Running Selenium Server as a windows service
Prerequisites:
Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit Tools
Selenium Server (I'll go with selenium-server-standalone-2.5.0.jar)
Create a folder named Selenium in your C drive e and copy entire content of your downloaded selenium grid zip file into newly created folder .i.e.
C:\Selenium
in command prompt change directory to your windows resource kit i.e.
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Resource Kits\Tools
Run the syntax below to install a windows service name Selenium RC i.e.
instsrv.exe "Selenium RC" "c:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Resource Kits\Tools\srvany.exe"
instsrv.exe installs the service
srvany.exe arguments will set up the service requirements, this could be passed with a selenium username and password if required
save the text below as a registry file i.e.
Note: Remember to back up your windows registry before merging any registry file
reg_selenium.reg
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Selenium RC\Parameters] "Application"="C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Java\\jre6\\bin\\java.exe" "AppDirectory"="C:\\Selenium" "AppParameters"="-Xrs -jar selenium-server-standalone-2.5.0.jar"
set service credentials to local system and check allow service to interact with desktop under the logon tab
start your service and delete that stoooopid bat used to start selenium on your server :0]
NB: Selenium RC service runs in a new windows workstation, automation scripts will also run in the new workstation, windows will provide a prompt to view this. I'll save running a Selenium-GRID server as a service and hooking multiple browser instances of selenium RC