The Dependency Service or Group Failed to Start

In the past week, I encountered a curious problem on 2 clients' Windows Vista PCs.  The symptom are:

• A red "X" on the network icon in the tray displaying the pop message - Connection status: Unknown The dependency service or group failed to start
• The PC is able to see available wireless networks
• The PC connects to available wireless networks but the status is limited and cannot connect to the Internet
• Both systems are running Windows Vista and Trend Micro virus protection

I spent a lot of time researching this problem and found that the error message "The Dependency Service or Group Failed to Start" is a somewhat generic message addressing Windows services issues.  I also found that many Internet help sites are littered with tons of bad information on this issue.  I tried many of the 'fixes' without success.  Then I found a thread on Microsoft's TechNet Forum that correctly identified my clients' problem and offered a fix that worked.  So, I give credit to Terry Downing for the fix. It worked like a charm. 

The problem:  Trend Micro's virus protection is getting confused and mistakenly identifies a Windows file as being infected with a virus.  In its efforts to remove the supposed virus, it corrupts the Windows Network Location Awareness service.  This service collects and stores network configuration information for the network and notifies programs when this information is modified.  If this service is stopped, configuration information might be unavailable.  If this service is disabled, any service that explicitly depends on it will fail to start.  The Network List Service will not run when the Network Location Awareness service is disabled.  Hence, the error message that a dependency service failed to start.  The Network Location Awareness service is found in nlasvc.dll which is located in the system32 directory.

Above is a screenshot of the Services window in the Computer Management window with Network Location Awareness service highlighted.

The fix: The corrupted system file, nlasvc.dll, needs to be replaced with a working version of the file.  For your convenience, I have put a copy of it here.  Click on the link to download the file:

nlasvc.dll

If you need to delete or overwrite a system file in Windows Vista, you'll quickly notice that you cannot delete system files, even as administrator.  This is because Windows Vista's system files are owned by the TrustedInstaller service by default and Windows File Protection will keep them from being overwritten.  Thankfully, there's a way that you can get around this.  You need to take ownership of the files, and then assign yourself rights to delete or modify the file.  For this, we'll use the command line.

First, open an administrator command prompt by typing cmd into the start menu search box, and hit the Ctrl+Shift+Enter key combination.

To take ownership of the file, you'll need to use the takeown command.

At the command prompt type: takeown /f c:\windows\system32\nlasvc.dll

That will give you ownership of the file, but you still have no rights to delete, move and rename it.  Next, you need to run the cacls command to give yourself full control rights to the file:

At the command prompt type: cacls c:\windows\system32\nlasvc.dll /G your username:F

Make sure that you replace "your username" with your username exactly as it is spelled for the currently active user account on your computer.

At this point, you should be able to change the file.  Rename the file from nlasvc.dll to nlasvc.dll.old.  Next, copy the new source file that you downloaded from above to c:\windows\system32.

Once the file has been replaced you need to set the permissions back to its original state.  Locate nlasvc.dll in c:\windows\system32 in the Windows File Manager.  Right mouse button click on the file and choose Properties.

Click Security tab; Click Advanced button; Click Owner tab; Click Edit button; Click Other User or Group and type in NT SERVICE\TrustedInstaller.

Press Ok on all dialogs until all property dialogs are closed.  Restart the PC and you should be back in business.

Please post a comment if this has been helpful to you.

Contact Info: info@consideritfixed.com

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Comments

[Maria]

Thank you Nanette, your way worked for me and I only went up to step 7! :)

[julio]

hi

can u help me with this problem

Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but unable to fix some of them.

Details are included in CBS.Log windir/Logs/CBS/CBS.Log. For example C:/Windows/Logs/CBS/CBS.Log.

when I am trying to open the CBS.Log file it says access is denied

[Joe Williams]

Nanette's post worked for me like a charm,

Thanks Nanette!

Joe

[S]

Typing
netsh winsock reset
in the cmd window opened using Ctl+Shift+Enter
worked for me!!

After a lot of other efforts!

Thanks everyone! :)

[Nathan Jay]

A combination of replacing the nlasvc.dll file and Nanette's STEP #8 did it for me, after trying about five other methods. Finally back online! :)

[Koos]

Thanks a mil! The replacement of the file solved it for me, I tried all the other mentioned fixes (from other sites before comming here) and none of them worked.

Thanks again!

[maurice oconnell]

Just performed reset worked a treat ...i love the internet .. great thank you alk

[Micent]

I fixed mine by opening Sytem configuration then services. I disabled all the services and pressed apply and rebooted, I then went back in and pressed "enable all" rebooted again which worked

[John Tellez]

Many thanks for the help. I did everything but it worked until I ran the "netsh winsock reset". It was a great support, tks again!

[Daniella]

Thank you soooo much! It worked like a charm! :-)

[reeseFEST]

Hallelujah,
ESET's Smart security caused the same problem on my fathers laptop. It's been a while since I've worked on a vista system. The fix worked after following the additional steps from nanette. Thankyou!

As a side note for downloading the file to the PC. You can configure a static IP address on the network adapter that you know will work on your network, allowing you to send/receive traffic, but you will need to know what addresses are normally assigned to your network. If you need more info on how to do that look here http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/19249/how-to-assign-a-static-ip-address-in-xp-vista-or-windows-7/

[venkat]

excellent.it workd

[Jocelyn]

One other thing: I forgot to mention what my problems were that led me to this site.

I use a USB Stick through Virgin Boost Mobile to connect to the Internet and no matter how much troubleshooting I did, even uninstalling, I had no success connecting. Further I received the message, "The Dependency Service or Group Failed to Start" at the bottom right of the screen when looking at the connectivity issue.

The other situation: when I opened RealPlayer I received the message "Unknown Winsock Error" so I knew this would be the forum to repair my problem.

You are very intelligent. I'm saving as my FAVORITE>

[Jocelyn]

Thank you! Yes!!!!

This is what I did--and NOTHING ever goes right for me it seems, but this did:

Type "netsh winsock reset"

I'd followed the previous recommendations and restarted my computer but the problems existed. When I typed the above in the command box and restarted, VOILA!!!! My daughter and I high-fived one another.

Also I'd never had this problem before. I have Windows VISTA. Had been using AVG the free version for a year recently I switched to AVAST.....

someone mentioned TREND....I did have trend on my computer but that's been well over a year, maybe two....sometimes you just don't know with these computers, but I sure thank you guys and this forum for existing.

[Chris from Cosby]

Well I must say thank you to you all, I had to try a variety of solutions offered here - including starting windows in safe mode to be able to change the dodgy .dll - and then finish with some of the others as well. Genuinely appreciate you ladies and gents sharing the knowledge. cheers
c

[Jill]

Nannette, thank you!!!! I appreciated the step by step version for a tech illiterate like me. It worked!

[Misty]

Original post &
Posted by: Nanette | June 16, 2012 at 03:30 PM
^^^
Thanks! I wish I would have found this before I spent $40 on a new driver / OS disc to wipe computer.

[Muhamamd Ahmed]

I am managed to solve the problem with the mentioned solution. Thanks for a very nice share. Keep posting

[AC]

Hi! I encountered the same problem and the netsh winsock reset worked! Thanks so much! :D

[Tree]

It works...:) Thank you so much

[Shanaka Aravinda]

Guys do try a "System Restore" before you try to do it the hard way. I am telling because i did it the hard way and went for the simple solution after it did not work.So just try a "System Restore" and then do the above steps if does not work.But if you do not have a restore point created then the above is the best way :D

[rselgynl]

Omg The post by Nanette helped and my computer is working like a charm. Thanks!!!!

[Sairam]

Thanks for a great solution. I just opened command prompt as an administrator and typed netsh windsock reset. Then rebooted my computer. Worked like a charm. I would suggest others to try this solution first. I also think this problem mostly affects vista machines.

[Tom Chow]

I us3d nanette's fix and it worked. (I didn't have to do the last step.) Thanks so much....!

[Ann]

Melanie's Post Work For Me and I'm able to see from my computer my network connections this is a simple and easy fix... thanks Melanie, I have added a little bit of helpful information to her post just to simplify it for those who don't no abou command etc...here you go

1. open an administrator command prompt- to do this go to the start menu type in cmd in the start search spot then -- (right click the cmd prompt-- clicking run as admin
2. type netsh winsock reset in the blinking area and hit enter, then restart or
3. reboot.

Thanks

[Pedro Gomes]

Perfect... Thanks

[Paul]

Nanette, your "dumbed down" instructions were a Godsend for a non-techy guy like me. Thank you very much!

[Wayne V]

Followed every step, trying to recall some of the DOS class I took long ago. I learned that cacls has been "depricated" and must use Icals. Finally got the correct syntax on everything, and got positive feedback from DOS at each step. -No change!! I continued to read posts on this site. I entered the "Netsh Winsock reset" at cmd prompt. I think that is what did the trick. Without this post and two asprin, my problems would still be making me crazy. Thank you very much!

[suman]

Excellent .... it is working fine.. Thank you sooo much

Suman

[zain]

great work for me thank Q

[Farhan]

Amazing ! The second solution worked for me

[SB]

Wow.. I have spent about three hours trying to fix my sister's computer. I'm SO HAPPY to have found this solution. I can't thank you enough!

[JeanG]

Thanks Nanette.. Your instructions worked!!!

[Rashmi Ganesh]

Thanks a ton. I spent hours but could not follow any suggestions on the net since I was not able to run cmd as admin. Kept getting an error that windows could not access the specified file. Finally, logged in safe mode, ran cmd as admin and replaced the dll, did takeown command and now everything works just fine in normal mode. Can't thank u enough.
Btw, my problem was that I couldnt connect to the internet, kept getting the dependency service error.
-Rashmi

[Tc]

Windows 7 Home Premium - worked like a charm. Thanks a bunch!

[Hcgjbvfjb]

Vista home premium 32 bit
Got this problem after a bsod when closing tor connection.

Did the op's instructilns followed by nannettes comment on june 16th and it worked

Thanks

[shiraz]

I tryied all of them twice no luck.

Ok for the first Fix:
every thing went right till
(At this point, you should be able to change the file. Rename the file from nlasvc.dll to nlasvc.dll.old. }
It would not change. every time i change it would go back to normal.

For the second Fix.

a) At the prompt type: net localgroup Administrators /add networkservice then press enter
THE SPECIFIED LOCAL GROUP DOES NOT EXIST.
and the same answer for the second command.

Thank you all.
Can someone help me plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
:(. :(.

[Nanette]

I am just an ordinary computer user, so these steps were challenging for me. It may sound so elementary to the experts, but we're not all experts!

This is a documentation of what I did, so some steps may have been repetitive (and possibly not necessary)

I am not sure if it is a combination of everything I did but I have a huge guess that the LAST STEP (#8) made the difference and may be done first before anything else. I have no way of knowing but it may save some time for everybody if they tried it first.

1)I tried exactly as instructed but it didn't work after all the successful feedback from DOS after each command. So I continued...
2) Click START and type RUN, press enter
3) Type REGEDIT, press enter
4) (Per Dominic'S feedback above)
- go to
>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
>SYSTEM
>CurrentControlSet
>services
>NlaSvc
--Right-click to edit this key´s pemissions. Select user SYSTEM and check FULL CONTROL & READ. Do the same for Administrators and Users. Click OK and close Registry Editor window.

5)Click START, then All Programs, Accessories and right-click Command Promt, then select Run as Administrator

6)At the command prompt, type netsh winsock reset then press enter

7) Restart computer

8)LAST STEP (That made it work for me) > go to START, All Programs, Accessories and right click on command prompt select "Run as Administrator". Follow the instructions as follows:
a) At the prompt type: net localgroup Administrators /add networkservice then press enter
b) Type: net localgroup Administrators /add localservice then press enter
c) Type: EXIT then press enter
d) Restart your computer
(Source - http://www.techsupportforum.com/forums/f217/solved-vista-home-premium-dependency-service-or-group-failed-to-start-535234.html)

Like I said, I could not tell if the Last Step #7 did the trick by itself. It might be worth trying first. I just shared everything that I did which made it work in the end.
Good luck to those who come across the same problem!

[Mannard]

Nice article. Got a Vista system here that didn't have trendmicro, but has had (at one time or another: AVG, Avast, Spybot, and Malwarebytes)

My symptoms were: Could see wireless networks and couldnt connect.

[Jessica]

Excellent. Thanks for the help! Worked like a charm.

[bolilo]

I applied the netsh winsock reset and it worked
like a charm. Thank you very very much. You saved my hours of a real headache.

[Mary R]

Posted by: Melanie | September 13, 2011 at 11:24 PM
Melanie's Post Work For Me and I'm able to see from my computer my network connections this is a simple and easy fix... thanks Melanie, I have added a little bit of helpful information to her post just to simplify it for those who don't no abou command etc...here you go

1. open an administrator command prompt- to do this go to the start menu type in cmd in the start search spot then -- (right click the cmd prompt-- clicking run as admin
2. type netsh winsock reset in the blinking area and hit enter, then restart or
3. reboot.

this worked for Melanie her's is saying unknown network mine is showing the network great fix, thanks again Melanie

[Rafael]

I did everything, but it didn't work. I have to untake the ownership of the file

[jake]

i tried this and now cannot give permissions back says cannot access control editor

[jeff]

I skipped straight to the netsh winsock reset part (as admin) and it worked! It was the only thing I had to do. Sweet, thanks fpr the helpful post!

[pradeep]

it worked perfectly for me.. thanks heaps...

[mike]

how do i remove a script?

[Abhishek]

INCREDIBLE !!! YOU ARE JUST GREAT ....DO NOT FORGET the

typing "netsh winsock reset" in the adminstrator cmd prompt, and then rebooting the computer,

GREAT !!!

[Tiffany]

Don't understand the part locate nlasvc.dll in c:\windows\system32 in the Windows File Manager. Where is the Windows File Manager, plz help me.

[Sam]

Peter Verrey / Thank you so much! You saved me many hours of anguish tnyrig to figure out how I could get the bloody thing to work. Never had this problem before, and all of a sudden