How to Debug a Windows Service

Question

I have create a windows service using the Code Project Article. I am able to install the service and delete the service using -i and -d switch.

I am able to see the service in services.msc but when I start the service it does nothing.Below I will proide the service main code:

void WINAPI ServiceMain(DWORD argc, LPTSTR *argv)
{
  DWORD status;
  DWORD specificError;
  m_ServiceStatus.dwServiceType = SERVICE_WIN32;
  m_ServiceStatus.dwCurrentState = SERVICE_START_PENDING;
  m_ServiceStatus.dwControlsAccepted = SERVICE_ACCEPT_STOP;
  m_ServiceStatus.dwWin32ExitCode = 0;
  m_ServiceStatus.dwServiceSpecificExitCode = 0;
  m_ServiceStatus.dwCheckPoint = 0;
  m_ServiceStatus.dwWaitHint = 0;

  m_ServiceStatusHandle = RegisterServiceCtrlHandler("Service1", 
                                            ServiceCtrlHandler); 
  if (m_ServiceStatusHandle == (SERVICE_STATUS_HANDLE)0)
  {
    return;
  }
  m_ServiceStatus.dwCurrentState = SERVICE_RUNNING;
  m_ServiceStatus.dwCheckPoint = 0;
  m_ServiceStatus.dwWaitHint = 0;
  if (!SetServiceStatus (m_ServiceStatusHandle, &m_ServiceStatus))
  {
  }

  bRunning=true;
  while(bRunning)
  {

    Sleep(150000);
    ShellExecute(NULL, "open", "C:\\", NULL, NULL, SW_SHOWNORMAL);

  }
  return;
}

But while I start the service neither it sleeps or starts the explorer. Am I missing anything?

Answer 1

Ferruccio's suggestion to attach a debugger to the running service is a good one, as is the suggestion to include an option to run as a console application (though that won't help in your case).

To debug the startup code, you can call DebugBreak() at the beginning of your startup code. That will launch the debugger and pause execution of your service at that point. Once you are in the debugger, set whatever breakpoints you need and then continue execution.