Sc

Applies To: Windows 7, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Vista

Communicates with the Service Controller and installed services. The SC.exe program provides capabilities similar to those provided in Services in the Control Panel.

For the syntax of any of the commands in the following table, click the command name.

Sc Commands

Sc command	Description
Sc boot	Indicates whether the last boot should be saved as the last-known good boot configuration.
Sc config	Modifies the value of a service's entries in the registry and in the Service Control Manager database.
Sc continue	Sends a CONTINUE control request to a paused service.
Sc control	Sends a control to a service.
Sc create	Creates a subkey and entries for the service in the registry and in the Service Control Manager database.
Sc delete	Deletes a service subkey from the registry.
Sc description	Sets the description string for a service.
Sc enumdepend	Lists the services that cannot run unless the specified service is running.
Sc failure	Specifies one or more actions to be taken if a particular service fails.
Sc failureflag	Specifies whether to trigger recovery actions when a service stops as the result of an error.
Sc getdisplayname	Gets the display name associated with a particular service.
Sc getkeyname	Gets the key name associated with a particular service, using the display name as input.
Sc interrogate	Sends an INTERROGATE control request to a service.
Sc lock	Locks the Service Control Manager's database.
Sc pause	Sends a PAUSE control request to a service.
Sc qc	Queries the configuration information for a service.
Sc qdescription	Displays a service's description string.
Sc qfailure	Displays the actions that will be performed if the specified service fails.
Sc query	Obtains and displays information about the specified service, driver, type of service, or type of driver.
Sc queryex	Obtains and displays detailed information about the specified service, driver, type of service, or type of driver.
Sc querylock	Queries and displays the lock status for the Service Control Manager database.
Sc sdset	Sets a service's security descriptor, using Security Descriptor Definition Language (SDDL).
Sc sdshow	Displays a service's security descriptor, using SDDL.
Sc start	Starts a service.
Sc stop	Sends a STOP control request to a service.

Remarks

• SC.exe retrieves and sets control information about services.

• You can use SC.exe for testing and debugging service programs.

• Service properties stored in the registry can be set to control how service applications are started at boot time and can be run as background processes.

• You can use the SC.exe parameters to configure a specific service, retrieve the current status of a service, and stop and start a service.

• You can create batch files that call various SC.exe commands to automate the startup or shutdown sequence of services.

Additional references

Command-Line Syntax Key