Run batch file as a Windows service

windows windows-services batch-file

In order to run one application, a batch file has to be kicked off (which does things like start Jetty, display live logs, etc). The application will work only if this batch file is running. I am hence forced to have this batch file running and not logout from the Windows server.

Can this batch file be run as a service? I am experimenting with one of the suggestions from a similar question.

Batch programming is on-topic for Stack Exchange.

Good question. +1. Moderators are too angry... Also I have another good answer, but question closed ((

I use this RunAsService instead: runasservice.com. It's much, much simpler to use. No XML configuration nonsense. Basically this just gives you the RunAsService.exe executable, which wraps any console application with command line arguments as a service. I use this to run Cygwin bash scripts as services!!! Unfortunately, this simple tool appears to be closed-source.

nominating to re-open on the basis of "software tools commonly used by programmers". Which the answer to this question definitely is. Also bear in mind this is the first Google result when searching for "windows start batch file as a service", so whether it's within the narrow scope that some moderators thing is 'on topic' the rest of the world thinks it is. I vote for pragmatism over dogmatism here.

A similar question can be found at serverfault serverfault.com/questions/54676/…

Junior Mayhé

NSSM is totally free and hyper-easy, running command prompt / terminal as administrator:

nssm install "YourCoolServiceNameLabel"

then a dialog will appear so you can choose where is the file you want to run.

to uninstall

nssm remove "YourCoolServiceNameLabel"

@publicRavi, is it possible that you accept this answer?.

I think it should definitely be the accepted answer :)

do you know if there is a way to give nssm all the necessary args at input to avoid the popup data entry -- i am trying to automate the process ?

NSSM keeps getting deleted at some of our customers by GDATA antivirus. Yes, I know, whitelisting ... but customers don't do what's good for them. That's the sad truth.

@amphibient you can first create a service with "nssm create " and then set other parameters (e.g. "nssm set AppDirectory ")

Stephen Martin

Why not simply set it up as a Scheduled Task that is scheduled to run at start up?

I have a number of batch files doing backups via robocopy that I start via the Scheduled Tasks (go to Control Panel, Scheduled Tasks) running on a Win 2003 server. Works a treat...

this is the best solution imo. no third party software required and no command line interface. Plus the Task Scheduler provides lots of options for triggers, conditions, etc.

Works now that I figured this out: When task runs at startup (with "Run whether user is logged in or not") %UserProfile% is C:\Users\Default\ Any other time it will be the expected C:\Users\ExpectedUser\ This can create mysterious failures for some .bat files that seem to work fine in other scheduled tasks.

Scheduled tasks are notoriously unreliable - I've actually come across this question because of all the problems I've been having with tasks not launching on time for no apparent reason.

Note that if you change your account password, all scheduled tasks created to use this account silently stop running (apart from errors in the system log). This is because you enter your username/password and It actually stores this to log in as you. If you change it, the login fails. You can create a special backup-user with a fixed, non-expiring password. I am still wary of the scheduler because I had it stop working for some other reason after a few months. I forget why. It seems fragile.

w00ngy

There's a built in windows cmd to do this: sc create. Not as fancy as nssm, but you don't have to download an additional piece of software.

sc create "ServiceName" start= demand displayname= "DisplayName" binpath= [path to .bat file]

Note

start=demand means you must start the service yourself. Options include: boot, system, auto, demand, disabled, delayed-auto

whitespace is required after =

I did encounter an error on service start that the service did not respond in a timely manner, but it was clear the service had run the .bat successfully. Haven't dug into this yet but this thread experienced the same thing and solved it using nssm to install the service.

Windows appears to not run .bat files as services.

In my case the files the batch file is supposed to create are not created and the programs are not running, so I have to assume it's not starting it. I managed to work around it by creating the service to run cmd.exe /C instead. Note that I'm using Windows 10, so this may be some new "security" thing.

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

If running from powershell, use the full filename sc.exe. As the error will tell you, sc is an alias for Set-Content.

in place of demand as start type we can specify any of these as the start type (boot, system, auto, demand, disabled, delayed-auto)

Goofyseeker311

On Windows 2019 Server, you can run a Minecraft java server with these commands:

sc create minecraft-server DisplayName= "minecraft-server" binpath= "cmd.exe /C C:\Users\Administrator\Desktop\rungui1151.lnk" type= own start= auto

The .lnk file is a standard windows shortcut to a batch file.

--- .bat file begins ---

java -Xmx40960M -Xms40960M -d64 -jar minecraft_server.1.15.1.jar

--- .bat file ends ---

All this because:

service does not know how to start in a folder,

cmd.exe does not know how to start in a folder

Starting the service will produce "timely manner" error, but the log file reveals the server is running.

If you need to shut down the server, just go into task manager and find the server java in background processes and end it, or terminate the server from in the game using the /stop command, or for other programs/servers, use the methods relevant to the server.

if you read it properly, you'll notice it contains the perfect answer, relevant to an example

@JeremyJStarcher I think this is actually the best answer on here. It just isn't explained all that well. But the answer is to use binpath="cmd.exe /C [some batch file]"

didn't work for me. Finally did it with nssm.

Zediiiii

No need for extra software. Use the task scheduler -> create task -> hidden. The checkbox for hidden is in the bottom left corner. Set the task to trigger on login (or whatever condition you like) and choose the task in the actions tab. Running it hidden ensures that the task runs silently in the background like a service.

Note that you must also set the program to run "whether the user is logged in or not" or the program will still run in the foreground.

lexu

As Doug Currie says use RunAsService.

From my past experience you must remember that the Service you generate will

have a completely different set of environment variables

have to be carefully inspected for rights/permissions issues

might cause havoc if it opens dialogs asking for any kind of input

not sure if the last one still applies ... it was one big night mare in a project I worked on some time ago.

Nicholas

While it is not free (but $39), FireDaemon has worked so well for me I have to recommend it. It will run your batch file but has loads of additional and very useful functionality such as scheduling, service up monitoring, GUI or XML based install of services, dependencies, environmental variables and log management.

I started out using FireDaemon to launch JBoss application servers (run.bat) but shortly after realized that the richness of the FireDaemon configuration abilities allowed me to ditch the batch file and recreate the intent of its commands in the FireDaemon service definition.

There's also a SUPER FireDaemon called Trinity which you might want to look at if you have a large number of Windows servers on which to manage this service (or technically, any service).

kaptan

Since NSSM is no longer maintained, you can consider using WinSW. It has binaries that would work with or without .Net.

Basically you create an XML file and then install it. Here is a sample of a minimal XML:

<service>

  <!-- ID of the service. It should be unique across the Windows system-->
  <id>myapp</id>

  <!-- Path to the executable, which should be started -->
  <!-- CAUTION: Don't put arguments here. Use <arguments> instead. -->
  <executable>%BASE%\myExecutable.exe</executable>

</service>

And then you can install and start it:

winsw install myapp.xml
winsw start myapp.xml

kumar

Install NSSM and run the .bat file as a windows service. Works as expected

Run batch file as a Windows service

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