Smart Card Helper (SCardDrv) Service Defaults in Windows XP
Smart Card Resource Management Server by Microsoft Corporation.
The Smart Card Helper service does not exist in:
- Windows XP Home SP2
- Windows XP Professional SP2
- Windows XP Home SP3
- Windows XP Professional SP3
Default Settings
| Startup type: | Manual |
| Display name: | Smart Card Helper |
| Service name: | SCardDrv |
| Service type: | share |
| Error control: | ignore |
| Object: | NT AUTHORITY\LocalService |
| Path: | %SystemRoot%\System32\SCardSvr.exe |
| Registry key: | HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SCardDrv |
Default Behavior
Smart Card Helper is a Win32 service. In Windows XP it won't start until the current user starts it. When the Smart Card Helper service is started, it is running as NT AUTHORITY\LocalService in a shared process of SCardSvr.exe. Other services and drivers are allowed to run in the same process. If the Smart Card Helper fails to load or initialize, Windows XP start up proceeds without error messages, but information about the failure is being written into Event Log.
Dependencies
Smart Card Helper depends on the service.
Restore Default Startup Configuration of Smart Card Helper
Before you begin doing this, make sure that all the services on which Smart Card Helper depends are configured by default and function properly. See the list of dependencies above.1. Run the Command Prompt.
2. Copy the command below, paste it into the command window and press ENTER:
sc config SCardDrv start= demand
3. Close the command window and restart the computer.
The SCardDrv service is using the SCardSvr.exe 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 XP installation media.