The Microsoft ISCSI Initiator Service (MSISCSI) lets Windows 11 computers connect to remote storage devices such as NAS and SAN systems over a network. But the second Microsoft ISCSI service stops running, Windows won't be able to connect to ISCSI storage properly, showing: "The Microsoft ISCSI service is not running. The service is required to be started for ISCSI to function correctly." Luckily, this is a fairly easy problem to fix, so follow along as we guide you through the process.

Takeaways:

  1. What is Microsoft ISCSI and what exactly does it do on my computer?
  2. Solution for "The Microsoft ISCSI service is not running. The service is required to be started for ISCSI to function correctly." error on Windows 11.

What Is Microsoft ISCSI?

Microsoft ISCSI Initiator Service is a built-in Windows service that uses the ISCSI protocol to connect a computer to remote storage over a network. It is commonly used in business environments to access SAN and NAS storage without requiring Fibre Channel hardware.

How to Fix Microsoft ISCSI Initiator Service Is Not Running in Windows 11

If the service startup type is incorrect, Windows won't be able to launch it automatically, so check the startup setting and start the service manually. While you're there, make sure it's also set to Automatic so it auto-starts in the future.

  • Press Windows + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
  • Find Microsoft ISCSI Initiator Service.
  • Open its properties.
  • Set Startup type to Automatic.
  • Click Start, then select Apply and OK.
  • Restart your computer and check whether the ISCSI connection works.

Restart the Windows Event Log Service

The Microsoft ISCSI Initiator Service depends on the Windows Event Log. If the Event Log is not running, MSISCSI probably won't start.

  • Open services.msc.
  • Find Windows Event Log.
  • Make sure it is set to Automatic.
  • If it is stopped, click Start.
  • If it is already running, right-click and select Restart.
  • Try starting the ISCSI service again after restarting the Event Log.

Fix Event Log Registry Permissions

Incorrect permissions on the Event Log registry key can cause an Access Denied error when starting MSISCSI. Before you start anything in this step, make sure you create a system restore point, though. If you make a mistake, it will let you go back to before you messed everything up.

  • Press Windows + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
  • Go to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\EventLog\System

  • Right-click System and select Permissions.
  • Ensure the SYSTEM account has Full Control.
  • Add NETWORK SERVICE if it is missing and give it Read permissions.
  • Close Registry Editor and restart the computer.

Try launching the ISCSI service again.

Start the Service Using PowerShell

If the Services app cannot start MSISCSI, use PowerShell with administrator privileges.

  • Run:

Start-Service -Name MSISCSI

  • To configure the service to start automatically with Windows, run:

Set-Service -Name MSISCSI -StartupType Automatic

  • Check if the issue has been resolved.

Update Windows

If you are still having a lot of problems after doing all of this, check to see if Windows recently updated. If it did, try uninstalling the latest update. Once the update has been removed, check if everything is working again. If it isn't, go ahead and install all the latest updates and see what happens.