Using InstallUtil and silently setting a windows service logon username/password

Question

I need to use InstallUtil to install a C# windows service. I need to set the service logon credentials (username and password). All of this needs to be done silently.

Is there are way to do something like this:

installutil.exe myservice.exe /customarg1=username /customarg2=password

Solution 1

Bravo to my co-worker (Bruce Eddy). He found a way we can make this command-line call:

installutil.exe /user=uname /password=pw myservice.exe

It is done by overriding OnBeforeInstall in the installer class:

namespace Test
{
    [RunInstaller(true)]
    public class TestInstaller : Installer
    {
        private ServiceInstaller serviceInstaller;
        private ServiceProcessInstaller serviceProcessInstaller;

        public OregonDatabaseWinServiceInstaller()
        {
            serviceInstaller = new ServiceInstaller();
            serviceInstaller.StartType = System.ServiceProcess.ServiceStartMode.Automatic;
            serviceInstaller.ServiceName = "Test";
            serviceInstaller.DisplayName = "Test Service";
            serviceInstaller.Description = "Test";
            serviceInstaller.StartType = ServiceStartMode.Automatic;
            Installers.Add(serviceInstaller);

            serviceProcessInstaller = new ServiceProcessInstaller();
            serviceProcessInstaller.Account = ServiceAccount.User; 
            Installers.Add(serviceProcessInstaller);
        }

        public string GetContextParameter(string key)
        {
            string sValue = "";
            try
            {
                sValue = this.Context.Parameters[key].ToString();
            }
            catch
            {
                sValue = "";
            }
            return sValue;
        }


        // Override the 'OnBeforeInstall' method.
        protected override void OnBeforeInstall(IDictionary savedState)
        {
            base.OnBeforeInstall(savedState);

            string username = GetContextParameter("user").Trim();
            string password = GetContextParameter("password").Trim();

            if (username != "")
                serviceProcessInstaller.Username = username;
            if (password != "")
                serviceProcessInstaller.Password = password;
        }
    }
}

Solution 2

A much easier way than the posts above and with no extra code in your installer is to use the following:

installUtil.exe /username=domain\username /password=password /unattended C:\My.exe

Just ensure the account you use is valid. If not you will receive a "No mapping between account names and security id's was done" exception

Solution 3

InstallUtil.exe sets StartupType=Manual

In case you want to autostart the service, use:

sc config MyServiceName start= auto

(note there there has to be a space after '=')