Windows Service Error 1062, "The service has not been started"

Error 1062 means you tried to use, stop, or control a service that is not running. It is often a follow-on error: the real problem is whatever stopped the service in the first place.

The fix, in order

  1. Start the service. In Services, double-click it and click Start, or run net start followed by the service name in an admin Command Prompt.
  2. If it starts and then stops again, check the Event Viewer System log for the error it reported when it stopped. That error is the one to fix.
  3. Check the Startup type. If it is Manual and something expects it to be running, set it to Automatic.
  4. Check the Dependencies tab and start each dependency first. A service whose dependency is stopped can fail to start and leave you with this error when you try to use it.
  5. Check the Log On tab if the service fails to start. A wrong password or a missing "Log on as a service" right stops it before it runs.
  6. Repair or reinstall the program that provides the service if it will not stay running.

If it still happens

If the service starts by hand but is stopped again after a reboot, check whether another program, a script, or a Group Policy is stopping it. The System log in Event Viewer records who stopped a service and when.

Common questions

Is error 1062 the same as the service being disabled? No. Disabled is error 1058, and Windows refuses to start the service at all. Error 1062 means the service is allowed to run but simply is not running right now.

Why does the service stop right after I start it? Usually because it hit an error during startup, like a missing file, a bad logon, or a failed dependency. Check the Event Viewer System log at the minute it stopped for the underlying error.

Related errors

Windows Service Error 1058 · Windows Service Error 1060 · Print Spooler service not running

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