Windows service NOT shown in add remove programs under control panel

Question

I installed my windows service via (name of the service: Testing Service)

InstallUtil.exe present in .NET Framework (:\\Windows\\Microsoft.NET\\Fram

Answer 1

There is a Microsoft Visual Studio 2017 Installer available via Tools->Extensions and Updates

This official Microsoft Extension provides support for Visual Studio Installer Projects in VS2017

Answer 2

Installutil.exe (Installer Tool)

The Installer tool is a command-line utility that allows you to install and uninstall server resources by executing the installer components in specified assemblies.

Its job in life is to do exactly that,

To fill in your knowledge you should read through this

Chapter 2. Install/Uninstall

You will notice this is an entirely different concept, and actually has all the information you need (albeit in a very verbose manner)

There are various ways to achieve what you are after, one of them is using out of the box installation software, MSI, click once, or many others. or you could roll your own by using the above resources

Answer 3

InstallUtil only performs actions exposed by your .Net Installer classes, such as registering a service.

It does not perform the "standard" application installation which results in the entries being added into add/remove programs.

To do this, you will need to look at various install builders such as Wix, Installshield, etc.

Answer 4

InstallUtil.exe: As others have stated, InstallUtil.exe is intended for development use only, not for final distribution of your service.

MSI: The normal way to deploy services in the fashion you describe (with a proper entry in add/remove programs) would be to use an MSI installer created using a tool designed to help you do so (it is not advisable to "roll your own" tool to do this).

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Ad-Hoc: The ad-hoc description of deployment tools below was written in a hurry, and has sort of been re-purposed as a general description of such tools. Not too relevant for the question asked, but it sort of "happened" and here it is.

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Free MSI Tools / Viewers

How can I compare the content of two (or more) MSI files? (towards bottom) - (most of) these are not full-featured tools to make setups, but great to inspect MSI files and to create transforms.

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MSI Tools: Short-List

There are many tools you can use for MSI-creation, for example (arbitrary order - links to Stefan Kruger's installsite.org below will show further tools, these are just the most common ones):

WiX - quick download

• Free, open source framework - excellent, but with a learning curve, hence a few more links.

  • WiX quick-start tips (a bit chaotic, strangely upvoted, must be helpful).
  • WiX's commercial branch FireGiant has a WiX expansion pack (which costs money).
  • Windows Installer and the creation of WiX (what is the idea behind WiX?).
  • How to install and start a Windows Service using WiX.
  • Documentation: ServiceInstall, ServiceControl.
  • Untested: How to create a Windows Service MSI Installer Using WiX.

• IsWiX - quick download

  • Deployment and MSI expert Chris Painter has his own, free WiX-based tool called IsWiX
  • It can help with WiX's learning curve and manage WiX source files.
  • Also see his IsWiX Tutorials.

Advanced Installer - quick download

• Great commercial tool with lots of smarts to help you deliver packages quickly and reliably.
• Some free features.
• Here is a great gateway to all things Advanced Installer.
• installing services, how-to.

Installshield - quick download

• The old and established market leader tool Installshield features a very rich set of functionality capable of delivering advanced setup requirements.
• There is an Installshield Lite version. Unsure of its feature set. Costs money.
• Service FAQ.

PACE suite - quick download

• Maybe search for "services" here - page 50.

Visual Studio Installer project type

• There is also the Visual Studio Installer project type in Visual Studio (VS 2017 sample).
• I would not really recommend this - especially if you have advanced deployment or automation requirements.
• It is very basic, and there are many severe limitations.

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MSI Tools: Comparisons and Descriptions

What are the above tools like in actual use? Here are some pragmatic observations and summaries:

• How to create windows installer (recommended overview).
• What installation product to use? InstallShield, WiX, Wise, Advanced Installer, etc (an aging, detailed comparison of these major MSI tools - very detailed and "pragmatic").

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Deployment Tools (General)

There are many further tools available to create create installers / setup.exe files of various kinds (not just MSI tools, but general purpose, legacy tools, multi-platform tools, etc...):

Stefan Kruger's Comprehensive Lists:

• Non-MSI installer tools: http://www.installsite.org/pages/en/tt_nonmsi.htm
• Windows installer tools: http://www.installsite.org/pages/en/msi/authoring.htm
• Sys-admin tools: http://www.installsite.org/pages/en/msi/admins.htm

Other Links:

• Cross-Platform Installers: Does an universal cross-platform installer exists? (non-MSI tools).

• dotNetInstaller: There is also the dotNetInstaller Setup Bootstrapper - which I have never used.

  • Here it is on github.com (source).
  • Just a bootstrapper (runs things in sequence for you, and then some), not a development tool as such. I find this tool "a bit weird".

Some General Links: And there are various other ways to deploy - for example with self-extracting zip archives and stuff like that. Not recommended, but some links:

• Error Creating a 7-zip installer package (7-Zip, iExpress and other self-extractor creators)
• Combine exe and msi file in one installer (recommended)
• Visual Studio 2017 Installer Project - include VC++ 2015 Redistributable (WiX Burn Quick Start)
• Additional Setup in Visual Studio Installer Projects