I'm getting this error when I try to start a windows service I've created in C#:

My Code so far:

private ServiceHost host = null;

public RightAccessHost()
{
    InitializeComponent();
}

protected override void OnStart(string[] args)
{
    host = new ServiceHost(typeof(RightAccessWcf));
    host.Open();
}

protected override void OnStop()
{
    if (host != null)
        host.Close();
    host = null;
}

Update #1

I solved the issue above by granting permissions to the account NETWORK SERVICE but now I have an another problem:

Update #2

Service cannot be started. System.InvalidOperationException: Service 'RightAccessManagementWcf.RightAccessWcf' has zero application (non-infrastructure) endpoints. This might be because no configuration file was found for your application, or because no service element matching the service name could be found in the configuration file, or because no endpoints were defined in the service element. at System.ServiceModel.Description.DispatcherBuilder.EnsureThereAreNonMexEndpoints(ServiceDescription description) at System.ServiceModel.Description.DispatcherBuilder.InitializeServiceHost(ServiceDescription description, ServiceHostBase serviceHost) at System.ServiceModel.ServiceHostBase.InitializeRuntime() at System.ServiceModel.ServiceHostBase.OnOpen(TimeSpan timeout) at System.ServiceModel.Channels.CommunicationObject.Open(TimeSpan timeout) at RightAccessHosting.RightAccessHost.OnStart(String[] args) in C:\Users....

Justin Skiles

I realize this post is old, but there's no marked solution and I just wanted to throw in how I resolved this.

The first Error 5: Access Denied error was resolved by giving permissions to the output directory to the NETWORK SERVICE account.

The second Started and then stopped error seems to be a generic message when something faulted the service. Check the Event Viewer (specifically the 'Windows Logs > Application') for the real error message.

In my case, it was a bad service configuration setting in app.config.

Computer -> Manage -> Service -> [your service] properties. Then the the tab with the account information. Play with those settings, like run the service with administrator account or so.

That did it for me.

EDIT: What also can be the problem is that, most services are run as LOCAL SERVICE or LOCAL SYSTEM accounts. Now when you run C:/my-admin-dir/service.exe with those accounts but they are not allowed to execute anything in that directory, you will get error 5. So locate the executable of the service, RMB the directory -> Properties -> Security and make sure that the account the service is run with, is in the list of users that are alloewd to have full control over the directory.

This worked for me.

Right-click on top-level folder containing the service executable. Go to Properties
Go to "Security" Tab
Click "EDIT"
Click "ADD"
Enter the name "SYSTEM", click OK
Highlight SYSTEM user, and click ALLOW check-box next to "Full control"
Click OK twice

I also got the same error , It resolved by Right click on Service > Properties >Log On > log on as : Local System Account.

Make sure the Path to executable points to an actual executable (Right click service -> Properties -> General tab). Via powershell (and sc.exe) you can install a service without pointing to an executable... ahem.

I got the solution:

1. Go to local service window(where all services found)
2. Just right click on your service name: 
3. click on "properties" 
4. go to "log on" tab
5. select "local system account"
6. click "ok"

now you can try to start the service.

In my case following was not checked.

santhosh

This error happens when there is a error in your OnStart method. You cannot open a host directly in OnStart method because it will not actually open when it is called, but instead it will wait for the control. So you have to use a thread. This is my example.

public partial class Service1 : ServiceBase
{
    ServiceHost host;
    Thread hostThread;
    public Service1()
    {
        InitializeComponent();
         hostThread= new Thread(new ThreadStart(StartHosting));

    }

    protected override void OnStart(string[] args)
    {
        hostThread.Start();
    }

    protected void StartHosting()
    {
        host = new ServiceHost(typeof(WCFAuth.Service.AuthService));
        host.Open();
    }

    protected override void OnStop()
    {
        if (host != null)
            host.Close();
    }
}

if you are a having an access denied error code 5. then probably in your code your service is trying to interact with some files in the system like writing to a log file

open the services properties select log on tab and check option to allow service to interact with the desktop,

For me - the folder from which the service was to run, and the files in it, were encrypted using the Windows "Encrypt" option. Removing that and - voila!

I had windows service hosted using OWIN and TopShelf. I was not able to start it. Same error - "Access denied 5"

I ended up giving all the perms to my bin/Debug.

The issue was still not resolved.

So I had a look in the event logs and it turned out that the Microsoft.Owin.Host.HttpListener was not included in the class library containing the OWIN start up class.

So, please make sure you check the event log to identify the root cause before beginning to get into perms, etc.

Your code may be running in the security context of a user that is not allowed to start a service.

Since you are using WCF, I am guessing that you are in the context of NETWORK SERVICE.

see: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/256299

Jay Shah

Use LocalSystem Account instead of LocalService Account in Service Installer.

You can do this either from doing below change in design view of your service installer:
Properties of Service Process Installer -> Set Account to LocalSystem.

or by doing below change in in designer.cs file of your service installer:

this.serviceProcessInstaller1.Account = System.ServiceProcess.ServiceAccount.LocalSystem;

Right click on the service in service.msc and select property.

You will see a folder path under Path to executable like C:\Users\Me\Desktop\project\Tor\Tor\tor.exe

Navigate to C:\Users\Me\Desktop\project\Tor and right click on Tor.

Select property, security, edit and then add. In the text field enter LOCAL SERVICE, click ok and then check the box FULL CONTROL

Click on add again then enter NETWORK SERVICE, click ok, check the box FULL CONTROL

Then click ok (at the bottom)

In my case, I had to add 'Authenticated Users' in the list of 'Group or User Names' in the folder where the executable was installed.

I was getting this error because I misread the accepted answer from here: Create Windows service from executable.

sc.exe create <new_service_name> binPath= "<path_to_the_service_executable>"

For <path_to_service_executable>, I was using the path of the executable's folder, e.g. C:\Folder.

It needs to be the path of the executable, e.g. C:\Folder\Executable.exe.

Hopefully this helps someone who made the same silly mistake as I did.

One of the causes for this error is insufficient permissions (Authenticated Users) in your local folder. To give permission for 'Authenticated Users' Open the security tab in properties of your folder, Edit and Add 'Authenticated Users' group and Apply changes.

Once this was done I was able to run services even through network service account (before this I was only able to run with Local system account).

Have a look at Process Utilities > Process monitor from http://www.sysinternals.com.

This is tool that allows you monitor what a process does. If you monitor this service process, you should see an access denied somewhere, and on what resource the access denied is given.

For the error 5, i did the opposite to the solution above. "The first Error 5: Access Denied error was resolved by giving permissions to the output directory to the NETWORK SERVICE account."

I changed mine to local account, instead of network service account, and because i was logged in as administrator it worked

If you are getting this error on a server machine try give access to the folder you got the real windows service exe. You should go to the security tab and select the Local Service as user and should give full access. You should do the same for the exe too.

I have monitored sppsvc.exe using process monitor and found out that it was trying to write to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\WPA key. After giving permissions to NETWORK SERVICE on this key, I was able to start the service and Windows suddenly recognized that it was activated again.

I accidentally set my service to run as Local service solution was to switch to Local System

After banging my had against my desk for a few hours trying to figure this out, somehow my "Main" method got emptied of it's code!

ServiceBase[] ServicesToRun;
ServicesToRun = new ServiceBase[] 
{ 
    new DMTestService()
};
ServiceBase.Run(ServicesToRun);

Error 5 : Access Denied when starting windows service

Update #1

Update #2

Other solutions I found: