When Bitbucket Server is installed as a Windows service, the Bitbucket home directory location, defined by the BITBUCKET_HOME variable in setenv.bat is not used. This is because the Bitbucket Server service has the -Dbitbucket.home hardcoded based on the value that was used when the installation was run. This page outlines how to change the BITBUCKET_HOME variable for the Windows service.

How to change BITBUCKET_HOME for the Windows service

• Stop the Bitbucket Server service.
• Open the command window from Start >> Run >> type in 'cmd' >> Enter
• cd to the bin directory the Bitbucket Server Installation (<Bitbucket Server Installation dir>/bin).

• Run from there:

  bservmgr.exe //ES/AtlassianBitbucket 

• A window will pop up. Click on the Java tab to see the list of current start-up options. Under "Java Options:" form, input the value:

  -Dbitbucket.home=C:/absolute/path/to/your/bitbucket/home

• Restart Bitbucket Server Service. From here the service will be forced to point to the path defined on the property -Dbitbucket.home above.