Hey everyone!

I'm looking at better ways to configure my server computer, and have decided that rather than startup tasks I may be better off registering all of my applications to boot as a service via the registry. I am totally unaware as to how to do this, however.

I understand I need to create a registry key in the Services section of the local machine via the registry editor, but am not sure what values I need to fill out to actually get the server to run with the startup commands when the computer boots.

Any ideas?
Thanks!
-Jdawgg

Hi m8

You should have emailed me or PMed me, I'd have helped out.

Anyways, the manual method of creating a service is pretty cumbersome. Luckily a couple people developed software to do it for us. The “Cadillac” is Fire Daemon. This software gives you tons of options including scheduling. However, if you want to install more than one service you have to purchase the program. Personally I recommend it. It is a great piece of software and very easy to use.

But, I’m going to show you a free software tool to create the services you need. “GamePanel” is a free software tool that not only can be used to install your game server as a service, but you can use it to admin your servers from a web interface, including start/stop the service, rcon commands, and file transfer and editing! This is a must have tool for clans that rent their own server box! http://www.gamepanel.org

So, download and install GamePanel from:

http://www.gamepanel.org

If your just installing to add your game servers as a service then uncheck the option to configure IIS as shown above during installation.

Find your newly installed program called “Manage Services” under GamePanel in your start menu.

You should then be prompted with a window that asks for details of your service. Enter the name of the Service you’ll be creating, such as ‘COD2’ and click Create.

This is the service configuration utility. Fill in the blanks with the information as requested. I’ll touch on some of the items below

• Display Name:
# Enter what you’d like to see displayed as your service name such as ‘Call of Duty2’

• Service Name:
# This is the actual name of your service. It can have no spaces or special characters.

• Start Type:
# Automatic: Starts the service when windows starts
# Manual: Only starts when the service is manually started by you or is a dependency on another service
# Disabled: Only starts when the service is manually started by you.

• Account:
# The windows account used by the service
• Application:
# Click the button to browse for the executable that will be ran when the service is started, such as COD2mp_s.exe

• Arguments:
# Enter any command line options (fs_game start, etc)

• Working Directory:
# Click the button and browse for the directory that your found the exe file in at the previous steps
• Priority
# The priority at which the server will give resources to your service. Run at normal unless you’re an advanced user!

• Check if Running:
# Time interval at which the service will be checked. If it has crashed it will be restarted when set to automatic.

Your now ready to click ‘Install’. Once done, your server is now installed as a service.

You can edit your service if you ever wish to change any of the above settings. Also, If you’d like to see the console running on the desktop you’ll need to go into the service and tell it to interact with the desktop, otherwise it is run as a background service and you cannot see the console.

To edit the service to interact with the desktop go to your server’s control panel and then ‘Administrative Tools’. From there select ‘Services’.

1. Find your newly created service and right click. Then select Properties.

2. Click on the ‘Log On’ tab and check ‘Allow service to interact with desktop’

3. Click ‘Apply’ and then ‘OK’

All done


edited on Jan. 30, 2006 10:02 am by Tally

edited on Jan. 30, 2006 10:04 am by Tally

Hey thanks Tally, I'll check that out when I get home.

My other concern is how to restore the console. When the service starts automatically, I'm assuming the console window will no longer appear (much like with the task I have scheduled) - is there any way to restore that so if I have a monitor that specifically displays these consoles I will still be able to view server activity.

Thanks,
-Jdawgg