How to: Install and Uninstall Services
You can quickly install your service application by using a command-line utility called InstallUtil.exe. You can also create a setup project that contains your project's output and create a custom action with it that will run the installers associated with the project and install your service. For an example, see Walkthrough: Creating a Windows Service Application in the Component Designer. For more information on setup projects, see Setup and Deployment Projects. For more information on custom actions, see Walkthrough: Creating a Custom Action.
Unlike most projects you create in Visual Studio, Windows Service projects cannot be run directly from the development environment by pressing F5. This is because the service in the project must be installed before the project can run.
To install your service manually
On the Windows Start menu, choose Visual Studio 2010, Visual Studio Tools, Visual Studio Command Prompt (2010).
A Visual Studio command prompt appears.
Access the directory in which your project's compiled executable file is located.
Run InstallUtil.exe from the command prompt with your project's output as a parameter. Enter the following command.
installutil yourproject.exe
To uninstall your service manually
On the Windows Start menu, choose Visual Studio 2010, Visual Studio Tools, Visual Studio Command Prompt (2010).
A Visual Studio command prompt appears.
Run InstallUtil.exe from the command prompt with your project's output as a parameter. Enter the following command.
installutil /u yourproject.exeTip
You can launch Server Explorer and verify that your service has been installed or uninstalled. For more information, see How to: Access and Initialize Server Explorer/Database Explorer.
See Also
Tasks
How to: Create Windows Services
How to: Add Installers to Your Service Application
Walkthrough: Creating a Custom Action