zope2instance fails to run as Windows Service under Python 2.6 and Zope 2.12

So I don't get this error but in a Windows env w/same versions of Zope and zope2instance after running zopectl> install and then zopectl> start I try a zopectl> status and see that pid=-1 and that no pid file was created. If I run in fg the pid file is created and I even get a ZMI. Trying windebug however I get a similar error.

"...can't open file 'client-script.exe': [Errno 2] No such file or directory". The exe created was actually client.exe. The python script created is client-script.py.

I am able to reproduce this issue in my Windows XP system.

The new plone.recipe.zope2instance will now properly install and stay started as a windows service in XP. However, there is still a problem though.

"C:\Python26\python.exe" "C:\Zope\test.buildout\bin\inst1-script.exe" console -C "C:\Zope\test.buildout\parts\inst1\etc\zope.conf"

Should be instead

"C:\Python26\python.exe" "C:\Zope\test.buildout\bin\inst1-script.py" console -C "C:\Zope\test.buildout\parts\inst1\etc\zope.conf"

When you change 'exe' to 'py' the Windows service works.

I should clarify that the above edit was performed on the command key in regedit.

No, I'm still having trouble running as a Windows service. After the above edit I can run c:\python26\lib\site-packages\win32\pythonservice.exe -debug Zope-<id> and the installed service runs fine. The service doesn't however correctly run when start directly from Windows services like I had said above.

plone.recipe.zope2instance 4.0.1 works for me. It stays started as windows service.
However you do need to change command key value in regedit.

This bug is fixed in plone.recipe.zope2instance 4.0.2, which will be part of Plone 4.0 rc1 (which should be released any hour now).

plone.recipe.zope2instance 4.0.2 does get started as windows service. However there is still a problem:

Sometimes on stopping service as
zopectl>stop
doesn't clear up instance.pid and instance.lock files, due to which subsequent
zopectl>start
fails to start the service again and it has to be run again.

Sometimes one can simply remove these files before starting the instance again. But sometimes the .lock file is locked by a hanging Python process, and can't be deleted. While we are trying to spot and squash the bug causing this, here is a tip:

* Install the command line utility "handle" http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896655.aspx

* As Administrator, run "handle instance.lock", the pid of the hanging Python process will be printed

* From PowerShell: "kill <pid>" (e.g. "kill 12345")

This issue is also tracked by http://dev.plone.org/plone/ticket/10441