How can I run MongoDB as a Windows service?

After trying for several hours, I finally did it.

Make sure:

1. you added the <MONGODB_PATH>\bin directory to the system variable PATH
2. run command prompt as administrator

Steps:

step 1: execute this command:

D:\mongodb\bin>mongod --remove

Step 2: execute this command after opening command prompt as administrator:

D:\mongodb\bin>mongod --dbpath=D:\mongodb --logpath=D:\mongodb\log.txt --install

NOTE: you can also append --serviceName MongoDB after the command above.

That's All!

services.msc

// OR

net start MongoDB

And look for MongoDB service and click start.

NOTE: Make sure to run command prompt as administrator.

If you don't do this, your log file (D:\mongodb\log.txt in the above example) will contain lines like these:

2016-11-11T15:24:54.618-0800 I CONTROL  [main] Trying to install Windows service 'MongoDB'
2016-11-11T15:24:54.618-0800 I CONTROL  [main] Error connecting to the Service Control Manager: Access is denied. (5)

and if you try to start the service from a non-admin console, (i.e. net start MongoDB or Start-Service MongoDB in PowerShell), you'll get a response like this:

System error 5 has occurred.
Access is denied.

or this:

Start-Service : Service 'MongoDB (MongoDB)' cannot be started due to the following error: Cannot open MongoDB service
on computer '.'.
At line:1 char:1
+ Start-Service MongoDB
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : OpenError: (System.ServiceProcess.ServiceController:ServiceController) [Start-Service],
   ServiceCommandException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CouldNotStartService,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.StartServiceComman

I think if you run it with the --install command line switch, it installs it as a Windows Service.

mongod --install

It might be worth reading this thread first though. There seems to be some problems with relative/absolute paths when the relevant registry key gets written.

not only --install,

also need --dbpath and --logpath

and after reboot OS you need to delete "mongod.lock" manually

Unlike other answers this will ..

START THE SERVICE AUTOMATICALLY ON SYSTEM REBOOT / RESTART

MongoDB Install

Windows

(1) Install MongoDB

(2) Add bin to path

(3) Create c:\data\db

(4) Create c:\data\log

(5) Create c:\data\mongod.cfg with contents ..

systemLog:
    destination: file
    path: c:\data\log\mongod.log
storage:
    dbPath: c:\data\db

(6) To create service that will auto start on reboot .. RUN AS ADMIN ..

sc.exe create MongoDB binPath= "\"C:\Program Files\MongoDB\Server\3.4\bin\mongod.exe\" --service --config=\"C:\data\mongod.cfg\"" DisplayName= "MongoDB" start= "auto"

(7) Start the service .. RUN AS ADMIN ..

net start MongoDB

IMPORTANT: Even if this says 'The MongoDB service was started successfully' it can fail

To double check open Control Panel > Services, ensure the status of the MongoDB service is 'Running'

If not, check your log file at C:\data\log\mongod.log for the reason for failure and fix it

(Do not start MongoDB via Control Panel > Services, use .. net start MongoDB)

(8) Finally, restart your machine with MongoDB running and it will still be running on restart

If you ever want to kill it ..

net stop MongoDB

sc.exe delete MongoDB