diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 3907931..d24cfc8 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -18,4 +18,5 @@
 .vscode
 .idea
 sower
+sower.exe*
 /sower.toml
diff --git a/conf/conf_windows.go b/conf/conf_windows.go
index 6365a70..6d4be6f 100644
--- a/conf/conf_windows.go
+++ b/conf/conf_windows.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/golang/glog"
+	"golang.org/x/sys/windows"
 	"golang.org/x/sys/windows/svc"
 	"golang.org/x/sys/windows/svc/eventlog"
 	"golang.org/x/sys/windows/svc/mgr"
@@ -22,8 +23,9 @@ func initArgs() {
 	flag.StringVar(&Conf.ConfigFile, "f", filepath.Dir(os.Args[0])+"/sower.toml", "config file location")
 	install := flag.Bool("install", false, "install sower as a service")
 	uninstall := flag.Bool("uninstall", false, "uninstall sower from service list")
+
 	if !flag.Parsed() {
-		flag.Set("logtostderr", "true")
+		flag.Set("log_dir", filepath.Dir(os.Args[0]))
 		flag.Parse()
 	}
 
@@ -35,7 +37,10 @@ func initArgs() {
 				s.Close()
 				return fmt.Errorf("service %s already exists", name)
 			}
-			s, err = m.CreateService(name, os.Args[0], mgr.Config{DisplayName: "Sower Proxy"}, "is", "auto-started")
+			s, err = m.CreateService(name, os.Args[0], mgr.Config{
+				DisplayName: "Sower Proxy",
+				StartType:   windows.SERVICE_AUTO_START,
+			})
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
@@ -45,7 +50,8 @@ func initArgs() {
 				s.Delete()
 				return fmt.Errorf("SetupEventLogSource() failed: %s", err)
 			}
-			return nil
+
+			return s.Start()
 		})
 		os.Exit(0)
 
@@ -60,18 +66,25 @@ func initArgs() {
 		os.Exit(0)
 
 	default:
+		os.Chdir(filepath.Dir(os.Args[0]))
 		if active, err := svc.IsAnInteractiveSession(); err != nil {
-			glog.Fatalf("failed to determine if we are running in an interactive session: %v", err)
+			glog.Exitf("failed to determine if we are running in an interactive session: %v", err)
 		} else if !active {
-			glog.Fatalln("not runing in an interactive session")
-		}
+			go func() {
+				elog, err := eventlog.Open(name)
+				if err != nil {
+					glog.Exitln(err)
+				}
+				defer elog.Close()
 
-		go func() {
-			if err := svc.Run(name, &myservice{}); err != nil {
-				glog.Fatalln(err)
-			}
-			os.Exit(0)
-		}()
+				if err := svc.Run(name, &myservice{}); err != nil {
+					elog.Error(1, fmt.Sprintf("%s service failed: %v", name, err))
+					glog.Exitln(err)
+				}
+				elog.Info(1, fmt.Sprintf("winsvc.RunAsService: %s service stopped", name))
+				os.Exit(0)
+			}()
+		}
 	}
 }
 
@@ -88,7 +101,7 @@ func serviceDo(fn func(*mgr.Service) error) {
 func mgrDo(fn func(m *mgr.Mgr) error) {
 	m, err := mgr.Connect()
 	if err != nil {
-		glog.Fatalln(err)
+		glog.Exitln(err)
 	}
 	defer m.Disconnect()
 
@@ -100,10 +113,15 @@ func mgrDo(fn func(m *mgr.Mgr) error) {
 type myservice struct{}
 
 func (m *myservice) Execute(args []string, r <-chan svc.ChangeRequest, changes chan<- svc.Status) (ssec bool, errno uint32) {
-	elog := eventlog.Open(name)
+	elog, err := eventlog.Open(name)
+	if err != nil {
+		glog.Errorln(err)
+		return
+	}
 	defer elog.Close()
 	elog.Info(1, strings.Join(args, "-"))
 
+	changes <- svc.Status{State: svc.StartPending}
 	changes <- svc.Status{State: svc.Running, Accepts: cmdsAccepted}
 	for {
 		c := <-r
@@ -124,5 +142,4 @@ func (m *myservice) Execute(args []string, r <-chan svc.ChangeRequest, changes c
 			elog.Error(1, fmt.Sprintf("unexpected control request #%d", c))
 		}
 	}
-	return
 }
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 9fc5d9d..7df42ae 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/wweir/mem-go v0.0.0-20190109100331-8673ab596296
 	github.com/wweir/netboot v0.0.2
 	github.com/xtaci/kcp-go v5.0.7+incompatible
-	golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20190211182817-74369b46fc67
+	golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20190222235706-ffb98f73852f
 	golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20190213061140-3a22650c66bd // indirect
-	golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20190213121743-983097b1a8a3 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20190222171317-cd391775e71e
 )
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 1ca7d57..b568f6d 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -38,9 +38,9 @@ github.com/wweir/netboot v0.0.2 h1:DFuNd97kxzgblExEKn4Nqf1du0m9qUnaTQ70rFgIjLU=
 github.com/wweir/netboot v0.0.2/go.mod h1:p/WOnPHdqwgAI6YLEfdmwjwutbc/zDZ7EojAHlXLi4s=
 github.com/xtaci/kcp-go v5.0.7+incompatible h1:zs9tc8XRID0m+aetu3qPWZFyRt2UIMqbXIBgw+vcnlE=
 github.com/xtaci/kcp-go v5.0.7+incompatible/go.mod h1:bN6vIwHQbfHaHtFpEssmWsN45a+AZwO7eyRCmEIbtvE=
-golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20190211182817-74369b46fc67 h1:ng3VDlRp5/DHpSWl02R4rM9I+8M2rhmsuLwAMmkLQWE=
-golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20190211182817-74369b46fc67/go.mod h1:6SG95UA2DQfeDnfUPMdvaQW0Q7yPrPDi9nlGo2tz2b4=
+golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20190222235706-ffb98f73852f h1:qWFY9ZxP3tfI37wYIs/MnIAqK0vlXp1xnYEa5HxFSSY=
+golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20190222235706-ffb98f73852f/go.mod h1:6SG95UA2DQfeDnfUPMdvaQW0Q7yPrPDi9nlGo2tz2b4=
 golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20190213061140-3a22650c66bd h1:HuTn7WObtcDo9uEEU7rEqL0jYthdXAmZ6PP+meazmaU=
 golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20190213061140-3a22650c66bd/go.mod h1:mL1N/T3taQHkDXs73rZJwtUhF3w3ftmwwsq0BUmARs4=
-golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20190213121743-983097b1a8a3 h1:+KlxhGbYkFs8lMfwKn+2ojry1ID5eBSMXprS2u/wqCE=
-golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20190213121743-983097b1a8a3/go.mod h1:STP8DvDyc/dI5b8T5hshtkjS+E42TnysNCUPdjciGhY=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20190222171317-cd391775e71e h1:oF7qaQxUH6KzFdKN4ww7NpPdo53SZi4UlcksLrb2y/o=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20190222171317-cd391775e71e/go.mod h1:STP8DvDyc/dI5b8T5hshtkjS+E42TnysNCUPdjciGhY=