Failed to connect to a Windows service
Windows couldn't connect to the Group Policy Client service. This problem prevents standard users from signing in...
I use a Toshiba Satellite laptop running Windows 8.1 that I purchased in May last year. I am up to date with Window's updates. I've had this issue four times before and I don't know what triggers it and I really don't know what fixed it previously. I had watched Eugene's video (see below) and followed all of his steps. I even deleted parameters/variables and re-entered them but the process still didn't appear to be running but it would after a time.
I did a search on the internet to try to find new mentions and solutions to this error. Not much out there for Windows 8.1 but I thought I'd write about it to point you towards Eugene's video and let you know that you are not alone :) There are differences for this issue between Windows 7 and Windows 8.1. After reading lots of forum entries, it seems like lots of people had this problem after upgrading from 7 to 8. My computer has always been Win 8.1.
I ignored this error message and found that my email (Thunderbird) worked just fine. I could not watch anything on NetFlix, Vimeo, etc. When I looked at File Explorer I could not right click on any file. The images in the preview pane did not change (well they might have but it took several minutes). File Explorer would lock up and then I had issues of some applications not opening so I would shut down and start again.
I found 3 possible solutions to look at on YouTube video
- fix the registry - easy step by step instructions.
- run netsh
- turn bluetooth on (HP laptop no right click)
VIDEO #1. Here is an excellent video on YouTube.com from Eugene Robertus titled "Windows could not connect to Group Policy Client services fix for Windows 8.1". (It says "Part 2" but you are not missing anything as Part One pertained to Windows 7) CLICK HERE to watch.
Eugene speaks clearly, calmly, and precisely. He shows screen shots of every step. The video is in focus and has no music... Hurray!
I had this video running on my tablet while working on my laptop.
Everything Eugene says to check for was correctly set up on my computer except that the Group Policy Client Service was not running for some reason.
After watching the video a few times and following his trip through the registry with my computer, I did something different. When in the svchost folder (video time=7:13) and checking the contents of the netsvcs variable (he's checking to see that gpsvc is included in this list, mine was OK).
Then he shows that if you enter a blank line you will get a warning message to tell you that you cannot have a blank line but that the program removed the blank line and saved the file for you. I went to the bottom of the list and noticed the cursor was on a new line after the last entry. I backspaced so my cursor was now after the last character of the last entry.
I got the "blank line" warning. It "fixed" it and saved. After I went through all of the other steps again, all appeared OK so I restarted my computer. No error message, the process was running, email was still fine, File Explorer was working normally. Knock on wood... Everything was working at the first startup (and still is!)
Many people in his comments had all of the correct parameters, too. After they rebooted a couple of times the error message was gone. This also happened to me other times I had this problem. Maybe it takes a few times to correctly get the correct parameters/variables loaded and get the process running again??? Who knows (I'd love to!) but the most important thing is that it worked.
VIDEO #2) This video by Straker 32 might have a slightly different problem. I was going to try it if the above solution did not solve my problem. Titled: "How to Fix "Failed To Connect To A Windows Service" Windows 8". Warning, it sounds like it was made by a 12-year old but it is short. CLICK HERE
VIDEO #3) This person, Pratap Tirua, has the problem of his right click being too slow. I was having right click issues so I watched it. He has an HP laptop and it seems like it helped other users with similar HP laptops by turning on Bluetooth. Weird, but not my problem. Just wanted to mention it.
Hope this blog post will be helpful to someone else who is in despair. Don't Panic!
So it goes...
