How to Fix Error 1920 (Windows Services)
Quick Answer
Error 1920 indicates that a specific Windows service failed to start during an installation or system operation, often due to insufficient permissions or conflicts. The fastest fix often involves ensuring the service logon account has appropriate privileges or temporarily disabling conflicting software.
What Causes This Error
- Insufficient user privileges for the service's logon account.
- The service is already running or stuck in a 'starting' state.
- Conflicts with third-party security software (antivirus, firewall).
- Corrupted service files or registry entries.
- Dependencies required by the service are not running or are misconfigured.
- System resources are temporarily unavailable or exhausted.
Step-by-Step Fixes
1Verify Service Logon Account Privileges
- Press the Windows key + R, type 'services.msc', and press Enter to open the Services console.
- Locate the service mentioned in the Error 1920 message (e.g., 'Service Name'). Right-click on it and select 'Properties'.
- Navigate to the 'Log On' tab. Ensure 'Local System account' is selected. If 'This account' is selected, verify the username and password are correct and that the account has 'Log on as a service' rights.
- If using 'This account', click 'Browse...', find the account, and then re-enter the password in both 'Password' and 'Confirm password' fields. Apply changes.
- Attempt to start the service manually from the Services console by right-clicking it and selecting 'Start'. If the error persists, restart your computer and try again.
2Restart the Service and its Dependencies
- Open the Services console by typing 'services.msc' in the Run dialog (Windows key + R) and pressing Enter.
- Find the service specified in the Error 1920 message. Check its 'Status' column. If it shows 'Starting' or is not running, right-click and select 'Stop' if available, then 'Start'.
- Right-click the service again and select 'Properties'. Go to the 'Dependencies' tab.
- Note down all services listed under 'This service is dependent on the following system components'. Ensure each of these dependent services is running. If not, start them manually.
- After verifying and starting dependencies, attempt to start the problematic service again.
3Temporarily Disable Antivirus/Firewall Software
- Locate your installed antivirus or security software in the system tray (usually near the clock) or through the Start Menu.
- Right-click the antivirus icon and look for options like 'Disable protection', 'Pause protection', or 'Exit'. Select the option that temporarily disables its real-time protection and firewall.
- Confirm any prompts that appear regarding disabling protection. Note: Your system will be less secure during this time.
- Attempt to perform the action that triggered Error 1920 (e.g., install software or start the service).
- After testing, immediately re-enable your antivirus and firewall software to restore system protection.
4Run System File Checker (SFC)
- Open Command Prompt as an administrator. To do this, type 'cmd' in the Windows search bar, right-click 'Command Prompt', and select 'Run as administrator'.
- In the Command Prompt window, type 'sfc /scannow' and press Enter.
- Allow the scan to complete. This process may take some time. The System File Checker will scan for corrupted Windows system files and attempt to repair them.
- Once the scan is finished, you will see a message indicating if any integrity violations were found and repaired. Restart your computer.
- After restarting, attempt to start the service or perform the action that previously resulted in Error 1920.
Advanced Fixes
Check and Repair Disk Errors
- Open Command Prompt as an administrator by searching for 'cmd', right-clicking, and selecting 'Run as administrator'.
- Type 'chkdsk /f /r' and press Enter. You will likely be prompted to schedule the disk check for the next system restart. Type 'Y' and press Enter.
- Restart your computer. The disk check will run before Windows loads, which may take a significant amount of time depending on your disk size and condition.
- Allow the process to complete. Your computer will boot into Windows automatically afterward. Review the chkdsk log if necessary (Event Viewer > Windows Logs > Application, look for 'Wininit' or 'Chkdsk').
- Attempt to start the service that produced Error 1920 after the system has fully restarted.
Perform a Clean Boot
- Press Windows key + R, type 'msconfig', and press Enter to open System Configuration.
- Go to the 'Services' tab. Check the box 'Hide all Microsoft services', then click 'Disable all'.
- Go to the 'Startup' tab. Click 'Open Task Manager'. In Task Manager, disable all startup items by right-clicking each one and selecting 'Disable'. Close Task Manager.
- Click 'OK' in the System Configuration window and restart your computer when prompted.
- After restarting in a clean boot environment, attempt to install the software or start the service. If successful, re-enable services and startup items one by one to identify the conflict.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Error 1920 specifically mean?
Error 1920 indicates that a Windows service, which is a program that runs in the background without a user interface, failed to start. This typically occurs during software installation or uninstallation, or when a system component attempts to initiate a service.
Can Error 1920 be caused by a corrupted installation?
Yes, if the installation files for the service are corrupted, or if the registry entries pertaining to the service are damaged, it can prevent the service from starting and lead to Error 1920.
Is it safe to disable my antivirus to fix Error 1920?
Temporarily disabling your antivirus can help diagnose if it's interfering with the service. However, it should only be done for the shortest possible time and re-enabled immediately after testing to maintain system security.
How do I identify which service is causing Error 1920?
The error message itself usually specifies the name of the service that failed to start, for example, 'Service 'Service Name' (ServiceName) failed to start.' Look for 'Service Name' in the error dialog.
What are 'insufficient privileges' in the context of Error 1920?
Insufficient privileges mean the user account configured to run the service does not have the necessary permissions to perform its operations, such as accessing certain files, registry keys, or logging on as a service. This can be due to incorrect configuration or restrictive security policies.