Error with WinNAT service (cannot start)

Question

Hi,

I am posting here becauseI am facing an issue with WinNAT service, on a 2019 Windows Server.

In the event viewer, I have the following message when I try starting WinNAT service :
"The Windows NAT Driver service failed to start due to the following error:

The parameter is incorrect."
Event ID is 7000.

I tried removing a registry key named {eb004a00-9b1a-11d4-9123-0050047759bc} as suggested on many forums, then tried restarting winnat, but did not help.

In powershell, when I do "Get-Service Winnat" I see the service stopped.
When I try to start it "Start-Service Winnat" I get the following error :
Start-Service : Service 'Windows NAT Driver (Winnat)' cannot be started due to the following error: Cannot start

service Winnat on computer '.'.

At line:1 char:1

+ Start-Service Winnat

+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*+ CategoryInfo          : OpenError: (System.ServiceProcess.ServiceController:ServiceController) [Start-Service],* 

ServiceCommandException

*+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : CouldNotStartService,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.StartServiceCommand*  

I tried SFC /scannow, DISM tool, windows updates, reboots.
Whatever I tried did not allow me starting again this service.

Does anyone have an idea about something I could do to fix this service ?

Kind regards,

Arnaud

Answer 1

Hello,

Regarding the problem of "Incorrect parameters when starting the service", Please press the "Windows logo key + X" shortcut key, start "Windows PowerShell (Administrator)", and execute the following two commands to create a new local administrator account:

net user User ****** /add (User is the name of the newly created account, ****** is the password of the account, you can adjust this command yourself)

net localgroup administrators User /add (to grant administrator rights to this account, please change User to the account name created in the previous command)

Launch the Start menu, click on the current account avatar, log in to the newly created account, and see if "parameter error" is prompted when starting the service under the new account to confirm whether this problem is caused by damage to the account you are currently using.

Hope this reply can help you.

Best regards

Zunhui

Answer 2

Dear Zunhui,

The service only depends on TCPIP, which is correctly running.

Kind regards

Answer 3

Dear Zunhui,

Thank you for your answer.
I tried with the newly created account, still encountered the same issue :


Please let me know if you have something more I could try.

Kind regards,
Arnaud

Answer 4

Hello again,

Sorry for bothering, but I need to find an answer to this question.
I cannot format or reinstall this server since it belongs to a client and he uses it as a production server.

Any other idea ?

Kind regards,
Arnaud

Answer 5

Hello,

You can try to find the service by right-clicking on it and selecting "Properties". In the Properties window, select the Dependencies tab.

Check the list of services that the service depends on. If any services are not running, right-click them and select Start. If any services are already running, right-click on them and select Restart.

Best regards

Zunhui