pyinstaller Error starting service: The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion

I have been searching since a couple of days for a solution without success. We have a windows service build to copy some files from one location to another one.

So I build the code shown below with Python 3.7. The full coding can be found on Github.

When I run the service using python all is working fine, I can install the service and also start the service.

This using commands:

Install the service:

• python jis53_backup.py install

Run the service:

• python jis53_backup.py start

When I now compile this code using pyinstaller with command:

• pyinstaller -F --hidden-import=win32timezone jis53_backup.py

After the exe is created, I can install the service but when trying to start the service I get the error:

Error starting service: The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion

I have gone through multiple posts on Stackoverflow and on Google related to this error however, without success. I don't have the option to install the python 3.7 programs on the PC's that would need to run this service. That's why we are trying to get a .exe build.

I have made sure to have the path updated according to the information that I found in the different questions.

Image of path definitions:

I also copied the pywintypes37.dll file.

From -> Python37\Lib\site-packages\pywin32_system32

To -> Python37\Lib\site-packages\win32

Does anyone have any other suggestions on how to get this working?

'''
    Windows service to copy a file from one location to another
    at a certain interval.
'''
import sys
import time
from distutils.dir_util import copy_tree

import servicemanager
import win32serviceutil

import win32service
from HelperModules.CheckFileExistance import check_folder_exists, create_folder
from HelperModules.ReadConfig import (check_config_file_exists,
                                      create_config_file, read_config_file)
from ServiceBaseClass.SMWinService import SMWinservice

sys.path += ['filecopy_service/ServiceBaseClass',
             'filecopy_service/HelperModules']


class Jis53Backup(SMWinservice):
    _svc_name_ = "Jis53Backup"
    _svc_display_name_ = "JIS53 backup copy"
    _svc_description_ = "Service to copy files from server to local drive"

    def start(self):
        self.conf = read_config_file()
        if not check_folder_exists(self.conf['dest']):
            create_folder(self.conf['dest'])

        self.isrunning = True

    def stop(self):
        self.isrunning = False

    def main(self):
        self.ReportServiceStatus(win32service.SERVICE_RUNNING)
        while self.isrunning:
            # Copy the files from the server to a local folder
            # TODO: build function to trigger only when a file is changed.
            copy_tree(self.conf['origin'], self.conf['dest'], update=1)
            time.sleep(30)


if __name__ == '__main__':
    if sys.argv[1] == 'install':
        if not check_config_file_exists():
            create_config_file()

    if len(sys.argv) == 1:
        servicemanager.Initialize()
        servicemanager.PrepareToHostSingle(Jis53Backup)
        servicemanager.StartServiceCtrlDispatcher()
    else:
        win32serviceutil.HandleCommandLine(Jis53Backup)