[c#] .NET console application as Windows service

So here's the complete walkthrough:

  1. Create new Console Application project (e.g. MyService)
  2. Add two library references: System.ServiceProcess and System.Configuration.Install
  3. Add the three files printed below
  4. Build the project and run "InstallUtil.exe c:\path\to\MyService.exe"
  5. Now you should see MyService on the service list (run services.msc)

*InstallUtil.exe can be usually found here: C:\windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\InstallUtil.ex??e

Program.cs

using System;
using System.IO;
using System.ServiceProcess;

namespace MyService
{
    class Program
    {
        public const string ServiceName = "MyService";

        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            if (Environment.UserInteractive)
            {
                // running as console app
                Start(args);

                Console.WriteLine("Press any key to stop...");
                Console.ReadKey(true);

                Stop();
            }
            else
            {
                // running as service
                using (var service = new Service())
                {
                    ServiceBase.Run(service);
                }
            }
        }

        public static void Start(string[] args)
        {
            File.AppendAllText(@"c:\temp\MyService.txt", String.Format("{0} started{1}", DateTime.Now, Environment.NewLine));
        }

        public static void Stop()
        {
            File.AppendAllText(@"c:\temp\MyService.txt", String.Format("{0} stopped{1}", DateTime.Now, Environment.NewLine));
        }
    }
}

MyService.cs

using System.ServiceProcess;

namespace MyService
{
    class Service : ServiceBase
    {
        public Service()
        {
            ServiceName = Program.ServiceName;
        }

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

        protected override void OnStop()
        {
            Program.Stop();
        }
    }
}

MyServiceInstaller.cs

using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Configuration.Install;
using System.ServiceProcess;

namespace MyService
{
    [RunInstaller(true)]
    public class MyServiceInstaller : Installer
    {
        public MyServiceInstaller()
        {
            var spi = new ServiceProcessInstaller();
            var si = new ServiceInstaller();

            spi.Account = ServiceAccount.LocalSystem;
            spi.Username = null;
            spi.Password = null;

            si.DisplayName = Program.ServiceName;
            si.ServiceName = Program.ServiceName;
            si.StartType = ServiceStartMode.Automatic;

            Installers.Add(spi);
            Installers.Add(si);
        }
    }
}

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