How to install a windows service programmatically in C#?

I found several errors in the code that you reused and have fixed these and also cleaned it up a little. Again, the original code is taken from here.

public static class ServiceInstaller
{
    private const int STANDARD_RIGHTS_REQUIRED = 0xF0000;
    private const int SERVICE_WIN32_OWN_PROCESS = 0x00000010;

    [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
    private class SERVICE_STATUS
    {
        public int dwServiceType = 0;
        public ServiceState dwCurrentState = 0;
        public int dwControlsAccepted = 0;
        public int dwWin32ExitCode = 0;
        public int dwServiceSpecificExitCode = 0;
        public int dwCheckPoint = 0;
        public int dwWaitHint = 0;
    }

    #region OpenSCManager
    [DllImport("advapi32.dll", EntryPoint = "OpenSCManagerW", ExactSpelling = true, CharSet = CharSet.Unicode, SetLastError = true)]
    static extern IntPtr OpenSCManager(string machineName, string databaseName, ScmAccessRights dwDesiredAccess);
    #endregion

    #region OpenService
    [DllImport("advapi32.dll", SetLastError = true, CharSet = CharSet.Auto)]
    static extern IntPtr OpenService(IntPtr hSCManager, string lpServiceName, ServiceAccessRights dwDesiredAccess);
    #endregion

    #region CreateService
    [DllImport("advapi32.dll", SetLastError = true, CharSet = CharSet.Auto)]
    private static extern IntPtr CreateService(IntPtr hSCManager, string lpServiceName, string lpDisplayName, ServiceAccessRights dwDesiredAccess, int dwServiceType, ServiceBootFlag dwStartType, ServiceError dwErrorControl, string lpBinaryPathName, string lpLoadOrderGroup, IntPtr lpdwTagId, string lpDependencies, string lp, string lpPassword);
    #endregion

    #region CloseServiceHandle
    [DllImport("advapi32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
    [return: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)]
    static extern bool CloseServiceHandle(IntPtr hSCObject);
    #endregion

    #region QueryServiceStatus
    [DllImport("advapi32.dll")]
    private static extern int QueryServiceStatus(IntPtr hService, SERVICE_STATUS lpServiceStatus);
    #endregion

    #region DeleteService
    [DllImport("advapi32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
    [return: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)]
    private static extern bool DeleteService(IntPtr hService);
    #endregion

    #region ControlService
    [DllImport("advapi32.dll")]
    private static extern int ControlService(IntPtr hService, ServiceControl dwControl, SERVICE_STATUS lpServiceStatus);
    #endregion

    #region StartService
    [DllImport("advapi32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
    private static extern int StartService(IntPtr hService, int dwNumServiceArgs, int lpServiceArgVectors);
    #endregion

    public static void Uninstall(string serviceName)
    {
        IntPtr scm = OpenSCManager(ScmAccessRights.AllAccess);

        try
        {
            IntPtr service = OpenService(scm, serviceName, ServiceAccessRights.AllAccess);
            if (service == IntPtr.Zero)
                throw new ApplicationException("Service not installed.");

            try
            {
                StopService(service);
                if (!DeleteService(service))
                    throw new ApplicationException("Could not delete service " + Marshal.GetLastWin32Error());
            }
            finally
            {
                CloseServiceHandle(service);
            }
        }
        finally
        {
            CloseServiceHandle(scm);
        }
    }

    public static bool ServiceIsInstalled(string serviceName)
    {
        IntPtr scm = OpenSCManager(ScmAccessRights.Connect);

        try
        {
            IntPtr service = OpenService(scm, serviceName, ServiceAccessRights.QueryStatus);

            if (service == IntPtr.Zero)
                return false;

            CloseServiceHandle(service);
            return true;
        }
        finally
        {
            CloseServiceHandle(scm);
        }
    }

    public static void InstallAndStart(string serviceName, string displayName, string fileName)
    {
        IntPtr scm = OpenSCManager(ScmAccessRights.AllAccess);

        try
        {
            IntPtr service = OpenService(scm, serviceName, ServiceAccessRights.AllAccess);

            if (service == IntPtr.Zero)
                service = CreateService(scm, serviceName, displayName, ServiceAccessRights.AllAccess, SERVICE_WIN32_OWN_PROCESS, ServiceBootFlag.AutoStart, ServiceError.Normal, fileName, null, IntPtr.Zero, null, null, null);

            if (service == IntPtr.Zero)
                throw new ApplicationException("Failed to install service.");

            try
            {
                StartService(service);
            }
            finally
            {
                CloseServiceHandle(service);
            }
        }
        finally
        {
            CloseServiceHandle(scm);
        }
    }

    public static void StartService(string serviceName)
    {
        IntPtr scm = OpenSCManager(ScmAccessRights.Connect);

        try
        {
            IntPtr service = OpenService(scm, serviceName, ServiceAccessRights.QueryStatus | ServiceAccessRights.Start);
            if (service == IntPtr.Zero)
                throw new ApplicationException("Could not open service.");

            try
            {
                StartService(service);
            }
            finally
            {
                CloseServiceHandle(service);
            }
        }
        finally
        {
            CloseServiceHandle(scm);
        }
    }

    public static void StopService(string serviceName)
    {
        IntPtr scm = OpenSCManager(ScmAccessRights.Connect);

        try
        {
            IntPtr service = OpenService(scm, serviceName, ServiceAccessRights.QueryStatus | ServiceAccessRights.Stop);
            if (service == IntPtr.Zero)
                throw new ApplicationException("Could not open service.");

            try
            {
                StopService(service);
            }
            finally
            {
                CloseServiceHandle(service);
            }
        }
        finally
        {
            CloseServiceHandle(scm);
        }
    }

    private static void StartService(IntPtr service)
    {
        SERVICE_STATUS status = new SERVICE_STATUS();
        StartService(service, 0, 0);
        var changedStatus = WaitForServiceStatus(service, ServiceState.StartPending, ServiceState.Running);
        if (!changedStatus)
            throw new ApplicationException("Unable to start service");
    }

    private static void StopService(IntPtr service)
    {
        SERVICE_STATUS status = new SERVICE_STATUS();
        ControlService(service, ServiceControl.Stop, status);
        var changedStatus = WaitForServiceStatus(service, ServiceState.StopPending, ServiceState.Stopped);
        if (!changedStatus)
            throw new ApplicationException("Unable to stop service");
    }

    public static ServiceState GetServiceStatus(string serviceName)
    {
        IntPtr scm = OpenSCManager(ScmAccessRights.Connect);

        try
        {
            IntPtr service = OpenService(scm, serviceName, ServiceAccessRights.QueryStatus);
            if (service == IntPtr.Zero)
                return ServiceState.NotFound;

            try
            {
                return GetServiceStatus(service);
            }
            finally
            {
                CloseServiceHandle(service);
            }
        }
        finally
        {
            CloseServiceHandle(scm);
        }
    }

    private static ServiceState GetServiceStatus(IntPtr service)
    {
        SERVICE_STATUS status = new SERVICE_STATUS();

        if (QueryServiceStatus(service, status) == 0)
            throw new ApplicationException("Failed to query service status.");

        return status.dwCurrentState;
    }

    private static bool WaitForServiceStatus(IntPtr service, ServiceState waitStatus, ServiceState desiredStatus)
    {
        SERVICE_STATUS status = new SERVICE_STATUS();

        QueryServiceStatus(service, status);
        if (status.dwCurrentState == desiredStatus) return true;

        int dwStartTickCount = Environment.TickCount;
        int dwOldCheckPoint = status.dwCheckPoint;

        while (status.dwCurrentState == waitStatus)
        {
            // Do not wait longer than the wait hint. A good interval is
            // one tenth the wait hint, but no less than 1 second and no
            // more than 10 seconds.

            int dwWaitTime = status.dwWaitHint / 10;

            if (dwWaitTime < 1000) dwWaitTime = 1000;
            else if (dwWaitTime > 10000) dwWaitTime = 10000;

            Thread.Sleep(dwWaitTime);

            // Check the status again.

            if (QueryServiceStatus(service, status) == 0) break;

            if (status.dwCheckPoint > dwOldCheckPoint)
            {
                // The service is making progress.
                dwStartTickCount = Environment.TickCount;
                dwOldCheckPoint = status.dwCheckPoint;
            }
            else
            {
                if (Environment.TickCount - dwStartTickCount > status.dwWaitHint)
                {
                    // No progress made within the wait hint
                    break;
                }
            }
        }
        return (status.dwCurrentState == desiredStatus);
    }

    private static IntPtr OpenSCManager(ScmAccessRights rights)
    {
        IntPtr scm = OpenSCManager(null, null, rights);
        if (scm == IntPtr.Zero)
            throw new ApplicationException("Could not connect to service control manager.");

        return scm;
    }
}


public enum ServiceState
{
    Unknown = -1, // The state cannot be (has not been) retrieved.
    NotFound = 0, // The service is not known on the host server.
    Stopped = 1,
    StartPending = 2,
    StopPending = 3,
    Running = 4,
    ContinuePending = 5,
    PausePending = 6,
    Paused = 7
}

[Flags]
public enum ScmAccessRights
{
    Connect = 0x0001,
    CreateService = 0x0002,
    EnumerateService = 0x0004,
    Lock = 0x0008,
    QueryLockStatus = 0x0010,
    ModifyBootConfig = 0x0020,
    StandardRightsRequired = 0xF0000,
    AllAccess = (StandardRightsRequired | Connect | CreateService |
                 EnumerateService | Lock | QueryLockStatus | ModifyBootConfig)
}

[Flags]
public enum ServiceAccessRights
{
    QueryConfig = 0x1,
    ChangeConfig = 0x2,
    QueryStatus = 0x4,
    EnumerateDependants = 0x8,
    Start = 0x10,
    Stop = 0x20,
    PauseContinue = 0x40,
    Interrogate = 0x80,
    UserDefinedControl = 0x100,
    Delete = 0x00010000,
    StandardRightsRequired = 0xF0000,
    AllAccess = (StandardRightsRequired | QueryConfig | ChangeConfig |
                 QueryStatus | EnumerateDependants | Start | Stop | PauseContinue |
                 Interrogate | UserDefinedControl)
}

public enum ServiceBootFlag
{
    Start = 0x00000000,
    SystemStart = 0x00000001,
    AutoStart = 0x00000002,
    DemandStart = 0x00000003,
    Disabled = 0x00000004
}

public enum ServiceControl
{
    Stop = 0x00000001,
    Pause = 0x00000002,
    Continue = 0x00000003,
    Interrogate = 0x00000004,
    Shutdown = 0x00000005,
    ParamChange = 0x00000006,
    NetBindAdd = 0x00000007,
    NetBindRemove = 0x00000008,
    NetBindEnable = 0x00000009,
    NetBindDisable = 0x0000000A
}

public enum ServiceError
{
    Ignore = 0x00000000,
    Normal = 0x00000001,
    Severe = 0x00000002,
    Critical = 0x00000003
}

Please let me know if anyone finds anything wrong with this code!

Ok, here is what REALLY worked for me, it has been tested on multiple machines with different OS ( Vista, XP, Win2k, Win2003 server )

The code has been taken from here so full credit goes to whoever wrote this piece of code.

Once you add the dll or source file into your project make sure to add the ServiceTools namespace and then you have access to some very handy functionality such as...

//Installs and starts the service
ServiceInstaller.InstallAndStart("MyServiceName", "MyServiceDisplayName", "C:\\PathToServiceFile.exe");

//Removes the service
ServiceInstaller.Uninstall("MyServiceName");

//Checks the status of the service
ServiceInstaller.GetServiceStatus("MyServiceName");

//Starts the service
ServiceInstaller.StartService("MyServiceName");

//Stops the service
ServiceInstaller.StopService("MyServiceName");

//Check if service is installed
ServiceInstaller.ServiceIsInstalled("MyServiceName");

I hope this helps.