Microsoft iSCSI Service Not Running: How to Fix It on Windows 11

The Microsoft iSCSI Initiator Service (MSiSCSI) connects a Windows 11 machine to remote storage devices such as NAS or SAN over a network. When this service refuses to start, access to that storage is lost immediately. This post covers how to fix the Microsoft iSCSI service not running error on Windows 11.

What Causes the Microsoft iSCSI Service Not Running Error

This error usually points to a service configuration or permissions problem rather than a hardware fault.

• The MSiSCSI service is set to Manual or Disabled instead of Automatic.
• The Windows Event Log service, which MSiSCSI depends on, is stopped or has broken registry permissions.
• The account running the service lacks the required permissions.
• Corrupted service registry entries are blocking startup.
• The iscsiexe.dll file the service depends on is missing or corrupted.

Fix 1: Start the iSCSI Service Manually

The Services app lets you start MSiSCSI directly and check its current status.

1. Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
2. Scroll down and locate Microsoft iSCSI Initiator Service.
3. Right-click it and select Start.
4. If it starts without error, right-click again, choose Properties, and set Startup type to Automatic.
5. Click Apply, then OK.

If the service fails to start from here, the error message usually names the specific fault, which narrows down the next step.

Fix 2: Restart Windows Event Log and Fix Its Registry Permissions

MSiSCSI depends on the Windows Event Log service, so a stuck Event Log or broken registry permissions on it will block MSiSCSI with an Access Denied error.

1. Open services.msc, locate Windows Event Log, and confirm Startup type is Automatic and Status is Running.
2. If it is stopped, right-click and select Start. If it is already running, right-click and select Restart.
3. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
4. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\EventLog\System.
5. Right-click the System key, select Permissions, and confirm SYSTEM has Full Control.
6. Add NETWORK SERVICE to the list and grant it Read permission.
7. Close Registry Editor and try starting the iSCSI service again.

Fix 3: Force-Start the Service Using PowerShell

If the Services window does not respond or the Start button stays greyed out, PowerShell can start the service directly.

1. Press Win + R, type powershell, and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open it as administrator.
2. Run the following command to start the service immediately:

Start-Service -Name MSiSCSI

3. Run the following command to set it to start automatically on every boot:

Set-Service -Name MSiSCSI -StartupType Automatic

4. Restart the computer and confirm the service stays running.

Fix 4: Reset Service Permissions via Command Prompt

Incorrect permissions on the service can silently block it from starting even when configured correctly.

1. Press Win + R, type cmd, and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open an elevated Command Prompt.
2. Run the following command to reset the service security descriptor:

sc sdset msiscsi D:(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;IU)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;SU)

3. Restart the computer.
4. Open services.msc and confirm Microsoft iSCSI Initiator Service now starts and stays running.

Fix 5: Restore a Missing or Corrupted iscsiexe.dll File

The MSiSCSI service depends on iscsiexe.dll in the System32 folder, and a missing or corrupted copy stops the service from starting.

1. Open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Windows\System32.
2. Search for iscsiexe.dll and confirm it exists.
3. If the file is missing, insert a Windows 11 installation USB or mount the ISO.
4. Open an elevated Command Prompt and run the following, replacing D: with the installation media’s drive letter:

expand D:\sources\install.wim /F:iscsiexe.dll C:\Windows\System32

4. Restart the computer and check whether the service starts without the error.

The Microsoft iSCSI service not running error on Windows 11 is almost always tied to service startup settings, the Event Log dependency, or permissions rather than the storage hardware itself. Working through the service configuration, Event Log fix, and permission resets in order resolves the issue in most cases.

Frequently Asked Questions

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