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Could Not Connect to the System Event Notification Service” Error in Windows 8 Help

I keep on getting the message "Could Not Connect to the System Event Notification Service” error in Windows 8 whenever I log on. Connected to this problem, it now takes me around 20-40minutes just to log on in the first place in which I'm sat staring at a black screen, then a further 5minutes or so staring at a blue screen when windows connects. Then, the laptop freezes, and I cannot do anything at all. I am now stuck in safe mode with networking.

I've looked online for help, but it seems like everyone has different ways to fix the problem; for one person, they managed to fix it by disconnecting their printer (my laptop is not connected to one, so this is not a problem for me) and for another person it was fixed by uninstalling AVG.

I do have AVG, but I don't think this is the problem as it seems to be in full working order.

In order to solve the problem myself, I've tried to system restore, which does let me log on, although I still have to go through the 20-40+ minute wait, although manage to connect to the internet, and it doesn't freeze.

I can't just keep on doing this forever, however. And I also really don't want to have to go back to factory settings and lose everything on my computer.

Has anyone had this problem before? Anyone know how to fix it?

Reply 1

LauraW

Also, please note that this is on a Windows 8 server. For windows Vista, it seems that command prompts seem to work. I've tried that, and nada.

Reply 2

username445491

By 'Windows 8 Server', I assume you mean Windows Server 2008 :P Why you'd be using that as a client OS, idk xD

Anyway, go to Start and in the search box type "services.msc" and hit enter. If you don't have a search box (you might not on the server OS), go to the Control Panel, select Administrative Tools and then double click Services.

Once in, find System Event Notification service. Right click it and select properties, and if it isn't set to Automatic, set it to that and then click Apply and reboot. :smile:

(btw, for the command prompt thing you mentioned, did that involve resetting winsock?)

Reply 3

LauraW

Windows 7 server, sorry.

Reply 4

LauraW

Original post by Serojoal

(btw, for the command prompt thing you mentioned, did that involve resetting winsock?)

I meant Windows 7, sorry. I was talking to a friend about Windows 8 earlier today, and typed it in.

I actually already have open the services.msc. and have it already scrolled down to System Event Notifications :smile:

Sadly, in safe mode I can't change anything - just wanted to know if anything else worked before I come out of safe mode (and be forced to system restore, then wait 20-40mins.)

And yes, it involved resetting winsock. I've seen two different ways of doing it, but both are for Windows Vista.

Reply 5

username445491

Original post by LauraW

If it works for Vista, the likelihood is that it'll work for Windows 7, so you may want to attempt Vista fixes. The two operating systems are very similar (with 7 being an evolutionary rather than revolutionary update over Vista). If you're on an Administrator account in Safe Mode, you should also be able to make changes?

To help diagnose the issue further, can you go into the Event Viewer and report back on any errors listed? (I can't really tell you what to look for without looking myself xD). To get into the Event Viewer, type "eventvwr.msc" in the search box on the Start menu and hit enter.

Reply 6

LauraW

Original post by Serojoal

Well, I tried one Vista method that was listed, didn't do anything. I also noticedd that when I closed the command prompt, then reopened it, that the winsock command had disappeared. I'm not very good with laptops/computers, so not sure if this is normal, or if I have to save it somehow, but that might be the problem with it. The other method I haven't tried yet because I've just learnt of it whilst in safe mode.

In the event log:
Got 42 errors listed in the last hour, and 232 in the last 24hours.

I'm going to system restore now, and hopefully be able to log in on actual account, then make some changes. Will try to log on here on ipod touch, but battery is low, so not sure how long I'll be able to talk on it.

Thansk for your help, and see you in a while, I suppose.

Reply 7

username445491

Original post by LauraW

The contents of the command prompt disappearing is entirely normal, don't worry about it :P

When you get to login to the account, go back into the Event Viewer and copy the details actual error messages (not all of them, but the ones that happened around the time you logged on - the critical ones especially) and post them here.

I'll be going to bed soon so I won't be able to help you further until tomorrow, but good luck! :thumbsup:

Reply 8

LauraW

Original post by Serojoal

Managed to get back on. In server.msc. it says that System Event Notification is started, whereas it wasn't, I'm guessing, when I couldn't connect before. However, it still took a long while to actually get on.

As for any errors, well, the problem has been going on for around 2 days now, but in the last hour or so I've had these errors:
1 Kernel-EventTracing
4 Disk
6 Eventlog (46 in past 24hours)
2 SideBySide (18 in past 24hours)
1 Dhcp-Client
15 Service Control Manager
1 DistributedCOM

I think these are the right things. Never used the Event Log before. Had to write them out myself; can't copy and paste them, so sorry for anymore lack of details.