Health Key and Certificate Management (hkmsvc) Service Defaults in Windows 7

Provides X.509 certificate and key management services for the Network Access Protection Agent (NAPAgent). Enforcement technologies that use X.509 certificates may not function properly without this service.

Default Settings

Startup type: Manual
Display name:Health Key and Certificate Management
Service name:hkmsvc
Service type:share
Error control:normal
Object:localSystem
Path:%SystemRoot%\System32\svchost.exe -k netsvcs
File:%SystemRoot%\system32\kmsvc.dll
Registry key:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\hkmsvc
Privileges:
  • SeChangeNotifyPrivilege
  • SeImpersonatePrivilege

Default Behavior

Health Key and Certificate Management is a Win32 service. In Windows 7 it won't be started if the user doesn't start it. When the Health Key and Certificate Management service is started, it is running as localSystem in a shared process of svchost.exe. Other system components, such as drivers and services, may run in the same process. If Health Key and Certificate Management fails to start, Windows 7 attempts to write the failure details into Event Log. Then Windows 7 startup should proceed and the user should be notified that the hkmsvc service is not running because of the error.

Dependencies

Health Key and Certificate Management is unable to start, if the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) service is stopped or disabled.

Restore Default Startup Configuration of Health Key and Certificate Management

Before you begin doing this, make sure that all the services on which Health Key and Certificate Management depends are configured by default and function properly. See the list of dependencies above.

1. Run the Command Prompt as an administrator.

2. Copy the command below, paste it into the command window and press ENTER:

sc config hkmsvc start= demand

3. Close the command window and restart the computer.

The hkmsvc service is using the kmsvc.dll file that is located in the C:\Windows\system32 directory. If the file is removed or corrupted, read this article to restore its original version from Windows 7 installation media.