SC.exe Command Returns Error Message: ChangeServiceConfig Failed, rc = 87 (264663)



The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0

This article was previously published under Q264663

SYMPTOMS

When you run the following command from the command prompt:

SC CONFIG TASKMANAGER OBJ= domain\user PASSWORD= password

you may receive the following error message:
ChangeServiceConfig Failed, rc = 87

CAUSE

The issue can occur when the service has been previously set to interact with the desktop under the LocalSystem account. If the service is configured to interact with the desktop, you cannot change the service to run under a domain user account.

RESOLUTION

Add the parameter "type= own" to the command as in the following example:

SC CONFIG TASKMANAGER OBJ= domain\user PASSWORD= password TYPE= own

MORE INFORMATION

SC.exe is a command line utility that is included in the Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Resource Kit and the Microsoft Win32 Software Development Kit. SC.exe implements calls to all of the Windows NT service control application programming interface (API) functions. It allows you to set the parameters to these functions by specifying them on the command line. You can use SC.exe to display service status and to retrieve the values stored in the status structure fields, providing more detailed and accurate information about services than you receive through the end-user utilities provided with the Windows NT 4.0 operating system.

For a complete description of the use and capabilities of the SC.exe utility, refer to the file Sc-dev.txt, which is included in the Windows NT Server 4.0 Resource Kit.

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:8/8/2001
Keywords:kbprb KB264663