Smart Card (SCardSvr) Service Defaults in Windows 7

Manages access to smart cards read by your computer. If this service is stopped, your computer will be unable to read smart cards. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start.

Default Settings

Startup type: Manual
Display name:Smart Card
Service name:SCardSvr
Service type:share
Error control:normal
Group:SmartCardGroup
Object:NT AUTHORITY\LocalService
Path:%SystemRoot%\system32\svchost.exe -k LocalServiceAndNoImpersonation
File:%SystemRoot%\System32\SCardSvr.dll
Registry key:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SCardSvr
Privileges:
  • SeCreateGlobalPrivilege
  • SeChangeNotifyPrivilege

Default Behavior

Smart Card is a Win32 service. In Windows 7 it won't be started if the user doesn't start it. When the Smart Card service is started, it is running as NT AUTHORITY\LocalService in a shared process of svchost.exe. Other system components, such as drivers and services, may run in the same process. If Smart Card 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 SCardSvr service is not running because of the error.

Dependencies

Smart Card is unable to start, if the Plug and Play service is stopped or disabled.

Restore Default Startup Configuration of Smart Card

Before you begin doing this, make sure that all the services on which Smart Card 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 SCardSvr start= demand

3. Close the command window and restart the computer.

The SCardSvr service is using the SCardSvr.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.