Software⏱️ 4 min read📅 2026-06-11

How to Fix: Track down the cause of Windows Error Reporting Service starting

Windows Error Reporting Service service issue analysis and metadata.

Quick Answer: The raw event data shows the Windows Error Reporting Service service entered a running state, followed by the Multimedia Class Scheduler service restarting. The process ID (740) is not present in the process list, suggesting it might be a system or kernel-level process.

The Windows Error Reporting Service (WERS) service is a critical component of the Windows operating system. It collects and reports errors that occur in the system, helping to improve overall system stability and security. However, when WERS starts unexpectedly, it can be frustrating for users. In this guide, we'll help you track down the cause of the WERS service starting issue and provide steps to resolve the problem.

The sudden startup of the WERS service can be alarming, especially if it's accompanied by other system errors or crashes. To troubleshoot this issue, we'll follow a step-by-step approach to identify the root cause and apply fixes accordingly.

⚠️ Common Causes

  • One possible reason for the WERS service starting is that another process has crashed and caused the service to restart. This can happen when a system error occurs, causing the operating system to trigger the crash dump handler. The crash dump handler writes the error information to the event log, which in turn triggers the WERS service to start. To confirm this theory, let's examine the event data provided.
  • Another alternative reason for the WERS service starting could be a misconfiguration or issue with the Windows Error Reporting Service itself. This might occur due to a software update, system change, or hardware issue.

🔧 Proven Troubleshooting Steps

Analyzing Event Data and Process List

  1. Step 1: Open the Event Viewer on your system (Windows key + R, type 'eventvwr' and press Enter). Navigate to the Windows Logs section and select the Application event log. Look for the event with Event ID 7036 and timestamp 2013-05-07T04:58:00.199140400Z. This should match the provided raw event data. Verify that the 'Windows Error Reporting Service' is mentioned in the event details.
  2. Step 2: Next, open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) or Resource Monitor to examine the process list. Check if there's a process with PID 740 matching the one mentioned in the event data. If not, proceed to the next step.
  3. Step 3: Verify that Services.exe and lsass.exe are running correctly. Ensure that both processes have the correct startup type (Automatic) and are not experiencing any errors.

Resetting WERS Service

  1. Step 1: Open the Command Prompt as an administrator (right-click on the Start button, select 'Command Prompt (Admin)'). Navigate to the Windows directory using the following command: cd C:/windows. Type the following command and press Enter: net stop wers && net start wers.
  2. Step 2: Alternatively, you can use the built-in Windows tool 'sfc /scannow' to scan for corrupted system files and replace them with healthy copies from a trusted source (e.g., Windows installation media). This might resolve any issues causing the WERS service to start unexpectedly.

💡 Conclusion

By following these steps, you should be able to identify the root cause of the Windows Error Reporting Service starting issue and apply fixes accordingly. If the problem persists, it's recommended to seek further assistance from a qualified IT professional or Microsoft support.

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