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Error 0x0000042E means a Windows service began starting but stopped responding while still in the start-pending state. The code does not identify one universal service, so the reliable fix is to identify the named service, inspect its dependencies and startup configuration, repair damaged Windows components with DISM and SFC, and use Startup Repair if Windows cannot boot normally. Netlogon failures on Active Directory domain members need an additional dependency check for LanmanWorkstation and LanmanServer. The procedure below applies to Windows 11 and Windows 10; however, Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025, so a supported Windows release is the safer long-term destination.
What does Windows error 0x0000042E mean?
Microsoft defines 0x0000042E as ERROR_SERVICE_START_HANG: “After starting, the service stopped responding in a start-pending state.” Windows Service Control Manager sent the service a start request, but the service did not finish initialization or return a usable response within the expected time.
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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →This is a service-control symptom rather than a diagnosis of one particular file, driver, or account. The same code can appear for different services and for different underlying causes, including a disabled dependency, a missing executable or DLL, invalid service configuration, damaged system files, or restrictive registry permissions. Do not change registry values until you know which service failed and which dependency chain it uses.
How do I find the service that produced 0x0000042E?
Start by collecting the exact service name and the event details. Without that information, changing unrelated services can create new startup failures.
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- Press
Windows, typeeventvwr.msc, and open Event Viewer. - Expand Windows Logs, select System, and locate entries recorded at the time the error appeared. Open the event and record the service display name, service name, event ID, dependency named in the message, and any accompanying error text.
- Press
Windows, typeservices.msc, and open the Services console. Find the same service and note its current status and Startup type. - Right-click the service, choose Start, and record the exact message returned. A manual start attempt can reveal a failed dependency or a different error that the original dialog did not show.
The display name is the friendly label shown in Services; the service name is the internal identifier used by Windows. Keep both. They are not always identical, and the internal name is the one you need when verifying a registry path or researching an event.
How should I inspect the service configuration and dependency chain?
Open the affected service’s properties in services.msc and review each tab before making a change.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstall| Item to check | What to look for | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Startup type | Disabled, or a mode inconsistent with the service’s role | A disabled service cannot complete startup when another component requests it. |
| Log On | The configured account and whether its credentials or rights have changed | A service can remain in start-pending when its account cannot access required resources. |
| Path to executable | A valid path to the service executable and any required arguments | A missing or invalid executable prevents initialization. |
| Dependencies tab | Services listed as required, and whether each one exists and starts | A stopped, disabled, or damaged dependency can hold the parent service in start-pending. |
For every dependency listed, open its properties and check its Startup type, status, executable path, and own dependencies. Correct a dependency only when the event and service configuration show that it is involved. If a dependent service is missing, has an invalid path, or fails with its own error, fix that lower-level problem first and then retry the parent service.
Microsoft identifies disabled dependent services, invalid dependency entries, missing executable or DLL files, and restrictive registry permissions as possible causes of Netlogon startup failures. Those causes can also explain similar start-pending behavior in other services, but the exact remedy depends on the service you identified in Event Viewer.
What is different about a Netlogon failure?
Netlogon is the special case most often associated with this code on an Active Directory domain member. Microsoft documents LanmanWorkstation and LanmanServer as Netlogon dependencies. If the affected service is Netlogon, verify both services in the Services console before changing anything else.
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Check that each dependency is present, not disabled, and able to start. If either dependency produces its own error, capture that event and resolve it first. A domain computer may remain unable to authenticate even after Netlogon starts if the underlying workstation, server, network, or domain configuration is still failing, so treat successful service startup and successful domain communication as separate checks.
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Only perform this registry procedure when Event Viewer and the Netlogon properties identify Netlogon as the affected service and its dependency value is missing or incorrect. Editing a different service’s registry settings with these values could prevent that service from starting.
- Press
Windows, typeregedit, and open Registry Editor. Approve the administrator prompt. - In Registry Editor, select File > Export, choose a location, and save a backup of the registry before editing.
- Browse to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesNetlogon. - Open the
DependOnServicevalue. Microsoft’s documented Netlogon case requires two dependency strings, each on its own line:LanmanWorkstationandLanmanServer. - Save the value, close Registry Editor, and restart Windows.
- After the restart, open Services and try Netlogon again. Check Event Viewer for a new event rather than relying only on the absence of the original dialog.
If the value already contains the two entries and both dependent services work, do not keep editing it. Move to component repair and examine the executable, account, permissions, or domain-specific error shown in the new event.
Will DISM and SFC fix error 0x0000042E?
They can repair damaged Windows components and protected system files that prevent a service from initializing, but they cannot correct every service-specific configuration or domain problem. Run DISM first, then SFC, from an elevated Command Prompt.
- Open Start, type
Command Prompt, right-click it, and select Run as administrator. - Run
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealthand wait for it to complete successfully. Do not close the window while the component store is being repaired. - Run
sfc /scannowonly after DISM has finished. Let SFC reach 100 percent. - Read the final SFC result, restart Windows, and try the affected service again.
Microsoft explains that DISM supplies the repair files used to service the Windows image, while SFC scans protected system files and replaces corrupted files with a cached copy. Running SFC first can leave it without a healthy source for replacement files, which is why the order matters.
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What if SFC says it could not repair some files?
Do not download replacement DLL files from an untrusted website. Preserve the Component-Based Servicing log referenced by SFC, then use the result to choose a supported next step: identify a known-good file replacement procedure for the exact component, perform an in-place Windows repair, or reinstall Windows when the installation is broadly damaged.
Before an in-place repair or reinstall, back up personal files and confirm that you have installation media or another recovery path. If the service error began after a recent software, policy, or configuration change, document that change as well; a clean system-file scan does not undo a service account, dependency, or registry modification.
What should I check when a service executable or DLL is missing?
Use the service properties and Event Viewer to establish which file Windows expects. The Path to executable field should point to the intended program, and the event may identify a missing DLL or an invalid path.
- Confirm that the referenced executable exists at the recorded path and that the path has not been altered by a moved or removed application.
- Check whether the service was installed by software that has since been uninstalled or partially removed. Reinstalling the legitimate application may restore its service files; do not copy random DLLs from download sites.
- Review the service’s Log On account and permissions if the file exists but startup still hangs.
- Run DISM and SFC as described above when the missing or damaged file is a Windows component rather than an application-owned file.
- Restart and capture a fresh event after each meaningful change. A new event often identifies the next dependency in the chain.
Do not substitute a different executable merely because its filename looks similar. Services can require a specific version, command-line argument, account, or registration state, and an arbitrary replacement can create a security or stability problem.
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How do I use Startup Repair if Windows will not start normally?
When the machine cannot reach a usable desktop, run Startup Repair from Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). Microsoft says this tool can address damaged system files, boot configuration data, incompatible drivers, and registry errors that prevent startup.
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- Start the computer and enter Windows Recovery Environment. If Windows repeatedly fails to boot, it may open WinRE automatically; otherwise use the recovery option available for your installation media or recovery drive.
- Select Troubleshoot.
- Select Advanced options.
- Select Startup Repair, then choose Restart.
- Allow the scan and repair process to finish. Do not power off the computer during the repair.
BitLocker-encrypted devices may ask for the BitLocker recovery key before WinRE can access the installation. Keep that key available. Startup Repair is aimed at boot-related failures; if Windows starts but one service still reports 0x0000042E, return to Event Viewer, Services, dependency checks, and DISM/SFC rather than repeatedly running Startup Repair.
How do the likely causes change the correct fix?
Use the affected service, dependency state, file and registry condition, domain context, and boot state to choose the narrowest remedy.
| Observed situation | Most useful next action | What not to assume |
|---|---|---|
| A dependency is disabled or stopped | Inspect and correct that dependency, then retry the parent service. | Do not enable unrelated services just to remove the message. |
| A dependency is missing or listed incorrectly | Verify the service installation and the dependency configuration; back up before registry edits. | Do not copy a registry value from another service. |
| The executable or DLL path is invalid | Restore the legitimate application or Windows component through a supported repair path. | Do not download an unverified DLL. |
| Protected Windows files are damaged | Run DISM, then SFC, from an elevated Command Prompt. | Do not treat a successful scan as proof that every service setting is correct. |
| Netlogon fails on a domain member | Verify LanmanWorkstation and LanmanServer and the Netlogon dependency value. | Do not assume the code is a generic internet or hardware fault. |
| Windows cannot boot | Use WinRE Startup Repair and provide the BitLocker key if requested. | Do not keep changing services from an unstable boot when recovery tools are available. |
What should I do after the service starts?
Confirm the original function, not just the service status. For a domain member, test the operation that required Netlogon; for another service, open the application or Windows feature that triggered the error. Then review Event Viewer for new Service Control Manager errors and confirm that dependent services remain available after a normal restart.
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What does Windows 10 support status mean for this repair?
The DISM and SFC procedure applies to both Windows 10 and Windows 11. Microsoft lists October 14, 2025 as the end of Windows 10 support; after that date, Windows Update no longer provides free software updates, technical assistance, or security fixes for the unsupported release.
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A repair can restore a Windows 10 service, but it does not extend the operating system’s support lifecycle. If the computer meets the requirements for a supported Windows release, plan a supported upgrade after backing up data and confirming application compatibility. If it cannot be upgraded, weigh the operational and security implications of continuing to run an unsupported installation.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can error 0x0000042E be caused by malware?
The code itself only reports that a service stopped responding during startup; it does not identify malware or prove that a computer is infected. Use your normal security software and investigate the named service, executable path, account, and dependencies separately.
Is it safe to edit DependOnService in the registry?
It is risky unless the affected service is confirmed and the registry is backed up first. The two-line Netlogon correction applies to the documented Netlogon case, not to every service that displays 0x0000042E.
Why does Netlogon start manually but fail during boot?
Boot-time ordering can expose a dependency or account problem that is not obvious after Windows has loaded. Compare the event timestamps, verify LanmanWorkstation and LanmanServer, and inspect whether the dependency value and service startup modes match the documented configuration.
Should I reinstall Windows immediately after seeing this code?
No. Identify the service, check its dependencies, and run DISM followed by SFC first. Consider an in-place repair or reinstall only when logs show broader component damage or supported repairs cannot restore the service.
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