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      --><title>Running Apache for Windows as a Service - Apache HTTP Server</title><link href="../style/css/manual.css" rel="stylesheet" media="all" type="text/css" title="Main stylesheet" /><link href="../style/css/manual-loose-100pc.css" rel="alternate stylesheet" media="all" type="text/css" title="No Sidebar - Default font size" /><link href="../style/css/manual-print.css" rel="stylesheet" media="print" type="text/css" /><link href="../images/favicon.ico" rel="shortcut icon" /></head><body id="manual-page"><div id="page-header"><p class="menu"><a href="../mod/">Modules</a> | <a href="../mod/directives.html">Directives</a> | <a href="../faq/">FAQ</a> | <a href="../glossary.html">Glossary</a> | <a href="../sitemap.html">Sitemap</a></p><p class="apache">Apache HTTP Server Version 2.0</p><img alt="" src="../images/feather.gif" /></div><div class="up"><a href="./"><img title="&lt;-" alt="&lt;-" src="../images/left.gif" /></a></div><div id="path"><a href="http://www.apache.org/">Apache</a> &gt; <a href="http://httpd.apache.org/">HTTP Server</a> &gt; <a href="http://httpd.apache.org/docs-project/">Documentation</a> &gt; <a href="../">Version 2.0</a></div><div id="page-content"><div id="preamble"><h1>Running Apache for Windows as a Service</h1>

    <p>Apache can be run as a service on Windows NT/2000. (There is
    also some HIGHLY EXPERIMENTAL support for similar behavior on
    <a href="#win95svc">Windows 95/98</a>, introduced with Apache
    1.3.13).</p>

    <p>Installing Apache as a service should only be done once you
    can successfully run it in a console window. See <a href="windows.html">Using Apache with Microsoft Windows</a>
    before you attempt to install or run Apache as a service.
    Changes to the <code>httpd.conf</code> file should always be
    followed by starting Apache as a console window. If this
    succeeds, the service should succeed.</p>

    <div class="note"><strong>Prior to version 1.3.13, the configuration was
    <em>not tested</em> prior to performing the
    installation</strong>, and a lack of service dependencies often
    caused the console window to succeed, but the service would
    still fail. See <a href="#service">below</a> if you are having
    problems running a version of Apache prior to 1.3.13 to resolve
    the issue. If you have this problem with version 1.3.13 or
    greater, first try uninstalling (<code>-u</code>) and re-installing
    (<code>-i</code>) the Apache service.</div>

    <p>To start Apache as a service, you first need to install it
    as a service. Multiple Apache services can be installed, each
    with a different name and configuration. To install the default
    Apache service named "Apache", run the "Install Apache as
    Service (NT only)" option from the Start menu. Once this is
    done you can start the "Apache" service by opening the Services
    window (in the Control Panel), selecting Apache, then clicking
    on Start. Apache will now be running, hidden in the background.
    You can later stop Apache by clicking on Stop. As an
    alternative to using the Services window, you can start and
    stop the "Apache" service from the command line with</p>

    <div class="example"><p><code>
      NET START APACHE<br />
      NET STOP APACHE
    </code></p></div>

    <p>See <a href="#signal">Controlling Apache as a Service</a>
    for more information on installing and controlling Apache
    services.</p>

    <div class="note"><h3>Note</h3>
    Apache, unlike many other Windows NT/2000 services,
    logs any errors to its own error.log file in the logs folder
    within the Apache server root folder. You will <em>not</em>
    find Apache error details in the Windows NT Event
    Log.</div>

    <p>After starting Apache as a service (or if you have trouble
    starting it) you can test it using the same <a href="windows.html#cmdline">procedure</a> as for running in a
    console window. Remember to use the command:</p>

    <div class="example"><p><code>
      apache -n "service name"
    </code></p></div>

    <p>to assure you are using the service's configuration.</p>

  </div><div id="quickview"><ul id="toc"><li><img alt="" src="../images/down.gif" /> <a href="#service">Running Apache for Windows as a Service</a></li><li><img alt="" src="../images/down.gif" /> <a href="#depends">Important Note on service dependencies:</a></li><li><img alt="" src="../images/down.gif" /> <a href="#account">User Account for Apache Service to Run As (NT/2000)</a></li><li><img alt="" src="../images/down.gif" /> <a href="#trouble">Troubleshooting Apache for Windows as a Service</a></li><li><img alt="" src="../images/down.gif" /> <a href="#cmdline">Running Apache for Windows from the Command Line</a></li><li><img alt="" src="../images/down.gif" /> <a href="#signal">Controlling Apache as a Service</a></li><li><img alt="" src="../images/down.gif" /> <a href="#win95svc">HIGHLY EXPERIMENTAL Windows 95/98 Service</a></li></ul></div><div class="top"><a href="#page-header"><img alt="top" src="../images/up.gif" /></a></div><div class="section"><h2><a name="service" id="service">Running Apache for Windows as a Service</a></h2>

    

    <div class="note"><strong>The <code>-n</code> option to specify a service
    name is only available with Apache 1.3.7 and later.</strong>
    Earlier versions of Apache only support the default service name
    "Apache".</div>

    <p>You can install Apache as a Windows NT service as
    follows:</p>

    <div class="example"><p><code>
      apache -i -n "service name"
    </code></p></div>

    <p>To install a service to use a particular configuration,
    specify the configuration file when the service is
    installed:</p>

    <div class="example"><p><code>
      apache -i -n "service name" -f "\my server\conf\my.conf"
    </code></p></div>

    <p>To remove an Apache service, use:</p>

    <div class="example"><p><code>
      apache -u -n "service name"
    </code></p></div>

    <p>The default "service name", if one is not specified, is
    "Apache".</p>

    <p>Once a service is installed, you can use the <code>-n</code>
    option, in conjunction with other options, to refer to a
    service's configuration file. For example:</p>

    <p>To test a service's configuration file:</p>

    <div class="example"><p><code>
      apache -n "service name" -t
    </code></p></div>

    <p>To start a console Apache using a service's configuration
    file:</p>

    <div class="example"><p><code>
      apache -n "service name"
    </code></p></div>

  </div><div class="top"><a href="#page-header"><img alt="top" src="../images/up.gif" /></a></div><div class="section"><h2><a name="depends" id="depends">Important Note on service dependencies:</a></h2>

    

    <p>Prior to Apache release 1.3.13, the dependencies required to
    successfully start an installed service were not configured.
    After installing a service using earlier versions of Apache,
    you must follow these steps:</p>

    <div class="example"><p><code>
      Run regedt32 <br />
      Select Window - "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE on Local Machine" from the menu <br />
      Double-click to open the SYSTEM, then the CurrentControlSet keys <br />
      Scroll down and click on the Apache servicename <br />
      Select Edit - Add Value... from the menu <br />
      Fill in the Add Value dialog with <br />
          Value Name: DependOnGroup <br />
          Data Type: REG_MULTI_SZ <br />
          and click OK <br />
      Leave the Multi-String Editor dialog empty and click OK <br />
      Select Edit - Add Value... from the menu <br />
      Fill in the Add Value dialog with <br />
          Value Name: DependOnService <br />
          Data Type: REG_MULTI_SZ <br />
          and click OK <br />
      Type the following list (one per line) in the Multi-String Editor dialog <br />
          Tcpip <br />
          Afd <br />
          and click OK <br />
    </code></p></div>

    <p>If you are using COM or DCOM components from a third party
    module, ISAPI, or other add-in scripting technologies such as
    ActiveState Perl, you may also need to add the entry Rpcss to
    the DependOnService list. To avoid exposing the TCP port 135
    when it is unnecessary, Apache does not create that entry upon
    installation. Follow the directions above to find or create the
    DependOnService value, double click that value if it already
    exists, and add the Rpcss entry to the list.</p>

  </div><div class="top"><a href="#page-header"><img alt="top" src="../images/up.gif" /></a></div><div class="section"><h2><a name="account" id="account">User Account for Apache Service to Run As (NT/2000)</a></h2>

    

    <p>When Apache is first installed as a service (e.g. with the
    <code>-i</code> option) it will run as user "System" (the LocalSystem
    account). There should be few issues if all resources for the
    web server reside on the local system, but it has broad
    security privileges to affect the local machine!</p>

    <div class="note">LocalSystem is a very privileged account locally, so you
    shouldn't run any shareware applications there. However, it
    has no network privileges and cannot leave the machine via
    any NT-secured mechanism, including file system, named pipes,
    DCOM, or secure RPC.</div>

    <p><strong>NEVER grant network privileges to the SYSTEM
    account!</strong> Create a new user account instead, grant the
    appropriate privileges to that user, and use the the "Log On
    As:" option. Select the Start Menu -&gt; Settings -&gt; Control
    Panel -&gt; Services -&gt; apache service ... and click the
    "Startup" button to access this setting.</p>

    <div class="note">A service that runs in the context of the LocalSystem account
    inherits the security context of the SCM. It is not
    associated with any logged-on user account and does not have
    credentials (domain name, user name, and password) to be used
    for verification.</div>

    <p>The SYSTEM account has no privileges to the network, so
    shared pages or a shared installation of Apache is invisible to
    the service. If you intend to use <em>any</em> network
    resources, the following steps should help:</p>

    <ul>
      <li>Select Apache from the Control Panel's Service dialog and
      click Startup.</li>

      <li>Verify that the service account is correct. You may wish
      to create an account for your Apache services.</li>

      <li>Retype the password and password confirmation.</li>

      <li>Go to User Manager for Domains.</li>

      <li>Click on Policies from the title bar menu, and select
      User Rights.</li>

      <li>Select the option for Advanced User Rights.</li>

      <li>
        In the drop-down list, verify that the following rights
        have been granted to the selected account:

        <ul>
          <li>Act as part of the operating system</li>

          <li>Back up files and directories</li>

          <li>Log on as a service</li>

          <li>Restore files and directories</li>
        </ul>
      </li>

      <li>Confirm that the selected account is a member of the
      Users group.</li>

      <li>Confirm the selected account has access to all
      <code>document</code> and <code>script</code>
      directories (minimally read and browse access).</li>

      <li>Confirm the selected account has read/write/delete access
      to the Apache <code>logs</code> directory!</li>
    </ul>

    <p>If you allow the account to log in as a user, then you can
    log in yourself and test that the account has the privileges to
    execute the scripts, read the web pages, and that you can start
    Apache in a console window. If this works, and you have
    followed the steps above, Apache should execute as a service
    with no problems.</p>

    <div class="note"><strong>Error code 2186</strong> is a good indication
    that you need to review the "Log On As" configuration, since
    the server can't access a required network resource.</div>

  </div><div class="top"><a href="#page-header"><img alt="top" src="../images/up.gif" /></a></div><div class="section"><h2><a name="trouble" id="trouble">Troubleshooting Apache for Windows as a Service</a></h2>

    

    <p>When starting Apache as a service you may encounter an error
    message from Windows service manager. For example if you try to
    start Apache using the Services applet in Windows Control Panel
    you may get the following message:</p>

    <div class="example"><p><code>
      Could not start the apache service on \\COMPUTER <br />
      Error 1067; The process terminated unexpectedly.
    </code></p></div>

    <p>You will get this error if there is any problem starting
    Apache. In order to see what is causing the problem you should
    follow the instructions for <a href="windows.html#cmdline">Running Apache for Windows from the
    Command Line</a>.</p>

    <p>Also, Apache 1.3.13 now records startup errors in the
    Application Event Log under Windows NT/2000, if Apache is run
    as a service. Run the Event Viewer and select Log ...
    Application to see these events.</p>

    <div class="note"><strong>Check the Application Event Log with the Event
    Viewer in case of any problems, even if no error message pops
    up to warn you that an error occured.</strong></div>

  </div><div class="top"><a href="#page-header"><img alt="top" src="../images/up.gif" /></a></div><div class="section"><h2><a name="cmdline" id="cmdline">Running Apache for Windows from the Command Line</a></h2>

    

    <p>For details on controlling Apache service from the command
    line, please refer to <a href="windows.html#cmdline">console
    command line</a> section.</p>

  </div><div class="top"><a href="#page-header"><img alt="top" src="../images/up.gif" /></a></div><div class="section"><h2><a name="signal" id="signal">Controlling Apache as a Service</a></h2>

    

    <p>Multiple instances of Apache can be installed and run as
    services. Signal an installed Apache service to start, restart,
    or shutdown/stop as follows:</p>

    <div class="example"><p><code>
      apache -n "service name" -k start <br />
      apache -n "service name" -k restart <br />
      apache -n "service name" -k shutdown <br />
      apache -n "service name" -k stop
    </code></p></div>

    <p>For the default "Apache" service, the <code>-n</code> Apache
    option is still required, since the <code>-k</code> commands without
    the <code>-n</code> option are directed at Apache running in a console
    window. The quotes are only required if the service name contains spaces.</p>

    <div class="note"><strong>Note the <code>-k stop</code> alias for the
    <code>-k shutdown</code> command was introduced in Apache version
    1.3.13.</strong> Earlier versions of Apache will only recognize the
    <code>-k shutdown</code> option. Prior to 1.3.3, Apache did not
    recognize <em>any</em> <code>-k</code> options at all!</div>

    <p>In addition, you can use the native NT <code>NET</code> command
    to start and stop Apache services as follows:</p>

    <div class="example"><p><code>
      NET START "service name" <br />
      NET STOP "service name"
    </code></p></div>

    <p>Again, quotes are only required if the service name contains
    spaces.</p>

  </div><div class="top"><a href="#page-header"><img alt="top" src="../images/up.gif" /></a></div><div class="section"><h2><a name="win95svc" id="win95svc">HIGHLY EXPERIMENTAL Windows 95/98 Service</a></h2>

    

    <div class="note"><strong>The service options for Windows 95 and 98 are
    only available with Apache 1.3.13 and later.</strong> Earlier
    versions of Apache only supported Apache in a console window
    for Windows 95/98.</div>

    <p>There is some support for Apache on Windows 95/98 to behave
    in a similar manner as a service on Windows NT/2000. It is
    <em>highly experimental</em>, if it works (at all) the Apache
    Sofware Foundation will not attest to its reliability or
    future support. Proceed at your own risk!</p>

    <p>Once you have confirmed that Apache runs correctly at the <a href="windows.html#cmdline">Command Prompt</a> you can install,
    control and uninstall it with the same commands as the Windows
    NT/2000 version.</p>

    <p>There are, however, significant differences that you should
    note:</p>

    <p>Apache will attempt to start and if successful it will run
    in the background. If you run the command</p>

    <div class="example"><p><code>
      Apache -n "service name" -k start
    </code></p></div>

    <p>via a shortcut on your desktop, for example, then if the
    service starts successfully a console window will flash up but
    immediately disappears. If Apache detects any errors on startup
    such as a incorrect entries in the <code>httpd.conf</code> file,
    then the console window will remain visible. This will display
    an error message which will be useful in tracking down the cause
    of the problem.</p>

    <p>Windows 95/98 does not support <code>NET START</code> or
    <code>NET STOP</code> commands so you must use Apache's Service
    Control options at a command prompt. You may wish to set up a
    shortcut for each of these commands so that you can just choose
    it from the start menu or desktop to perform the required action.</p>

    <p>Apache and Windows 95/98 offer no support for running the
    Apache service as a specific user with network privileges. In
    fact, Windows 95/98 offers no security on the local machine,
    either. This is the simple reason that the Apache Software
    Foundation never endorses the use of Windows 95/98 as a public
    httpd server. These facilities exist only to assist the user in
    developing web content and learning the Apache server, and
    perhaps as a intranet server on a secured, private network.</p>

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