![]() ![]() For the shutdown_method command, we’re using the winmessage parameter, which causes SrvStart to send a Windows close message to any windows opened by the service. The startup command simply specifies the path where the executable file resides. Here, we’re using Plex, but you can create a file for any program you want to run as a service. For this example, we are only going to use two commands: startup, which specifies the program to launch, and shutdown_method, which tells SrvStart how to close the program when the respective service is stopped.įire up Notepad and create your configuration file using the format below. There’s a lot you can do with SrvStart, and you can read the full details on all the configuration options on the documentation page. Next, you’ll want to create a configuration file that SrvStart will read to create the service. Step Two: Create a Configuration File for the New Service We’re also going to assume that you’ve already installed and set up whatever program you’re going to turn into a service, but if you haven’t, now would be a good time to do that too. There’s no installer instead, copy these to your computer’s C:\Windows folder these to your main Windows folder to “install” SrvStart. The download contains just four files (two DLL and two EXE files). To get started, head over to the SrvStart download page and grab the utility. It was originally designed for Windows NT, and will work with just about any version of Windows from Windows XP on up. There are several out there, but our favorite is SrvStart. To run an app as a service, you’re going to need a small, third-party utility. Ready to roll? Let’s talk about how to set it up. Others may add themselves to your Startup folder, so you can remove them there. Most programs have an option in the interface for toggling this setting. If the program is already set up to run when Windows starts, you’ll need to disable that so that you don’t end up with two instances running.When you need to make configuration changes or updates, you’ll need to stop the service, run the program as a regular app, do what you need to do, stop the program, and then start the service again.If you need the interface available regularly for an app, it may not be best suited to run as a service. The app will not put an icon in the system tray.Setting up Plex as a Service would solve that problem.īefore getting started, you should be aware of a couple of important caveats to running an app as a service: That’s irritating if you have to run to another room to start Plex back up while your popcorn gets cold, and super irritating if you’re out of town and trying to stream your media over the Internet. Sure, you could let it sit in the system tray like a normal program, but what if the computer restarts due to a power outage or scheduled updates? Until you log back in on the PC, Plex wouldn’t be available. RELATED: Understanding and Managing Windows ServicesĪ perfect example of this is Plex, a media server app that can stream local content to just about any device you own. That can be particularly important with apps that provide important services you want to be available when you’re away from your computer. The primary advantage of running an app as a service is that you can have a program start before a user to log in. Many gamers and power users know them as those things you used to disable to help speed up your system, though that’s really not necessary any more. Windows services are a special class of programs that are configured to launch and run in the background, usually without any sort of user interface and without needing a user to log in to the PC. ![]()
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