Restart the Service and Its Dependencies: Press Win+R, type services.msc, press Enter
👇 See all 3 solutions belowWhat is Error 15401?
Windows System Error Code 15401, known as ERROR_INVALID_RUNLEVEL_SETTING, is a Internet & WinHTTP error that occurs during WinHTTP, WinInet, and internet protocols. The error indicates that: The service has an invalid run level setting. When this error is encountered, the Windows operating system was unable to complete the requested operation within the internet services subsystem. The error code 15401 is returned by the GetLastError() function and provides developers with a specific identifier to diagnose the root cause of the failure. The symbolic name ERROR_INVALID_RUNLEVEL_SETTING maps directly to this numeric code and is commonly referenced in Microsoft documentation, developer forums, and system logs. Understanding this error and its context within WinHTTP, WinInet, and internet protocols is essential for effective troubleshooting.
Common Causes
- The service's executable file is corrupted or missing
- A dependent service failed to start first (dependency chain broken)
- The service account credentials are incorrect or expired
- Another program or malware disabled the service
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Read the full guide →Step-by-Step Solutions
- Press Win+R, type services.msc, press Enter
- Find the service mentioned in Error 15401 (ERROR_INVALID_RUNLEVEL_SETTING) message
- Right-click → Properties → check 'Startup type' (should be Automatic)
- Click the Dependencies tab to check if dependent services are also running
- Right-click each dependency → Start, then start the main service
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Diagnostic Command
Run this PowerShell command to find related events in your system log:
Get-EventLog -LogName System -Newest 20 | Where-Object {$_.Message -like "*15401*" -or $_.Message -like "*ERROR_INVALID_RUNLEVEL_SETTING*"} | Format-List💡 Open PowerShell as Administrator, paste the command above, and press Enter.
Prevention Tips
- Never disable Windows services unless you fully understand their dependencies
- Use Windows Event Viewer to monitor service crashes proactively
- Create a System Restore point before making service configuration changes