Unable to run SonarQube 5.3 as a service on Windows

Question

I'm unable to run SonarQube 5.3 as a service on Windows Server 2012 or windows 10. It runs fine using StartSonar.bat but when installed and run as a service there is the error

"The SonarQube service on Local Computer started then stopped. Some services stop automatically if they are not in use by other services or programs."

I've tried a specific service user with local admin access and the "Local System account" user with the same result.

I have tested starting the service specifying a desktop user with Local Administrator access which works OK but our policy is to use a specific service user for services.

I've tried using JDK 8 64bit and JDK 7 32 bit with the same results

Ther contents of sonar.log are

Using tick timer.
--> Wrapper Started as Service
server listening on port 32000.
Launching a JVM...
command: "C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0_72\bin\java.exe" -Djava.awt.headless=true -Xms3m -Xmx3m -Djava.library.path="./lib" -classpath "../../lib/jsw/wrapper-3.2.3.jar;../../lib/sonar-application-5.3.jar" -Dwrapper.key="Rfo5GpLfYyokZuoo" -Dwrapper.port=32000 -Dwrapper.jvm.port.min=31000 -Dwrapper.jvm.port.max=31999 -Dwrapper.debug="TRUE" -Dwrapper.pid=7932 -Dwrapper.version="3.2.3" -Dwrapper.native_library="wrapper" -Dwrapper.service="TRUE" -Dwrapper.cpu.timeout="10" -Dwrapper.jvmid=1 org.tanukisoftware.wrapper.WrapperSimpleApp org.sonar.application.App
JVM started (PID=3388)
WrapperManager class initialized by thread: main  Using classloader: sun.misc.Launcher$AppClassLoader@5c647e05
Wrapper (Version 3.2.3) http://wrapper.tanukisoftware.org
  Copyright 1999-2006 Tanuki Software, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.

Wrapper Manager: JVM #1
Running a 64-bit JVM.
Wrapper Manager: Registering shutdown hook
Wrapper Manager: Using wrapper
Load native library.  One or more attempts may fail if platform specific libraries do not exist.
Loading native library failed: wrapper-windows-x86-64.dll  Cause: java.lang.UnsatisfiedLinkError: no wrapper-windows-x86-64 in java.library.path
Loaded native library: wrapper.dll
Calling native initialization method.
Initializing WrapperManager native library.
Java Executable: C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0_72\bin\java.exe
Windows version: 6.3.9600
Java Version   : 1.8.0_72-b15 Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM
Java VM Vendor : Oracle Corporation

Control event monitor thread started.
Startup runner thread started.
WrapperManager.start(org.tanukisoftware.wrapper.WrapperSimpleApp@4f023edb, args[]) called by thread: main
Communications runner thread started.
Open socket to wrapper...Wrapper-Connection
Opened Socket from 31000 to 32000
Send a packet KEY : Rfo5GpLfYyokZuoo
handleSocket(Socket[addr=/127.0.0.1,port=32000,localport=31000])
accepted a socket from 127.0.0.1 on port 31000
read a packet KEY : Rfo5GpLfYyokZuoo
Got key from JVM: Rfo5GpLfYyokZuoo
send a packet LOW_LOG_LEVEL : 1
send a packet PING_TIMEOUT : 0
send a packet PROPERTIES : (Property Values)
Start Application.
send a packet START : start
Received a packet LOW_LOG_LEVEL : 1
Wrapper Manager: LowLogLevel from Wrapper is 1
Received a packet PING_TIMEOUT : 0
PingTimeout from Wrapper is 0
Received a packet PROPERTIES : (Property Values)
Received a packet START : start
calling WrapperListener.start()
Waiting for WrapperListener.start runner thread to complete.
WrapperListener.start runner thread started.
WrapperSimpleApp: start(args) Will wait up to 2 seconds for the main method to complete.
WrapperSimpleApp: invoking main method
Wrapper Manager: ShutdownHook started
WrapperManager.stop(0) called by thread: Wrapper-Shutdown-Hook
Send a packet STOP : 0
Startup runner thread stopped.
read a packet STOP : 0
JVM requested a shutdown. (0)
wrapperStopProcess(0) called.
Sending stop signal to JVM
send a packet STOP : NULL
Send a packet START_PENDING : 5000
read a packet START_PENDING : 5000
JVM signalled a start pending with waitHint of 5000 millis.
Thread, Wrapper-Shutdown-Hook, handling the shutdown process.
shutdownJVM(0) Thread:Wrapper-Shutdown-Hook
Send a packet STOPPED : 0
read a packet STOPPED : 0
JVM signalled that it was stopped.
Closing socket.
socket read no code (closed?).
server listening on port 32002.
Send a packet START_PENDING : 5000
Wrapper Manager: ShutdownHook complete
WrapperSimpleApp: start(args) end.  Main Completed=false, exitCode=null
WrapperListener.start runner thread stopped.
JVM process exited with a code of 0, leaving the wrapper exit code set to 0.
JVM exited normally.
<-- Wrapper Stopped
--> Wrapper Started as Service
Using tick timer.
server listening on port 32000.
Launching a JVM...
command: "C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0_72\bin\java.exe" -Djava.awt.headless=true -Xms3m -Xmx3m -Djava.library.path="./lib" -classpath "../../lib/jsw/wrapper-3.2.3.jar;../../lib/sonar-application-5.3.jar" -Dwrapper.key="dvwrESWxTion4Weh" -Dwrapper.port=32000 -Dwrapper.jvm.port.min=31000 -Dwrapper.jvm.port.max=31999 -Dwrapper.debug="TRUE" -Dwrapper.pid=4304 -Dwrapper.version="3.2.3" -Dwrapper.native_library="wrapper" -Dwrapper.service="TRUE" -Dwrapper.cpu.timeout="10" -Dwrapper.jvmid=1 org.tanukisoftware.wrapper.WrapperSimpleApp org.sonar.application.App
JVM started (PID=376)
WrapperManager class initialized by thread: main  Using classloader: sun.misc.Launcher$AppClassLoader@5c647e05
Wrapper (Version 3.2.3) http://wrapper.tanukisoftware.org
  Copyright 1999-2006 Tanuki Software, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.

Wrapper Manager: JVM #1
Running a 64-bit JVM.
Wrapper Manager: Registering shutdown hook
Wrapper Manager: Using wrapper
Load native library.  One or more attempts may fail if platform specific libraries do not exist.
Loading native library failed: wrapper-windows-x86-64.dll  Cause: java.lang.UnsatisfiedLinkError: no wrapper-windows-x86-64 in java.library.path
Loaded native library: wrapper.dll
Calling native initialization method.
Initializing WrapperManager native library.
Java Executable: C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0_72\bin\java.exe
Windows version: 6.3.9600
Java Version   : 1.8.0_72-b15 Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM
Java VM Vendor : Oracle Corporation

Control event monitor thread started.
Startup runner thread started.
WrapperManager.start(org.tanukisoftware.wrapper.WrapperSimpleApp@4f023edb, args[]) called by thread: main
Communications runner thread started.
Open socket to wrapper...Wrapper-Connection
Opened Socket from 31000 to 32000
Send a packet KEY : dvwrESWxTion4Weh
handleSocket(Socket[addr=/127.0.0.1,port=32000,localport=31000])
accepted a socket from 127.0.0.1 on port 31000
read a packet KEY : dvwrESWxTion4Weh
Got key from JVM: dvwrESWxTion4Weh
send a packet LOW_LOG_LEVEL : 1
send a packet PING_TIMEOUT : 0
send a packet PROPERTIES : (Property Values)
Start Application.
send a packet START : start
Received a packet LOW_LOG_LEVEL : 1
Wrapper Manager: LowLogLevel from Wrapper is 1
Received a packet PING_TIMEOUT : 0
PingTimeout from Wrapper is 0
Received a packet PROPERTIES : (Property Values)
Received a packet START : start
calling WrapperListener.start()
Waiting for WrapperListener.start runner thread to complete.
WrapperListener.start runner thread started.
WrapperSimpleApp: start(args) Will wait up to 2 seconds for the main method to complete.
WrapperSimpleApp: invoking main method
Wrapper Manager: ShutdownHook started
WrapperManager.stop(0) called by thread: Wrapper-Shutdown-Hook
Send a packet STOP : 0
Startup runner thread stopped.
read a packet STOP : 0
JVM requested a shutdown. (0)
wrapperStopProcess(0) called.
Sending stop signal to JVM
send a packet STOP : NULL
Send a packet START_PENDING : 5000
read a packet START_PENDING : 5000
JVM signalled a start pending with waitHint of 5000 millis.
Thread, Wrapper-Shutdown-Hook, handling the shutdown process.
shutdownJVM(0) Thread:Wrapper-Shutdown-Hook
Send a packet STOPPED : 0
read a packet STOPPED : 0
JVM signalled that it was stopped.
Closing socket.
socket read no code (closed?).
server listening on port 32002.
Send a packet START_PENDING : 5000
Wrapper Manager: ShutdownHook complete
WrapperSimpleApp: start(args) end.  Main Completed=false, exitCode=null
WrapperListener.start runner thread stopped.
JVM process exited with a code of 0, leaving the wrapper exit code set to 0.
JVM exited normally.
<-- Wrapper Stopped

When running from the console using "StartSonar.bat" the following lines appear before sonar starts up which don't appear when running as a service

WrapperSimpleApp: start(args) Will wait up to 2 seconds for the main method to complete.
WrapperSimpleApp: invoking main method
2016.02.09 09:14:11 INFO  app[o.s.p.m.JavaProcessLauncher] Launch process[search]: C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0_72\jre\bin\java -Djava.awt.headless=true -Xmx1G -Xms256m -Xss256k -Djava.net.preferIPv4Stack=true -XX:+UseParNewGC -XX:+UseConcMarkSweepGC -XX:CMSInitiatingOccupancyFraction=75 -XX:+UseCMSInitiatingOccupancyOnly -XX:+HeapDumpOnOutOfMemoryError -Djava.io.tmpdir=D:\sonarqube-5.3\temp -cp ./lib/common/*;./lib/search/* org.sonar.search.SearchServer C:\Users\t8239\AppData\Local\Temp\sq-process7650225466698856396properties
2016.02.09 09:14:11 INFO   es[o.s.p.ProcessEntryPoint]  Starting search
2016.02.09 09:14:11 INFO   es[o.s.s.SearchSettings]  Elasticsearch listening on 127.0.0.1:9001

Is there's some sort of forking privilige required to start sonar through the wrapper ?

Answer 1

Another solution, which doesn't require changing the user from LocalSystem or giving additional privileges, is to specify the complete path to the java.exe binary in conf\wrapper.conf. Example:

wrapper.java.command=C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0_144\bin\java.exe

The hypothesis by andyd that the wrapper fails at forking the Java process is exactly what happened in my case, as an error message in the log file (in logs\sonar.log) reveals.

Specifying a normal user account was not a practical solution in my case because of the corporate password policy, which requires a password change every few weeks.

Answer 2

Configure SonarQube service to not use the Local System account, but another user with more privileges.

See
Running SonarQube as a Service on Windows
Migrate SonarQube from Tomcat to a Windows service

Answer 3

With the windows service user added locally and given desktop interaction priviliges I can now start the SonarQube service.