How to Run Any Application as a Windows Service | Complete Guide
Convert .exe, scripts, and programs to Windows services in minutes, no coding required.
What You'll Learn:
✓ Convert any executable to a Windows service
✓ Auto-start programs on Windows boot (before login)
✓ Auto-restart applications if they crash or freeze
✓ Manage process trees and child processes
✓ Run Python, Java, Node.js, batch files as services
What is a Windows Service?
A Windows service is a program that runs in the background without needing a user to log in. Unlike regular applications:
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Starts automatically when Windows boots up
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Runs invisibly in Session 0 (secure background environment)
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Continues running even after you log off
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Restarts automatically if it crashes (when configured)
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Managed by Windows Service Control Manager (SCM)
Common uses: Web servers (Apache, nginx), databases (MySQL, PostgreSQL), game servers (Minecraft, Rust), trading platforms (MetaTrader), backup utilities, monitoring tools, API servers, and custom business applications.
Why Run Your Application as a Windows Service?
Problems with Regular Applications:
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Must manually start after Windows boots
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Stop running when you log off
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Don't restart if they crash or freeze
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Child processes become orphaned when parent stops
Windows Service Advantages:
✅ Auto-start on boot - Runs before anyone logs in
✅ 24/7 operation - Continuous background execution
✅ Crash & freeze recovery - Automatic restart on failure
✅ Process tree management - Control parent + all child processes
✅ No user session needed - Perfect for servers
✅ Session 0 isolation - Secure execution with optional interactivity
Complete Setup Guide
Prerequisites
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✅ Windows 7/8/10/11 or Server 2008-2025
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✅ Administrator access
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✅ Your application/script
Supported Application Types
FireDaemon Pro works with any command-line program:
Executables: .exe files
Scripts: .bat, .cmd, .ps1, .py, .js, .jar
Interpreters: Python, Java, Node.js, PHP, Ruby
Servers: Web, database, game, API servers
No source code modification required - FireDaemon wraps your existing application.
Step 1. Install FireDaemon Pro to run your app as a Windows service
FireDaemon Pro creates Windows services from any program without coding. After installation, you'll see:
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FireDaemon Services - Services you create
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Windows System Services - Built-in services
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System Information - Hardware/OS details
Key capabilities:
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Monitors and auto-restarts crashed/frozen applications
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Starts programs at system boot (before user login)
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Manages entire process trees (parent + all child processes)
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Runs applications on Session 0 with optional interactivity
For more information, see System Information.
Dashboard
Step 2. Create a Windows service
(add an application)
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How to convert your exe/script to a Windows service:
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Click the + icon in FireDaemon Services tab
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Fill in required fields:
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Short Name: Internal ID (e.g., "MyWebServer")
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Display Name: Friendly name (e.g., "My Web Server")
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Program: Full path to executable (e.g., C:\Apps\myapp.exe)
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Working Directory: Where program runs (e.g., C:\Apps\)
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Click checkmark to save
Common examples:
Python: C:\Python39\python.exe
Arguments: C:\Scripts\myapp.py
Working Directory: C:\Scripts\
Java: C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-11\bin\java.exe
Arguments: -jar C:\Apps\myapp.jar
Working Directory: C:\Apps\
Batch: C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe
Arguments: /c C:\Scripts\startup.bat
Working Directory: C:\Scripts\
Node.js: C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.exe
Arguments: C:\Apps\server.js
Working Directory: C:\Apps\
Step 3. Advanced Service Settings
Configure user accounts, CPU priority, and process management.
User Account Types:
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Local System (default, highest privileges)
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Network Service (network access)
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Domain accounts (Active Directory users)
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MSA/gMSA (Managed Service Accounts - auto password rotation)
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Service SIDs (security hardening)
When to use gMSA: Automatic password rotation for domain services, enhanced security, compliance requirements.
CPU Management:
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Priority levels: Real-time, High, Normal, Low, Idle
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CPU Affinity: Bind to specific cores (prevent contention)
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NUMA nodes: Optimize for multi-socket servers
Process Tree Management (Job Groups):
Problem: Applications spawn child processes that become orphaned when parent stops.
Solution: Enable Job Groups for process containerization:
✅ Parent + ALL children treated as single unit
✅ Stop service = terminates entire process tree
✅ Restart restarts everything
Enable: Settings Tab → Check "Job Group"
Session 0 Isolation:
Services run in isolated Session 0 for security. FireDaemon allows you to switch to Session 0 to view/interact with your application's UI when debugging.
Settings Tab
Step 4. Automatic Restart on Crash & Freeze
Configure restart behavior when your program fails or hangs.
Failure Detection Types:
Crash Detection:
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Program exits with error
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Restart after X seconds
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Maximum restart attempts
Freeze Detection:
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Program stops responding
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Force-terminate after timeout
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Automatically restart
Flap Detection:
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Rapid crash/restart loops
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Stops restart attempts to prevent resource exhaustion
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Example: 5 crashes in 2 minutes triggers flap detection
Fail Detection:
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Recurring failures over time
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Escalate: stop trying, alert admin, shutdown computer
Graceful Shutdown:
Control how your application stops:
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Send Ctrl+C or Ctrl+Break to console apps
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Send WM_CLOSE to GUI apps
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Execute shutdown script
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Wait for dependencies, then force kill if timeout
Lifecycle Tab
Recommended production settings:
Crash: Restart after 10 seconds
Normal exit: Stop service (don't restart)
Freeze: Force kill after 60s, then restart
Max restarts: 3 attempts in 5 minutes
Flap: Stop after 5 crashes in 2 minutes
Shutdown: Send Ctrl+C, wait 30s, force kill
Step 5. Service Logging & Troubleshooting
Track service behavior and diagnose issues.
Logging Features:
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Console output capture (stdout/stderr)
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Debug logging (detailed events)
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Windows Event Log integration (SCOM, Splunk)
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Log rolling (automatic daily rotation)
Log location: C:\ProgramData\FireDaemon\Logs\[ServiceName]\
Common troubleshooting:
Problem Check For
Won't start Missing files, wrong paths, permissions
Starts then stops Application errors, missing dependencies
Runs but doesn't work Wrong working directory, missing environment variables
Hangs on startup Waiting for input, dialog boxes, network timeout
Logging Tab
Step 6. Service Dependancies
Control service startup order.
Your application may need other services running first:
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Database before web app
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Network service before API server
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License service before main app
How it works:
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List required services in Dependencies tab
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Windows waits for all dependencies to be "Running"
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Then starts your FireDaemon service
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Shutdown happens in reverse order
Example:
Web app needs SQL Server + Redis + RabbitMQ → Add all three as dependencies for guaranteed startup order.
Dependencies Tab
Step 7. Environment Variables
Set environment variables your application needs.
Common variables:
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PATH - Where to find executables
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JAVA_HOME - Java installation location
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NODE_ENV - Production vs development
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PYTHONPATH - Python module paths
Examples:
Java:
JAVA_HOME = C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-11
PATH = %JAVA_HOME%\bin;%PATH%
Python:
PYTHONPATH = C:\MyProject\lib
PYTHON_ENV = production
Node.js:
NODE_ENV = production
PORT = 3000
⚠️ Important: Variables evaluated top-to-bottom - order matters when variables reference each other.
For more information about environment variables, see Environment Variables.
Environment Tab
Step 8. Pre-Start & Post-Stop Actions
Run scripts before service starts or after it stops.
Launch Events (Before Start):
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Create required directories
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Check database connectivity
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Initialize configuration
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Verify prerequisites
Termination Events (After Stop):
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Clean up temporary files
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Send notifications
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Archive logs
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Backup data
Example:
Launch: C:\Scripts\check-database.bat
Wait: Yes
If fails: Don't start service
Termination: C:\Scripts\cleanup.bat
Wait: No (run in background)
Events Tab
Step 9. Scheduling Restarts
Automatically restart services at specific times.
Why schedule restarts:
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Clear memory leaks
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Daily maintenance
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Peak/off-peak hours
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Log rotation
Options:
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Daily at specific time (3 AM)
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Weekly (Sunday 2 AM)
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Every X hours
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Business hours only
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One-time batch jobs
Popular schedules:
Daily 3 AM restart: Clear memory, rotate logs
Every 12 hours: Prevent memory leak buildup
Business hours: 8 AM-6 PM Monday-Friday only
Scheduling Tab
Step 10. Dialogue Suppression
Handle popup dialogs that block service initialization.
Problem: Applications show dialogs (license agreements, update prompts, errors) that wait for user input - but no user is logged in.
Solution: Automatically detect and respond to dialogs:
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Click buttons (OK, Yes, Accept, Close)
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Suppress/hide entirely
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Send keystrokes
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Log dialog contents
Example:
Dialog title contains: "Check for Updates"
Action: Click "No" button
Log: Yes
Dialog title contains: "License Agreement"
Action: Click "Accept"
Dialogs Tab
Step 11. Service Recovery Options
Windows-level recovery if FireDaemon itself fails.
Two protection levels:
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Your app crashes - Lifecycle Tab handles this (Step 4)
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FireDaemon service fails - Recovery Tab handles this (rare)
Define the actions that are taken by the Windows Service Control Manager if the entire service fails (e.g. firedaemon.exe fails). Normally, you would not need to configure Service Recovery as FireDaemon Pro would restart your program based on the options you have set in the Lifecycle tab.
Recommended:
First failure: Restart after 1 minute
Second failure: Restart after 5 minutes
Subsequent: Restart after 10 minutes
Reset count: After 1 day
Recovery Tab
Step 12. Service Organization & Tagging
Organize multiple services efficiently.
Service Tags help manage large deployments:
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Group by environment (production, staging, dev)
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Group by department (web-team, database-team)
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Group by type (web-servers, workers, monitoring)
Bulk operations:
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Start/stop/restart entire tagged groups
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Export configs for all "critical" services
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Monitor groups together
Step 13. Re-brand using your corporate theme
Rebrand FireDaemon with your company identity.
Customize:
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Splash screen and logos
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Product name
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Application icons
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Help documentation
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Executable names
Use cases:
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MSPs deploying to clients
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Software vendors bundling with products
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Enterprise IT standardization
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System integrators
Note: Available in FireDaemon Pro OEM with royalty-free redistribution.
Rebrand and Theme
Step 14. Licensing and registration
Activate FireDaemon Pro.
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Click "i" icon (information)
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Choose Buy Now or License
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Enter license key
Buy & License
View all Topics
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run any .exe as a Windows service?
Yes, FireDaemon converts any executable or script to a Windows service without modifying source code.
Will my service start before I log in?
Yes, services start during Windows boot via Service Control Manager, before any user login.
What happens if my application crashes?
FireDaemon automatically detects crashes and restarts based on your Lifecycle tab configuration.
What happens if my application freezes?
Freeze detection monitors responsiveness and force-terminates/restarts frozen applications.
Can I run multiple instances of the same program?
Yes, create multiple FireDaemon services with different names and parameters.
Does it work on Windows 11 and Server 2022?
Yes, supports Windows 7-11 and Server 2008-2025.
What is gMSA and should I use it?
Group Managed Service Accounts provide automatic password rotation. Recommended for domain environments.
Where are logs stored?
C:\ProgramData\FireDaemon\Logs\[ServiceName]\
My service works manually but not as a service - why?
Common causes: wrong working directory, missing environment variables, different user permissions, or interactive dialogs. See troubleshooting section above.
What happens to child processes when I stop the service?
Enable Job Groups in Settings tab to automatically terminate all child processes with the parent.
Command Line Automation (DevOps)
Automate service creation and management via CLI.
REM Create service
firedaemonc.exe --create "MyService" --program "C:\app.exe"
REM Start/stop
firedaemonc.exe --start "MyService"
firedaemonc.exe --stop "MyService"
REM Export/import configs
firedaemonc.exe --export "MyService" "C:\config.xml"
firedaemonc.exe --import "C:\config.xml"
Integrate with:
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Ansible playbooks
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Puppet manifests
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PowerShell DSC
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Chef recipes
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CI/CD pipelines
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Golden image deployments
View complete CLI documentation
Remote Management (FireDaemon Fusion)
Manage services across multiple servers from one dashboard.
Features:
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Monitor 100+ servers simultaneously
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Start/stop/restart remotely
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Deploy configs to multiple machines
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Centralized logging
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Real-time status updates
Use cases: Server farms, MSP deployments, multi-tenant environments, disaster recovery.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Service Won't Start
Error 1053 - Service failed to start:
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Verify program path is correct
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Check application logs for errors
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Ensure working directory exists
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Test running manually first
Access Denied:
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Run as user with proper permissions (Settings tab)
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Grant folder permissions to service account
Works Manually But Not As Service
Most common issue!
Check these differences:
Aspect & Solution
Working Directory: Set correctly in Program tab
Environment Variables: Add to Environment tab
User Account: Use domain account if needs network access
Dialogs: Suppress in Dialogs tab
Debug process:
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Enable debug logging
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Check logs: C:\ProgramData\FireDaemon\Logs\
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Compare environment: manual vs service
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Adjust Settings/Environment tabs
Child Processes Orphaned
Problem: Parent stops but children keep running.
Fix: Enable Job Groups in Settings tab - treats entire process tree as single unit.
Service Keeps Crashing
Flapping detected:
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Check stderr logs for crash cause
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Common: missing dependencies, port conflicts, config errors
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Enable flap detection to prevent endless loops
View complete troubleshooting guide
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Application Setup Guide?
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