Question

I have an issue with windows services, my application registering Windows service but when I’m trying to run the service I’m getting the following error: “Error 1053: The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion”. The following code is responsible for registering service (I’ve got it from MSDN).

SC_HANDLE schSCManager;
SC_HANDLE schService;

path modulePath("some path to executable");

std::string moduleName = narrow(modulePath.native());

if(!GetModuleFileNameA(NULL, &moduleName[0], MAX_PATH))
{
 throw std::runtime_error("Cannot register service, error code: " +    boost::lexical_cast<std::string>(GetLastError()));
}

// Get a handle to the SCM database. 
   schSCManager = OpenSCManager(NULL,                   // local computer
                                NULL,                   // ServicesActive database 
                                SC_MANAGER_ALL_ACCESS); // full access rights 

   if(!schSCManager) 
   {
      throw std::runtime_error("OpenSCManager failed: " + boost::lexical_cast<std::string>(GetLastError()));
   }

   // Create the service
   schService = CreateServiceA( 
        schSCManager,              // SCM database 
        "name",                  // name of service 
        "displayname",                  // service name to display 
        SERVICE_ALL_ACCESS,        // desired access 
        SERVICE_WIN32_OWN_PROCESS, // service type 
        SERVICE_AUTO_START,        // start type 
        SERVICE_ERROR_NORMAL,      // error control type 
        narrow(modulePath.native()).c_str(), // path to service's binary 
        NULL,                      // no load ordering group 
        NULL,                      // no tag identifier 
        NULL,                      // no dependencies 
        NULL,                      // LocalSystem account 
        NULL);                     // no password 

   if(!schService) 
   {
      CloseServiceHandle(schSCManager);

      throw std::runtime_error("CreateService failed: " + boost::lexical_cast<std::string>(GetLastError()));
   }
   else
   {
      //std::cout << "\nService installed successfully\n";
   } 

   CloseServiceHandle(schService); 
   CloseServiceHandle(schSCManager);   

Could you please help to fix this ?

Answer 1

In case the given code is the only thing you tried you’re missing some important requirements for a windows service. Please have a look at the documentation

You need at least a service main function (wich is different from the main method!) and a control handler function as you can’t handle the “start” command if there’s no control handler function registered (wich is done in service main)

In order to work properly you need:

1. the ordinary main method, to determine if you want to install the service or to otherwise start the service control dispatcher with the services SERVICE_TABLE_ENTRY
   this table contains baiscally the process name and the function pointer to it’s service main function
2. you need the service main function wich registeres the functions service control handler function and afterwards starts the service code function
3. the service code function contains the code related to the services job, it’s the heart of the service
4. you need the service control hander function. it is called from windows’ service control manager, whenever a control code is sent to the service… this is the method that receives the “stop” command… and if this function doesn’t exists or isn’t registered properly you might end up with an error like the one mentioned…