Remote Desktop Service Error 126 Module not found

When you attempt to start the Remote Desktop Services (“TermService”) service, Error 126 may occur. Here’s the complete error message:

Windows could not start the Remote Desktop Services service on Local Computer.

Error 126: The specified module could not be found.

remote desktop service error 126

Cause

The error occurs if the file termsrv.dll is missing or corrupted. Another reason could be that the Remote Desktop Services ServiceDLL may be pointing to a third-party module, such as “%ProgramFiles%\RDP Wrapper\rdpwrap.dll” (“RDP Wrapper.”)

Resolution

To resolve the Remote Desktop Services (“TermService”) service error 126, follow these steps:

  1. Open Regedit.exe and go to: 
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\TermService\Parameters
  2. Double-click ServiceDll
  3. Set its data to %SystemRoot%\System32\termsrv.dll
    (Also, ensure that the value type is REG_EXPAND_SZ instead of REG_SZ.)

    remote desktop service error 126

  4. Exit the Registry Editor.

Check if termsrv.dll exists

Additionally, make sure that the module termsrv.dll exists in the C:\Windows\System32 directory.

You may check the integrity of the file by running the following command from an elevated Command Prompt:

sfc /scanfile=C:\Windows\System32\termsrv.dll

If the above file is missing and Sfc is unable to repair it, run the Dism command. Alternatively, you can restore the missing file from WinBIndex.

RELATED: WLAN AutoConfig Service Error 193 0xC1 (WlanSvc)

One of the above steps should take care of the issue.

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Ramesh Srinivasan is passionate about Microsoft technologies and he has been a consecutive ten-time recipient of the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional award in the Windows Shell/Desktop Experience category, from 2003 to 2012. He loves to troubleshoot and write about Windows. Ramesh founded Winhelponline.com in 2005.

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3 thoughts on “Remote Desktop Service Error 126 Module not found”

  1. Thanks so much for this! I had installed rdpwrap a long time ago, and recently my antivirus deleted it, so your regedit fix was the exact solution I needed.

    Reply

  3. Thanks! Saved me as well.
    Same as @Kyle, Antivirus deleted rdpwrap.dll but the TermService (RD Host) still pointed to it and made the service un-launchable. I tried:
    DISM from Windows Update (No offline source)
    DISM from Offline source (mounted install.wim of same version and edition of Windows)
    sfc /scannow
    over SSH, none of which succeeded in fixing it. Having suspected it would be something around the service configuration, and placing high confidence that the ServiceDll pointing to “%ProgramFiles%\RDP Wrapper\rdpwrap.dll” was the culprit, I enabled remote registry to remotely view the service in regedit but had no non RDPWrapped systems to use as a reference…
    This niche little article couldn’t be more of a lifesaver!

    Reply

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