How to detect the status of the SQL Server Express service or start the SQL Server Express service by using Visual Basic or Visual C# (912426)

MORE INFORMATION

1. Start Visual Studio 2005.
2. On the File menu, point to New, and then click Project.
3. Click Visual Basic or Visual C# under Project types, and then click Console Application under Visual Studio installed templates.
   
   Note By default, the Module1.vb file is created in the Visual Basic project. By default, the Program.cs file is created in the Visual C# project.
4. Use ConsoleApplication1 as the name in the Name box, and then click OK.
5. Add a reference to the "System.ServiceProcess" namespace. To do this, follow these steps:
   1. On the Project menu, click Add Reference.
   2. Click the .NET tab, click System.ServiceProcess, and then click OK.
6. Replace the existing code with the following code.
   
   Note Replace the code in the Module1.vb file in the Visual Basic project. Replace the code in the Program.cs file in the Visual C# project.
   
   Visual Basic

   Imports System
   Imports System.ServiceProcess
   
   Module Module1
   
       Sub Main()
   
           Dim myServiceName As String = "MSSQL$SQLEXPRESS" 'service name of SQL Server Express
           Dim status As String  'service status (For example, Running or Stopped)
           Dim mySC As ServiceController
   
           Console.WriteLine("Service: " & myServiceName)
   
           'display service status: For example, Running, Stopped, or Paused
           mySC = New ServiceController(myServiceName)
           Try
               status = mySC.Status.ToString
           Catch ex As Exception
               Console.WriteLine("Service not found. It is probably not installed. [exception=" & ex.Message & "]")
               Console.ReadLine()
               End
           End Try
           Console.WriteLine("Service status : " & status)
   
           'if service is Stopped or StopPending, you can run it with the following code.
           If mySC.Status.Equals(ServiceControllerStatus.Stopped) Or mySC.Status.Equals(ServiceControllerStatus.StopPending) Then
               Try
                   Console.WriteLine("Starting the service...")
                   mySC.Start()
                   mySC.WaitForStatus(ServiceControllerStatus.Running)
                   Console.WriteLine("The service is now " & mySC.Status.ToString)
   
               Catch ex As Exception
                   Console.WriteLine("Error in starting the service: " & ex.Message)
               End Try
           End If
   
           Console.WriteLine("Press a key to end the application...")
           Console.ReadLine()
           End
       End Sub
   End Module

   Visual C#

   using System;
   using System.Collections.Generic;
   using System.Text;
   using System.ServiceProcess;
   
   namespace ConsoleApplication1
   {
       class Program
       {
           static void Main()
           {
   
               string myServiceName = "MSSQL$SQLEXPRESS"; //service name of SQL Server Express
               string status; //service status (For example, Running or Stopped)
   
               Console.WriteLine("Service: " + myServiceName);
   
               //display service status: For example, Running, Stopped, or Paused
               ServiceController mySC = new ServiceController(myServiceName);
   
               try
               {
                   status = mySC.Status.ToString();
               }
               catch (Exception ex)
               {
                   Console.WriteLine("Service not found. It is probably not installed. [exception=" + ex.Message + "]");
                   Console.ReadLine();
   
                   return;
   
               }
   
               //display service status: For example, Running, Stopped, or Paused
               Console.WriteLine("Service status : " + status);
   
               //if service is Stopped or StopPending, you can run it with the following code.
               if (mySC.Status.Equals(ServiceControllerStatus.Stopped) | mySC.Status.Equals(ServiceControllerStatus.StopPending))
               {
                   try
                   {
                       Console.WriteLine("Starting the service...");
                       mySC.Start();
                       mySC.WaitForStatus(ServiceControllerStatus.Running);
                       Console.WriteLine("The service is now " + mySC.Status.ToString());
                   }
                   catch (Exception ex)
                   {
                       Console.WriteLine("Error in starting the service: " + ex.Message);
   
                   }
   
               }
   
               Console.WriteLine("Press a key to end the application...");
               Console.ReadLine();
   
               return;
   
           }
   
       }
   }

7. Press CTRL+F5 to run the program.