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Error 1079 means a Windows service is configured with a different account from another service running in the same process. For Windows Time (W32Time), Windows Event Log (eventlog), and Windows Firewall (MpsSvc), Microsoft’s documented repair is to set the affected service—and any required dependency—to NT AUTHORITYLocalService, leave both password boxes empty, and restart it. Windows Event Log can require a registry change when its Log On controls are unavailable. The Microsoft troubleshooting article was written for Windows 7 and supported Windows Server releases, so confirm the installed Windows version and current service properties before applying the procedure.
What does Error 1079 mean?
The full message is: “Error 1079: The account specified for this service is different from the account specified for other services running in the same process.” Windows groups some services in shared processes. Those services must use the account expected by that process. If one service is set to Local System while its process partner expects the built-in Local Service account, startup can fail with code 1079. MicrosoftDocs lists the same code as ERROR_DIFFERENT_SERVICE_ACCOUNT, hexadecimal 0x437.
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This is a service-identity problem, not normally a bad password or a damaged user profile. Local System and Local Service are different built-in identities. Local System has extensive privileges on the local computer, whereas NT AUTHORITYLocalService is designed to run services with a more limited local-rights profile. The affected service may fail because the shared process and its permissions no longer agree with the account selected in its properties.
Microsoft’s troubleshooting guidance identifies three common affected services:
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- Windows Time (W32Time): provides the Windows time-synchronization function.
- Windows Event Log (eventlog): records and exposes system, application, and security events used by Event Viewer and other tools.
- Windows Firewall (MpsSvc): filters network traffic for domain, private, and public network profiles.
The documented correction is to set the affected service, and any dependent service that must run with it, to NT AUTHORITYLocalService. Do not change every service on the computer. Service identities are part of Windows’ security design, and an unrelated change can remove a privilege that another service needs.
What should I check before changing a service account?
Use an administrator account and record the current setting before editing anything. The original value matters if a particular Windows build or an organization’s security policy intentionally uses a different configuration. It also gives support staff a clear rollback reference.
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- Confirm which service produced the error and note both its display name and, when shown, its short service name: W32Time, eventlog, or MpsSvc.
- Open the Services console and inspect the current Log On account rather than assuming it is wrong. Error 1079 can involve a required partner service, not only the service named in the visible error.
- Check the service’s Dependencies tab. Write down services that Windows says must be running first.
- Check whether the computer is joined to a domain or managed by local policy, endpoint management, or a security baseline. Managed devices may block changes or restore the previous account automatically.
- For registry work, follow your organization’s change-control procedure, back up the relevant key, or create a restore point before editing.
- Do not disable Windows Firewall as a workaround. Microsoft Support warns that turning it off makes the device more vulnerable to unauthorized access.
This repair does not require a registry cleaner, recovery USB, third-party optimizer, or other paid product. The required controls are built into Windows. If your organization uses a standard service configuration, get approval from its administrator before making a local change.
How do I fix Error 1079 with Services.msc?
The Services console is the primary, visible, and reversible repair for Windows Time and Windows Firewall, and for any affected service whose Log On controls are editable.
- Sign in with an account that has administrator rights.
- Press Win+R, type
services.msc, and press Enter. Approve the User Account Control prompt if it appears. - Find the service named Windows Time, Windows Event Log, or Windows Firewall, depending on the message you received. If the list is sorted, use the display name exactly as shown.
- Right-click the service, choose Properties, and open the Log On tab.
- Select This account. Enter
NT AUTHORITYLocalServicein the account field. Type the account exactly, including the space between “NT” and “AUTHORITY” and the backslash. - Leave both password fields completely blank. This is a built-in service identity, not a personal Windows sign-in. Do not enter your Microsoft account or domain password.
- Select Apply, then OK. If Windows asks to stop or restart a related service, note the prompt and allow it only if it matches the service you are repairing.
- Return to the service list, right-click the service, and choose Start. If it is already running, choose Restart after applying the account change.
- Test the function that failed: synchronize the clock, open Event Viewer, or check the firewall status and active network profile.
If Windows reports that a dependent service uses a different account, apply the same correction to that dependent service before trying again. A service can still return 1079 when its own setting is correct but a required partner remains mismatched. Restart in the order Windows presents in the dependency information rather than repeatedly clicking Start on the top-level service.
Common Services.msc mistakes
- Using “Local System account” instead of “This account”: the documented repair requires selecting This account and entering the LocalService identity.
- Entering a password: LocalService is a built-in identity and the two password boxes should remain empty.
- Changing only the visible service: dependencies can have their own Log On settings and must match when the error involves a shared process.
- Assuming a successful Apply means the service is fixed: always start or restart it and test the Windows function afterward.
- Ignoring a policy-managed computer: a local change may be rejected or reverted by the domain or endpoint-management system.
Why won’t Windows Time start?
Windows Time commonly fails when W32Time is set to Local System instead of NT AUTHORITYLocalService. Apply the Services.msc procedure to Windows Time, restart it, and verify that the computer can perform its normal time-synchronization operation.
First note whether the service is stopped, whether the Log On tab shows Local System, and whether a dependency is listed. Correct only the mismatched service or required partner. After restarting, check the system clock and perform the normal synchronization action available on that computer. If the service starts but the clock still does not synchronize, that is a separate time-source or network issue; do not keep changing service identities without evidence of another 1079 mismatch.
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If the account change disappears after a restart, capture the time of the reversal and the value restored. A domain policy, security baseline, or endpoint-management rule may be enforcing the original configuration. Ask the administrator to review that policy rather than repeatedly overriding it locally.
How do I repair Windows Firewall when MpsSvc returns 1079?
Windows Firewall requires an additional dependency check. Microsoft’s example corrects both Windows Firewall (service name MpsSvc) and Base Filtering Engine (BFE), then restarts both services.
- In
services.msc, open Windows Firewall properties and select Log On. - Set This account to
NT AUTHORITYLocalService, leave both password boxes blank, select Apply, and choose OK. - Open Base Filtering Engine properties and make the same account change if its setting does not match.
- Restart Base Filtering Engine, then restart Windows Firewall. If a restart is unavailable, stop and start the services in the dependency order Windows presents.
- Open Windows Security or the applicable system settings and confirm that firewall protection remains enabled for the active network profile.
Windows Firewall covers domain, private, and public profiles. Confirm that the selected profile is the one you expect; a service that is running does not by itself prove that the intended profile is protected. If an application is blocked after the service starts, use the firewall’s allowed-app controls or create the narrowly required port rule. Microsoft Support recommends allowing the application or opening the required port instead of disabling the firewall.
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What if the Windows Event Log Log On tab is disabled?
On some installations, the Windows Event Log service exposes its account controls as unavailable or grayed out. A documented workaround from Winhelponline edits the service’s registry value instead of using the Services console. This is more invasive than the normal procedure and should be used only when the control is genuinely unavailable and the documented scenario matches your machine.
- Close applications that depend on Event Viewer and sign in with administrator rights.
- Create a restore point or export the key you are about to edit, according to your organization’s backup and change-control rules. Exporting the relevant key gives you a rollback copy if the value must be restored.
- Press Win+R, type
regedit, and press Enter. Approve the elevation prompt. - Navigate to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetserviceseventlog. Check the path carefully; do not edit a similarly named key under another control set or another service. - In the right pane, locate the
ObjectNamevalue. Edit its data toNT AUTHORITYLocalService. - Close Registry Editor and restart Windows. The registry workaround specifically requires a Windows restart rather than only restarting the service.
- After sign-in, open Event Viewer and browse a log. Confirm that the “Event Log service is unavailable” message no longer appears.
Stop if the key path, value name, permissions, or existing account do not match this scenario. Do not delete unrelated values or apply the edit to another service key. If the value is protected or immediately reverts, a security policy or system-management tool may be enforcing it; involve the administrator instead of repeatedly editing the registry.
The registry route is not the preferred first step merely because it is faster to type. Services.msc is easier to review and reverse. Use the registry only for the grayed-out-control case, keep the exported key or restore point until Event Viewer has been tested, and document who approved the change on a managed system.
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How can I verify that the repair worked?
Verification should test both the account configuration and the Windows feature that originally failed. A service status of “Running” alone is not enough if the associated function remains unavailable.
- Reopen the affected service’s Properties and confirm that Log On shows
NT AUTHORITYLocalServicewhere the documented repair applies. - When Windows Firewall was involved, confirm that Base Filtering Engine was corrected and restarted as well.
- For Event Log, launch Event Viewer and browse a log instead of relying only on the service status text. The unavailable-service message should be gone.
- For Windows Time, check that the system’s normal time-synchronization action completes after W32Time starts.
- For the firewall, verify that protection is enabled and that the selected network profile is the one you expect. A disabled status is not a fix.
- Try the original task that exposed the problem, such as opening Event Viewer or checking firewall settings, and note the result.
- Record the final account, dependency changes, restart outcome, Windows edition and build, and any policy behavior in your support notes.
What should I do if Error 1079 comes back?
A recurring mismatch usually indicates a dependency, policy, permissions, or version issue rather than a need to repeat the same edit.
Check the installed Windows release
Microsoft Learn’s troubleshooting page, originally KB 2478117, is titled for Windows 7 and applies to supported Windows Server versions. Service layouts, permissions, and policy behavior can differ on other Windows releases. Verify the edition and build installed on the computer, then compare the current service properties with documentation for that release before generalizing the Windows 7 procedure. If the installed release is outside the page’s stated scope, involve Microsoft support or your system administrator rather than assuming every setting is identical.
Inspect dependencies
In a service’s Properties window, open the Dependencies tab and identify services that must be running first. Correct the account mismatch for the required partner as well; Windows Firewall’s Base Filtering Engine is the explicit example. Write down the dependency names and their account settings so you can tell whether the failure is isolated or shared.
Look for policy or management changes
If the account changes back after a restart or policy refresh, a domain policy, endpoint-management rule, or security baseline may be enforcing it. Capture the time of the reversal and the account value that was restored, then ask the device administrator to identify the controlling policy. A local administrator may still be unable to make a permanent change when centralized management owns the setting.
Recheck permissions and recent changes
Review recent security software, hardening changes, service-permission edits, and Windows updates. Local System may lack the service-specific permission arrangement required by the shared process, while LocalService is the account Microsoft specifies for these cases. Do not broaden permissions, replace system files, or disable security controls without a documented requirement.
Use the least invasive route
Return to Services.msc when its Log On tab is available because the change is easier to review and reverse. Reserve the Event Log registry edit for the grayed-out-control case, and restore the exported key or restore point if the change causes a new startup problem. If neither route works, provide support with the exact error, Windows edition and build, service and dependency names, current Log On values, whether the tab was editable, and whether a policy reverted the change.
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Which repair route should I use?
The right route depends on the service and whether Windows permits account editing in the Services console.
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| Route | Best fit | Advantages | Trade-offs and checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Services.msc Log On change | Windows Time, Windows Firewall, and other services with editable controls | Simple, visible, reversible, and aligned with Microsoft’s primary procedure | Dependencies must also match; managed-device policy can block or undo the change; restart and feature testing are still required |
Event Log registry ObjectName edit |
Windows Event Log when the Log On controls are unavailable | Provides a path when the graphical control is grayed out | More invasive, documented by a secondary source, requires a backup and a full Windows restart; stop if the registry scenario does not match |
Compare the routes by service involved, whether the Log On tab is editable, which dependencies must be corrected, the Windows version covered by the guidance, and whether device policy controls the setting. Neither route changes the underlying Windows feature into a different product or bypasses permissions. Both correct the service identity so the shared process can start under the account it expects.
Can I safely disable Windows Firewall to clear Error 1079?
No. Microsoft Support states that turning off Windows Firewall can leave the device more vulnerable to unauthorized access. If a legitimate application is blocked, allow that application or open the specific required port while keeping the firewall enabled. Windows Firewall protects domain, private, and public profiles, and disabling it is not a diagnostic success condition. On an organization-managed computer, contact the administrator when firewall controls are locked.
Does this fix require paid software or hardware?
No. The documented repair uses the built-in Services console and, only for the Event Log exception, Registry Editor. Do not purchase a generic registry cleaner, recovery USB, or unrelated Windows accessory for this error. A service-administration handbook or training course may be useful for an organization that needs repeatable procedures, but it is optional and does not replace checking the installed Windows release and its policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Error 1079 mean I entered the wrong Windows password?
Usually no. The message identifies an account mismatch between services in one process, not a failed interactive sign-in. The built-in LocalService identity uses blank password fields in the Services console; entering a personal password changes the problem instead of correcting it.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsWhich account should I enter exactly?
For the documented cases, select This account and enter NT AUTHORITYLocalService. Leave both password fields blank. Do not substitute Local System, a domain account, your Microsoft account, or a personal Windows username.
Can a non-administrator change the service account?
Windows requires elevation to edit service logon credentials and the eventlog registry key. If your account cannot approve User Account Control, ask an administrator or the device-management team rather than attempting workarounds.
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Why does the account change disappear after a reboot?
A domain policy, security baseline, or endpoint-management rule may be enforcing the previous value. Note which service was reverted and when, then have the administrator review the policy that configures service permissions.
Should I change every Windows service to LocalService?
No. Change only the affected service and documented dependencies. Service identities are part of Windows’ security design, so changing unrelated services can remove required privileges or create new startup failures.
Why must Base Filtering Engine be changed for a firewall error?
Microsoft’s Windows Firewall example corrects both MpsSvc and its Base Filtering Engine dependency, then restarts both. If BFE retains a different account, the firewall can continue to fail even after MpsSvc is changed.
What if Windows Event Log has no editable Log On tab?
Use the registry workaround only for that specific condition: back up the key, set HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetserviceseventlogObjectName to NT AUTHORITYLocalService, and restart Windows. Stop if the path, value, permissions, or scenario differs.
Is disabling Windows Firewall a temporary safe workaround?
No. Microsoft warns that turning it off increases exposure to unauthorized access. Keep it enabled and allow the required application or narrowly required port instead; contact an administrator if policy locks the controls.
What information should I give support if the fix fails?
Provide the Windows edition and build, the exact service name, its current Log On value, the dependency list, whether the Log On tab was editable, and whether the value reverted. Include any recent update or policy change and whether Event Viewer, time synchronization, or firewall status remains unavailable.
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Error 1079 is usually fixed by aligning the affected service and required dependency with NT AUTHORITYLocalService, leaving password fields blank, and restarting the services. Use Services.msc first; use the backed-up Event Log registry workaround only when its Log On controls are genuinely unavailable. Verify the original Windows function, keep the firewall enabled, and involve your administrator when policy or version differences apply.
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