Failed to install and start Windows services in WiX installer

Question

I am creating an MSI package for installing and starting Windows services using WiX v3.8. The code as follows:

<Component Id="INSTALLAPSSERVICE" Guid="991D5F82-0E77-4FE3-B1D8-4C941B84C7CD" Win64="yes">
   <File Id="ApsService.exe"
         Name="ApsService.exe"
         Source="Resource\ApsService.exe"
         KeyPath="yes"
         Vital="yes"
         DiskId="1"></File>
   <ServiceInstall Id="ApsServiceInstaller"
                   Name="ApsService"
                   DisplayName="ApsService"
                   Type="ownProcess"
                   Start="auto"
                   ErrorControl="normal"
                   Description="A monitor service for windows application."
                   Account="[SERVICEACCOUNT]"
                   Password="[SERVICEPASSWORD]"
                   Vital="yes"
                   Interactive="no"></ServiceInstall>
    <ServiceControl Id="StartService"
                    Start="install"
                    Stop="both"
                    Remove="uninstall"
                    Name="ApsService"
                    Wait="yes"/>
</Component>

But install fails with the following errors in the log:

Executing op: ServiceControl(,Name=ApsService,Action=1,Wait=1,)
StartServices: Service: ApsService
Error 1920. Service 'ApsService' (ApsService) failed to start. Verify that you have      sufficient privileges to start system services.
MSI (s) (F0:D0) [15:57:28:630]: I/O on thread 3676 could not be cancelled. Error: 1168
MSI (s) (F0:D0) [15:57:28:630]: I/O on thread 1888 could not be cancelled. Error: 1168
MSI (s) (F0:D0) [15:57:28:630]: I/O on thread 1764 could not be cancelled. Error: 1168
MSI (s) (F0:D0) [15:57:28:630]: I/O on thread 3504 could not be cancelled. Error: 1168
MSI (s) (F0:D0) [15:57:28:630]: I/O on thread 2100 could not be cancelled. Error: 1168
MSI (s) (F0:D0) [15:57:28:630]: I/O on thread 2752 could not be cancelled. Error: 1168
MSI (s) (F0:D0) [15:57:28:630]: I/O on thread 3672 could not be cancelled. Error: 1168
MSI (s) (F0:D0) [15:57:28:630]: I/O on thread 3876 could not be cancelled. Error: 1168
MSI (s) (F0:D0) [15:57:28:630]: I/O on thread 1400 could not be cancelled. Error: 1168
MSI (s) (F0:C0) [15:57:28:630]: Product: WinApsSetup64 -- Error 1920. Service 'ApsService' (ApsService) failed to start. Verify that you have sufficient privileges to start system services.

How can I fix the errors?

Answer 1

The error message you are getting is the generic message the Windows Installer sends when it fails to start a service during install. Almost always the issue is that the Service is missing a dependency or otherwise not fully configured when the start occurs. To debug the root issue try:

1. Install the MSI package.
2. When the error dialog comes up indicating there is a failure to start the service *do not dismiss the dialog.
3. Start services.msc or use sc.exe from the command-line to attempt to start your service. The Windows Installer should have configured enough of the service to be able to debug deeper why it failed.
4. If necessary debug into your service executable directly to see why it cannot be started.

If this is a service written in managed code, ensure that it does not depend on files being placed in the GAC. Files are not in the GAC until very, very late during the installation process. If you must use files in the GAC, you will not be able to use the built-in ServiceControl element and will have to write a custom action to run after InstallFinalize. Note that after InstallFinalize a custom action will not be elevated so your service will have to support being started by non-elevated users. Again, I recommend not depending on the GAC.

Good luck debugging your service!

Answer 2

The ServiceInstall Account is obfuscated in the OP's example, but this error can happen if one forgets to fully qualify the account, as such:

<ServiceInstall ... Account="NT AUTHORITY\LocalService" />

Your installer will fail if you only specify the username (w/o the NT Authority) like this:

<ServiceInstall ... Account="LocalService" />