Sabnzbd Service

Sabnzbd Service Install Guide

NOTE: It appears that Windows 7 is no longer allowing users to merge .reg files into the Windows registry. You must manually add the Parameter key and string values to your registry. Please refer to the video as we walk you through how to add these keys and values to your windows registry.

NOTE: It appears that Windows 7 no longer allows users to create a service for a program inside of the “Program Files” folder.

To preface, newer versions of Sabnzbd have built in service support. However, I find that the older method of install Sabnzbd as a service is more reliable. For this service install, and all service installs found at htpc build I will use this method.

NOTE: This guide assume that you have the Windows Resource Kit 2003. This will enable you to install Sabnzbd as a service. If you do not have the Windows Resource Kit please visit HTPCBuilds.com Window Resource Kit Install Guide.

1. We first need to create the service Sabnzbd. We need to open a windows command prompt. The command prompt needs elevated user rights to install a service. There are two ways to open a elevated command prompt:

  • Go to your start menu, and type into the search ‘cmd’. Your computer should automatically find the Command Prompt. By simultaneously hitting CTRL, SHIFT, & ENTER, you will launch an elevated instance of the command prompt. The Windows User Account Control will prompt you to confirm that you executed this command. Click “Yes”.
  • Go to your start menu and navigate to All Programs -> Accessories and right click on Command Prompt then select “Run as Administrator”. The Windows User Account Control will prompt you to confirm that you executed this command. Click “Yes”.
You should now have an elevated command prompt. To confirm this is a elevated command prompt, check to see if your command prompt displays “C:\Windows\System32″. If your command prompt does not display this directory, and instead displays “C:\User\XXXXXX\” where XXXX is your username, then you do not have an elevated command prompt.
Elevated
Not Elevated

2. In your elevated command prompt type and execute the following command:

instsrv SABnzbd “C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Resource Kit\Tools\srvany.exe”

The command prompt will echo back that the service has installed successfully.

3. Now that your service is installed we need to add a TCPIP dependency to the service. To add the dependency type and execute the following command:

sc config SABnzbd depend= Tcpip

The command prompt should echo back that the service successfully has been changed.

4. Now that the service has been created, we need to add the proper parameters to help the service run correctly.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SABnzbd\Parameters]
“AppDirectory”=”C:\Program Files (x86)\SABnzbd”
“Application”=”C:\Program Files (x86)\SABnzbd\SABnzbd.exe”
“AppParameters”=”-d -f C:\Program Files (x86)\Sabnzbd\sabnzbd.ini”

NOTE: It appears that Windows 7 no longer allows users to create a service for programs inside of the “Program Files” folder. Therefore, make sure your Sabnzbd is not inside of the “Program Files”.

5. Start by launching “regedit”, the windows registry editor. To do this, hit “Windows+R”, and the “Run” box will pop up. Type in “regedit” and hit enter.

6. Now you should have the registry editor launched.

7. In the registry editor navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SABnzbd\

Right click on Sabnzbd and click “New Key”. Name this new key “Parameters”.

NOTE: If this is your first Sabnzbd Service install, you will not have AppDirectory, Application, & AppParameters.

8. Next you’ll need to add three string values to your Parameters key.To add the string values, right click on “Parameters”, go to “New”, then click on “String Value”. Do this three times, renaming each string value as one of the following:

“AppDirectory”
“Application”
“AppParameters”

9. For the string value “AppDirectory”, set the value to the directory of your Sabnzbd.

IE: “AppDirectory”=”C:\Program Files (x86)\SABnzbd”

10. For the string value “Application”, set the value to the Sabnzbd executable.

IE: “Application”=”C:\Program Files (x86)\SABnzbd\SABnzbd.exe”

11. For the string value “AppParameters”, set the value to the ini file for Sabnzbd.

IE: “AppParameters”=”-d -f C:\Program Files (x86)\Sabnzbd\sabnzbd.ini”

NOTE: Depending on your version of Sabnzbd, the ini file may be in different locations. You can run a search on your computer to locate the correct directory to set as the value for AppParameter.

Sabnzbd has now be installed as a service! To confirm that Sabnzbd is running as a service reboot your computer and navigate to http://localhost:8080/sabnzbd/ or http://XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX:8080/sabnzbd/.

NOTE: XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX is the ip address of your server. Also note that 8080 is Sabnzbd’s default port, if you have changed the port you will need to adjust your address.

You may need to reconfigured your Sabnzbd and run through the Sabnzbd wizard. I highly recommend that you visit HTPCBuilds.com’s Advanced Sabnzbd Configuration Guide  to learn about Sabnzbd’s more advance features. Such as defining folder locations, NZB watch folder, configuring file sorting, and more!

Check back often for more guides to help you with your HTPC build!