IBM HTTP Server on Windows - New(ish) to me

This briefly caught me out.

Having install IBM HTTP Server 9.0.0.6 on a 64-bit Windows Server 2012 environment, I was trying, and failing, to start an instance: -

c:\IBM\HTTPServer\bin\apache.exe -k start -f c:\IBM\HTTPServer\WAS\conf\httpd.conf

[Sat Dec 23 09:08:44.988185 2017] [mpm_winnt:error] [pid 6328:tid 280] (OS 2)The system cannot find the file specified.  : AH00436: No installed service named "IBM HTTP Server V9.0".
[Sat Dec 23 09:08:44.988185 2017] [mpm_winnt:error] [pid 6328:tid 280] (OS 2)The system cannot find the file specified.  : If IBM HTTP Server was installed more than once, or installed with other than the default offering name, the service name must be passed to httpd.exe -k start via the -n <servicename>  parameter.

When I installed IHS, using a response file, I'd specifically chosen NOT to install IHS as a service: -

…

  <profile id='IBM HTTP Server V9.0' installLocation='c:\IBM\HTTPServer'>
    <data key='cic.selector.arch' value='x86_64'/>
    <data key='user.ihs.http.server.service.name.key' value='IBMHTTPServerV9.0'/>
    <data key='user.ihs.http.server.service.name' value='IBM HTTP Server V9.0'/>
    <data key='user.ihs.win.serverServiceStartType' value='auto'/>
    <data key='user.ihs.win.serverServicePassword' value='XjTveChg5ba6olBVMK/Reg=='/>
    <data key='user.ihs.allowNonRootSilentInstall' value='true'/>
    <data key='user.ihs.win.serverServiceLogOnAsLocalSystem' value='true'/>
    <data key='user.ihs.installHttpService' value='false'/>
    <data key='user.ihs.win.serverServiceUser' value='Administrator'/>
    <data key='user.ihs.httpPort' value='8080'/>
  </profile>
…

This, it transpires, was an error on my part :-)

The solution ?

Install IHS as a Windows service: -

c:\IBM\HTTPServer\bin\apache.exe -k install

Installing the IBM HTTP Server V9.0 service
The IBM HTTP Server V9.0 service is successfully installed.
Testing httpd.conf....
Errors reported here must be corrected before the service can be started.

c:\IBM\HTTPServer\bin\apache.exe -k start -f c:\IBM\HTTPServer\WAS\conf\httpd.conf

No errors this time around :-)

Happy days, more to learn :-)