Symptoms
Attempts to start the Windows Process Activation Service (WAS) and the World Wide Web Publishing Service (W3SVC) may fail.
Starting W3SVC from the Services MMC fails with error:
Windows could not start the World Wide Web Publishing Service service on Local Computer.
Error 1068: The dependency service or group failed to start.
Starting WAS from the Services MMC fails with error:
Windows could not start the Windows Process Activation Service service on Local Computer.
Error 1326: The user name or password is incorrect.
Starting W3SVC from a command prompt fails with error:
System error 1068 has occurred.
The dependency service or group failed to start.
Starting WAS from a command prompt fails with error:
System error 1326 has occurred.
The user name or password is incorrect.
In the System Event Log you will find the following errors.
Log Name: System
Source: Service Control Manager
Date: 8/9/2022 4:20:28 PM
Event ID: 7023
Task Category: None
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: Windows2019&Windows2022_IIS10
Description:
The Windows Process Activation Service service terminated with the following error:
The user name or password is incorrect.
and
Log Name: System
Source: Service Control Manager
Date: 8/9/2022 4:20:28 PM
Event ID: 7001
Task Category: None
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: Windows2019&Windows2022_IIS10
Description:
The World Wide Web Publishing Service service depends on the Windows Process Activation Service service which failed to start because of the following error:
The user name or password is incorrect.
Cause
This situation results from both of the following being true.
- Internet Information Services (IIS) is configured to use Shared Configuration.
- The Password for the User configured to access the Shared Configuration Location was changed recently. This could be a local user or a domain service account.
Resolution
Follow these steps to resolve this issue.
- Open Notepad.exe as an administrator.
- Open redirection.config in notepad. File is located at: c:\windows\system32\inetsrv\config\.
- Locate the configurationRedirection line. It will look similar to this:
<configurationRedirection enabled="true" path="C:\Windows\System32\inetsrv\Config\Export\" userName="iisSharedConfigUser" password="[enc:IISCngProvider:p5w4RIuLVkS3mLjlJykvjayRCAJTLya6O6JYkYMHWLei7XPBfSxbpK6V2oVzUBOsFUejJob4zp1V0k11vflmq0N3XpUqwgJlCMXEAtWRt30=:enc]" />
- Update the password field with the new password.
<configurationRedirection enabled="true" path="C:\Windows\System32\inetsrv\Config\Export\" userName="iisSharedConfigUser" password="EnterNewPasswordHere" />
- Save redirection.config.
- Note: the new password is not encrypted. This can be corrected in a later step.
- WAS and W3SVC will now start. Use net start command or start from the Services MMC.
How to Re-encrypt the password.
NOTE: you will need to know both the new password and the original encryption key password to complete these steps. The encryption key password is not the user's old password.
- Open the IIS Manager.
- Select Shared Configuration.
- Retype the password and confirm it.
- Click Apply.
- Enter the encryption key password, and click OK.
- Review redirection.config in notepad.exe to confirm the password is now encrypted.
Updated Aug 10, 2022
Version 1.0Lou_Prete
Former Employee
Joined December 05, 2018
IIS Support Blog
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