Starting BI Server as a windows service

To install pentaho BI server as a windows service is basically a Tomcat task. There are only two basic steps to follow:

1. Using a command prompt run the following command "service install" from the bi-server/tomcat/bin directory. In newer versions of windows you will need to use the run as administrator option to complete this task.

2. Run the tomcat6w.exe file (as adminsitrator if required) and change the following

    a. If the service doesn't want to start, change the Java virtual machine setting under the Java tab. Swtich off use default and browse to where your jvm.dll file is in your JRE folders

This is often required when the JAVA_HOME points to a place that doesn't contain a /server/jvm.dll path for example you have both a JDK and JRE installed

    b. If the home page won't display change the working directory in the startup and shutdown tabs to the bi-server/tomcat/bin directory

This is needed as the service is starting from a directory that is different from where you run the start-pentaho.bat file and the relative path to the databases has changed. The working directory setting corrects this problem without having to change the relative path to the database in the bi-server/tomcat/webapps/pentaho/WEB-INF/web.xml file

Apply and start the service. Test that you get the home page.

If you want to change the default port from 8080 to something else such as 80, edit the bi-server/tomcat/conf/server.xml file and replace all references to 8080 to 80 and for good measure replace the 8443 references to 443. Restart for the changes to take effect.