NSSM - the Non-Sucking Service Manager

Introduction

NSSM (Non-Sucking Service Manager) is a tool that allows you to install and manage Windows services easily. It is particularly useful for running non-service applications as Windows services.

Steps to Create a Custom Windows Service Using NSSM

1. Download NSSM

• Download NSSM from the official website or a trusted source: https://nssm.cc/download

• Extract the ZIP file to a directory, e.g., C:\nssm.

2. Open Command Prompt as Administrator

• Press Win + R, type cmd, and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open an elevated command prompt.

3. Install the Custom Service

• Use the following command to install your application as a Windows service:

  C:\nssm\nssm.exe install MyService

  This will open the NSSM GUI.

4. Configure the Service in the NSSM GUI

• In the Application tab:

  • Set Path to the full path of the executable (e.g., C:\myapp\myapp.exe).

  • Optionally, set Startup directory if required.

  • If your app requires arguments, enter them in the Arguments field.

• In the Details tab:

  • Set Display Name and Description for the service.

• In the Log on tab:

  • Specify the user account under which the service should run (default: LocalSystem).

• In the Startup tab:

  • Set Startup Type to Automatic if you want the service to start on boot.

• Click Install service to complete the setup.

5. Start the Service

• Start the service using:

  net start MyService

  Or via the Services (services.msc) management console.

6. Managing the Service

• Stop the service:

  net stop MyService

• Remove the service:

  C:\nssm\nssm.exe remove MyService confirm

This method ensures that your application runs as a Windows service and restarts automatically if it crashes.