What does NTSTATUS 0xC000A142 (STATUS_INVALID_RUNLEVEL_SETTING) mean?

 
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STATUS_CANNOT_SWITCH_RUNLEVEL STATUS_RUNLEVEL_SWITCH_TIMEOUT

STATUS_INVALID_RUNLEVEL_SETTING

The configured service run level violates dependency ordering

The documented error states that a service cannot have a run level higher than a service it depends on. This is a configuration consistency failure: the dependency graph and run-level ordering describe an impossible transition sequence.

Capture the service name, its configured level, and all direct dependencies. Then walk the dependency graph rather than editing a single value in isolation. Changing one service can merely move the inconsistency to another edge if dependent services and load-order groups are not considered together.

What to inspect

  • Record the service run level and direct dependency list.
  • Compare each dependency's level before changing configuration.
  • Revalidate the full dependency graph after correcting the offending setting.

References


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