How to run FSHost (FSH DS) as a Windows Service with FireDaemon Pro.


What is FSHost (FSH DS)?

FSHost is a free server for hosting multiplayer sessions in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002, 2004, and FSX. The dedicated server component can be run as a Windows Service using FireDaemon Pro, which allows you to have the dedicated server start automatically at boot prior to login, start multiple instances of the dedicated server and more. This HOWTO will show you how to set it up. You can also use FireDaemon Fusion to manage FireDaemon and other Windows services via a web browser.


FSHost Setup Under FireDaemon Pro

First download and install the latest FSHost. It can be downloaded from here. The download is small (< 2 MB).


All configuration is done through FSHost's GUI. Run FSHost first and configure the settings to your liking. Then close FSHost and continue with the following steps.


Download and install FireDaemon Pro into the directory of your choice, typically C:\Program Files\FireDaemon.


Next start the FireDaemon GUI from the desktop shortcut. Click on the "Create a new service definition" button in the toolbar (or type Ctrl+N) and enter the information into the fields as you see below. Adjust the paths to suit your installation. Note that no parameters are required.


  • Executable: The path to your FSHost32.exe file. For the purposes of this HOWTO, that path is C:\FSHost\FSHost32.exe.
  • Working Directory: The directory containing your FSHost32.exe file. For the purposes of this HOWTO, that path is C:\FSHost
  • Parameters: None. Leave this field blank.


Now click on the Settings tab. If you DON'T want to see your dedicated server running, uncheck the Interact with Desktop check box & select “Hidden” from the “Show Window” dropdown. You can optionally run FSH DS as the user you installed it as. In the Logon Account field type your username (e.g. Administrator) and then enter the user's password twice in the Password and Confirm fields. You can change the Process Priority to allocate more CPU time to the dedicated server or specify which CPU or core the dedicated server will run on (in the case of multi-processor, hyperthreaded or multi-core CPUs).


Now click on the Lifecycle tab. Uncheck Graceful Shutdown as FSHost doesn't respond to it.


Now click on the OK button to finish setup and start FSHost!