Error 1053 on running service as a windows service.

Question

Howdy folks,

I have a windows service running on Windows Server 2016. The service fails to run when started using the services application. The reason is an unhelpful Error 1053 (service did not respond in a timely fashion). This is an existing service which worked for ages. At some point it suddenly just stopped working.

The interesting thing is that the service will run, when I navigate to the folder with the executable, and run it myself (or run it as the user that it's configured to run under, in services).

For context, there is a second server, with the same OS, same patches, same services, and it all works fine. I have already performed some of the recommended tasks (updating ServicesPipeTimeout, downloading all available patches and software updates). I've removed and recreated the service with different users and different names. Tried running it with different start-up types. I've added additional logging into service start-up with general catchalls for start-up failures. No failures, just this error.

Basically it will not run as a service, but it will run when done so manually. Anyone seen this (or anything like it) before?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Hello Cian Moloney,

Thank you for posting in Q&A forum.

Error 1053 occurs when a Windows service fails to start within the expected time frame. Here are some steps to troubleshoot:

1.Modify the ServicesPipeTimeout Registry Value:

Press Windows + R, type regedit, and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.

Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control. Right-click on the Control key, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it ServicesPipeTimeout.

Double-click ServicesPipeTimeout, set the value to 180000 (in decimal), and click OK. Restart your computer.

Note: Please back up the registry before you change it.

2.Update Windows and Drivers:

Ensure your Windows is up to date by going to Settings > Windows Update. Update your device drivers through Device Manager or by visiting the manufacturer's website.

3.Check Service Dependencies:

Open the Services console by pressing Windows + R, typing services.msc, and pressing Enter. Find the service that is failing to start, right-click it, and select Properties. Go to the Dependencies tab and ensure all dependent services are running.

4.Run System File Checker (SFC) and DISM:

Open Command Prompt as an administrator.

Run the following commands:

sfc /scannow dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

5.Reinstall the Service:

If the service is part of an application, try reinstalling the application to ensure all components are correctly installed.

I hope the information above is helpful.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to let us know.

Best Regards,

Daisy Zhou

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