There's a program out there "FireDaemon" that will allow you to set up basically any app as a system service. Here's how to set it up: (important: read the last line at the bottom)
1) download and install FireDaemon, it has a free version, but you'll probably end up buying the Pro version ($25 and well worth it)
2) Turn off "Auto Start" on your server, this will avoid the server attempting to run multiple instances
3) Completely shut down your server
4) Open FireDaemon Service Manager and create a new service definition (the button on the left)
5) for "Short Name" enter anything you want to...no spaces or special characters here. This will go into your registry
6) for "Display Name" just put something like Abyss Web Server, or anything you want. This is displayed in the Windows Service Applet
7) for "description" write whatever you want it described as, no big whoop, you can always change this stuff
8 ) Next, go to ""Working Directory" and browse to the abyss install folder where "abyssws.exe" is located
9) Go to "Executable" and browse to "abyssws.exe"
10) Click "install" and you're done click the X to get out
11) your server is now working in the background, to access the control panel just follow a link to <hostname or IP>:<Console Port> and you're there.
If you want the control in the taskbar, you can have the best of both worlds
1a) After you did the above and you are back at the main FireDaemon screen, click on the Abyss setting you just set up and select "Edit the selected service", it's the button w/ the hammer on it
2a) Select the "settings" tab
3a) check the "Interact with desktop box"
4a) click "install" and again. It will ask you if you want to stop the service and proceed?" click "OK"
5a) Click the X to get out of the setup screen, and close FireDaemon
6a) pat yourself on the back because you just beat the whiny Microsoft system
IMPORTANT NOTE: you will NOT be able to totally close your web server through the taskbar, it will automatically restart, unless you change the "upon program exit" setting. this works for both user terminations and crashes. (never had a crash, thanks guys!). Go Here for full FireDaemon documentation
Have fun! 😃