicename = "";


                OptionSet p = new OptionSet()                  
                  .Add("h|?|help", delegate(string v) { show_help = v != null; })
                  .Add("s|servicename=", "name of installed service", delegate(string v) { servicename = v; })
                  .Add("i|install", "install program as a Windows Service. A valid servicename is needed.", delegate(string v) { install_service = v != null; })
                  .Add("u|uninstall", "uninstall program from Windows Services. A valid servicename is needed.", delegate(string v) { uninstall_service = v != null; });

                List<string> extra;
                try
                {
                    extra = p.Parse(args);
                }
                catch (OptionException e)
                {
                    Console.Write("TouchServer: ");
                    Console.WriteLine(e.Message);
                    Console.WriteLine("Try `TouchServer --help' for more information.");
                    return;
                }

                if (show_help)
                {
                    ShowHelp(p);
                    return;
                }

                else if (install_service)
                {
                    IntegratedServiceInstaller Inst = new IntegratedServiceInstaller();
                    Inst.Install(servicename, null, "Provides XML data over HTTP for Touch clients",                                                              
                                 System.ServiceProcess.ServiceAccount.NetworkService,
                                 System.ServiceProcess.ServiceStartMode.Manual);

                    return;
                }

                else if (uninstall_service)
                {
                    IntegratedServiceInstaller Inst = new IntegratedServiceInstaller();
                    Inst.Uninstall(servicename);
                    return;
                }

                // start and run the server,
                // and receive commands from the console
                else
                {

                    touchService.OnStart(args);
                    while (true)
                    {
                        Console.Write("TouchServer>");
                        string commandLine = Console.ReadLine().ToLower();

                        if (commandLine == "exit" || commandLine == "x")
                        {
                            break;
                        }
                        if (commandLine == "quit" || commandLine == "q")
                        {
                            break;
                        }

                        else if (commandLine == "version" || commandLine == "v")
                        {
                            Console.WriteLine("{0} version {1}", assem.GetName().Name, assem.GetName().Version.ToString());
                        }

                        else if (commandLine == "list" || commandLine == "l")
                        {
                            TouchServer.showURLs = (TouchServer.showURLs == false) ? true : false;
                            Console.WriteLine("List URLs: {0}", (TouchServer.showURLs ? "active" : "inactive"));
                        }

                        else if (commandLine == "status" || commandLine == "s")
                        {
                            Console.WriteLine("{0,-20} {1,8}", "Name", "Sessions");
                            Console.WriteLine("----------------------------");
                            foreach (Site site in TouchServer.siteCollection.All)
                            {
                                Console.WriteLine("{0,-20} {1,8}", site.Name, site.AllSessions.Length);
                            }
                            Console.WriteLine();
                        }
                    }

                    touchService.OnStop();
                }
            }
            else
            {
                ServiceBase[] ServicesToRun;
                ServicesToRun = new ServiceBase[] 
                { 
                    new TouchService() 
                };
                ServiceBase.Run(ServicesToRun);
            }

        }

        static void ShowHelp(OptionSet p)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Usage: TouchServer [OPTIONS]+ ");
            Console.WriteLine();
            Console.WriteLine("Options:");
            p.WriteOptionDescriptions(Console.Out);
            Console.WriteLine();
            Console.WriteLine("Providing no options results in the server running in console mode (for debugging purposes).");
        }


        public TouchService()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
        }

        protected override void OnStart(string[] args)
        {
            taskList.Clear();
            taskList.Add(new TouchServerTask("TouchServer"));
            taskList.Add(new HouseKeeperTask());

            //TouchServer.Execute();
            setupSynchronizerTasks();
            taskList.StartAllTasks();

        }

I think the error code explained it well... you should debug your service to get more information why it don't start — sra, Sep 28 '11 at 06:35
No crystall balls here. show the service start method by editing your question. — Davide Piras, Sep 28 '11 at 06:35
take a look at your eventlogs - chances are that you will find some further errors — Random Dev, Sep 28 '11 at 06:36
Start by debugging your service. How to do it: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/6995565/debugging-window-service/6995714#6995714 — Otiel, Sep 28 '11 at 06:39

score 4 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 28 '11 at 06:42

4

Your question has been answered here.

What's assumed is that there's a problem within your code that resides in

void OnStart(string[] args)

in your code. In that case, attach a service debugger to troubleshoot your problem.

Good luck.

answered Sep 28 '11 at 06:42

Mr_Spock

3,815
6
25
33

2

+1 although attaching the debugger after the service starts but before it hits the problem can be pretty tricky stuff. An answer can be to include a `Thread.Sleep` in the first line of the `OnStart` to give yourself 20 seconds to attach. – Kirk Broadhurst Sep 28 '11 at 06:53
2

If you don't have the time to attach the debugger you don't have that much work in `OnStart` to create this problem. However in the general case of debugging `OnStart` `Thread.Sleep` is a good hint. – Albin Sunnanbo Sep 28 '11 at 07:35

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 28 '11 at 06:36

2

Your service does to much in OnStart.
Start the service choose Tools->attach to process in Visual Studio, choose your service. Break the process and try to figure out what the process is doing so long time in OnStart.

answered Sep 28 '11 at 06:36

Albin Sunnanbo

46,430
8
69
108

Starting a service: "Error 1053: The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion"

2 Answers2

Linked