Windows Service is giving Description: <Failed to read description error code 2>

Question

I have tired to uninstall a disabled windows service through registry It is removed from registry but it is still showing in Services.msc with

Description: Failed to read description error code 2

Answer 1

Intuition/How you got there -

I am assuming you did either or both of these to land in this error message. a.Deleted the key manually from registry by HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services and deleted the service from here)

b.This service was in "automatic" start - so on deleting the service was somehow mislead in "starting automatically" - and hence produced this code Failed to read description error code 2 . Here's why - You should have stopped the service, or changed it to "Start manually" before doing this.

How to fix it and what worked for me -

[1]Go to cmd prompt in admin mode (meaning select cmd -> "Run as Administrator")

You should be in "C:/windows/system32/" [This should come up be default if you are in admin mode, as above] Type -> sfc /scannow After this the scan will begin and the following logs will appear --

Beginning system scan. This process will take some time.

Beginning verification phase of system scan. Verification 100% complete. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them. Details are included in the CBS.Log windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For example C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log

The system file repair changes will take effect after the next reboot.

[2] Finally reboot your system ! And the service will no longer appear in services.msc.