dotnet/runtime

ServiceController.WaitForStatus could use NotifyServiceStatusChange WinAPI to avoid polling

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#45,049 opened on Nov 21, 2020

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area-System.ServiceProcesshelp wanted

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Description

Currently, ServiceController WaitForStatus method polls every 250ms to check if the service has reached the desired status. This is not optimal and also not very performant, particularly if the service takes less than 250ms to reach that status. Apparently lost in the mists of time, there was a plan to use the WinAPI function NotifyServiceStatusChange to avoid polling and get instantly notified when the service reaches a specific status.

I'm opening this issue to prevent this potential improvement from getting lost again.

Props to @KalleOlaviNiemitalo for finding this.

Contributor guide

Research direction
Investigate the NotifyServiceStatusChange WinAPI function and understand how to use it to replace the polling loop in ServiceController.WaitForStatus. Look at the linked PR and comments for context, then implement the change with proper error handling and cross platform considerations (if any).
Tech stack
csharp
Domain
backendapiperformance
Issue type
Refactor
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
4
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
1-3 hours
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
Active
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
Mostly clear
Prerequisites
C#Windows API
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
35