C# Signature:

[DllImport("advapi32")]
public static extern IntPtr CreateService(    
            IntPtr                hSCManager,
            string                lpServiceName,
            string                lpDisplayName,
            SC_MANAGER_ACCESS    dwDesiredAccess,
            SC_SERVICE_TYPE        dwServiceType,
            SC_START_TYPE        dwStartType,
            SC_ERROR_CONTROL    dwErrorControl,
            string                lpBinaryPathName,    // Make sure to double quote, and double escape
            string                lpLoadOrderGroup,    // Use null for no group
            IntPtr                lpdwTagId,    // Use null for no tag
            string                lpDependencies,    // Use null for no dependencies
            string                lpServiceStartName, // Use DOMAIN\USER
            string                lpPassword
            );

VB Signature:

    <DllImport("advapi32.dll", CharSet:=CharSet.Auto, SetLastError:=True)> _
    Private Shared Function CreateService(ByVal hSCManager As IntPtr, ByVal serviceName As String, _
                ByVal displayName As String, ByVal desiredAccess As Int32, ByVal serviceType As Int32, _
                ByVal startType As Int32, ByVal errorcontrol As Int32, ByVal binaryPathName As String, _
                ByVal loadOrderGroup As String, ByVal TagBY As Int32, ByVal dependencides As String, _
                ByVal serviceStartName As String, ByVal password As String) As IntPtr

User-Defined Types:

[Flags]
public enum SC_MANAGER_ACCESS : int
{
    CONNECT         = 0x0001,
    CREATE_SERVICE      = 0x0002,
    ENUMERATE_SERVICE   = 0x0004,
    LOCK        = 0x0008,
    QUERY_LOCK_STATUS   = 0x0010,
    MODIFY_BOOT_CONFIG  = 0x0020,

    ALL_ACCESS      =    // STANDARD_RIGHTS_REQUIRED      |
                CONNECT        |
                CREATE_SERVICE     |
                ENUMERATE_SERVICE  |
                LOCK           |
                QUERY_LOCK_STATUS  |
                MODIFY_BOOT_CONFIG
}

[Flags]
public enum SC_SERVICE_TYPE : int
{
    KERNEL_DRIVER      = 0x00000001,
    FILE_SYSTEM_DRIVER     = 0x00000002,
    ADAPTER        = 0x00000004,
    RECOGNIZER_DRIVER      = 0x00000008,

    DRIVER         = (KERNEL_DRIVER |
                FILE_SYSTEM_DRIVER |
                RECOGNIZER_DRIVER) ,

    WIN32_OWN_PROCESS      = 0x00000010,
    WIN32_SHARE_PROCESS    = 0x00000020,
    WIN32          =(WIN32_OWN_PROCESS |
                WIN32_SHARE_PROCESS),

    INTERACTIVE_PROCESS    = 0x00000100,

    TYPE_ALL           = (    WIN32  |
                ADAPTER |
                DRIVER  |
                INTERACTIVE_PROCESS)
}

public enum SC_START_TYPE : int
{
    SERVICE_BOOT_START        = 0x00000000,
    SERVICE_SYSTEM_START      = 0x00000001,
    SERVICE_AUTO_START        = 0x00000002,
    SERVICE_DEMAND_START      = 0x00000003,
    SERVICE_DISABLED          = 0x00000004
}

public enum SC_ERROR_CONTROL : int
{
    SERVICE_ERROR_IGNORE       = 0x00000000,
    SERVICE_ERROR_NORMAL       = 0x00000001,
    SERVICE_ERROR_SEVERE       = 0x00000002,
    SERVICE_ERROR_CRITICAL     = 0x00000003
}

Notes:

The 4th parameter from the end, TagBY, should - accordig to the API documention, be a ByRef parameter. Unfortunatly, the call only works if the parameter is ByVal.

Tips & Tricks:

Please add some!

Sample Code:

Dim scHandle As IntPtr = OpenSCManager(Nothing, Nothing, SC_MANAGER_ALL_ACCESS)
    Dim serviceName As String = "AAATestService"
    Dim displayName As String = "AAATestDisplayName"

    If OpenFileDialog1.ShowDialog() <> DialogResult.OK Then
        MsgBox("aborting")
    End If

    Dim pathName As String = Chr(34) & OpenFileDialog1.FileName & Chr(34)

    Dim serviceHandle As IntPtr = CreateService(scHandle, serviceName, displayName, SERVICE_ALL_ACCESS, SERVICE_WIN32_OWN_PROCESS, _
                SERVICE_AUTO_START, SERVICE_ERROR_NORMAL, pathName, Nothing, 0, Nothing, Nothing, Nothing)
    If serviceHandle.Equals(IntPtr.Zero) Then
        MsgBox(Marshal.GetLastWin32Error())
    End If

    CloseServiceHandle(serviceHandle)
    CloseHandle(scHandle)

Alternative Managed API:

System.ServiceProcess.ServiceInstaller - http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/cpref/html/frlrfSystemServiceProcessServiceInstallerClassTopic.asp

Please edit this page!

Do you have...

• helpful tips or sample code to share for using this API in managed code?
• corrections to the existing content?
• variations of the signature you want to share?
• additional languages you want to include?

Select "Edit This Page" on the right hand toolbar and edit it! Or add new pages containing supporting types needed for this API (structures, delegates, and more).