PRB: Starting a Service Returns "Logon Failure" Error (120556)



The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Win32 Application Programming Interface (API), when used with:
    • the operating system: Microsoft Windows NT 3.51
    • the operating system: Microsoft Windows NT 4.0
    • the operating system: Microsoft Windows 2000
    • the operating system: Microsoft Windows XP

This article was previously published under Q120556

SYMPTOMS

Starting a service from either the Service Control Manager or from the StartService API may return error 1069,
ERROR_SERVICE_LOGON_FAILED.

CAUSE

This error occurs if the service was started from an account that does not have the "Log on a service" right.

RESOLUTION

An account can be granted the "Log on a service" right programmatically or through the User Manager Application. Both of these methods are described below.

User Manager Application Method

  1. In the User Manager application, choose User Rights from the Policies menu.
  2. In the User Rights dialog box, select the "Show Advanced User Rights" check box.
  3. Choose "Log on a service," in the "Right" scroll box.
  4. Choose the Add button to grant your account the "Log on a service" right.

Programmatically Method

An account can also be granted the user right programmatically through the Local Security Authority (LSA) API calls. For more information on this topic, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

132958 How to Manage User Privileges Programmatically in Windows NT


Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:4/12/2004
Keywords:kbAPI kbKernBase kbprb kbSecurity kbService KB120556