Debug a service application from startup

The article -- Debugging a Service Application provides pretty detailed information on debugging a service application. However, besides adding a ProgramName registry key under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options, where ProgramName is the name of the service application's executable file, and adjusting the service application timeout by adding or modifying a DWORD value called ServicesPipeTimeout under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control, in my recent experience, I have found that the following two items should be aware of as well.

• For WinDBG GUI to pop up, Allow service to interact with desktop option should be enabled for the service application.

• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ServicesPipeTimeout could affect the Windows startup time. For instance, when I changed its value to 86,400,000 (24 hours), it took my XP box about one day to fully start up! When I changed its value to 600,000 (10 minutes), it took my XP box about 10 minutes to fully start up.