hashicorp/nomad · error

service registration check failed - %w

Error message

service registration check failed - %w

What it means

Wraps a failure from `IsServiceRegistered(WINDOWS_SERVICE_NAME)` on the Windows service manager. Before creating or updating the service, install queries the SCM for whether 'Nomad' exists; if that query itself errors, install aborts with this message.

Source

Thrown at command/windows_service_install.go:195

	c.Ui.Output(fmt.Sprintf("  Nomad configuration directory: %s", opts.configDir))
	c.Ui.Output(fmt.Sprintf("  Nomad agent data directory: %s", opts.configDir))

	// Now let's install that service
	if err := c.serviceInstall(m, opts); err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("service install failed - %w", err)
	}

	return nil
}

func (c *WindowsServiceInstallCommand) serviceInstall(m winsvc.WindowsServiceManager, opts *windowsInstallOpts) error {
	var err error
	var srvc winsvc.WindowsService
	cmd := fmt.Sprintf("%s agent -config %s", opts.binaryPath, opts.configDir)

	exists, err := m.IsServiceRegistered(winsvc.WINDOWS_SERVICE_NAME)
	if err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("service registration check failed - %w", err)
	}

	// If the service already exists, open it and update. Otherwise
	// create a new service.
	if exists {
		srvc, err = m.GetService(winsvc.WINDOWS_SERVICE_NAME)
		if err != nil {
			return fmt.Errorf("unable to get existing service - %w", err)
		}
		defer srvc.Close()
		if err := srvc.Configure(winsvc.WindowsServiceConfiguration{
			StartType:      winsvc.StartAutomatic,
			DisplayName:    winsvc.WINDOWS_SERVICE_DISPLAY_NAME,
			Description:    winsvc.WINDOWS_SERVICE_DESCRIPTION,
			BinaryPathName: cmd,
		}); err != nil {
			return fmt.Errorf("unable to configure service - %w", err)
		}

View on GitHub (pinned to 482b49bf1a)

Solutions

1. Re-run the command from an elevated (Run as Administrator) shell
2. Verify the SCM is healthy: `sc query nomad` from an admin prompt
3. Reboot the host if SCM/RPC is in a bad state after updates
4. Check antivirus/security software blocking SCM queries

Example fix

// before
PS> nomad windows install
// after
PS (admin)> nomad windows install

out, err := exec.Command("sc.exe", "query", "nomad").CombinedOutput()
if err != nil && !strings.Contains(string(out), "1060") {
	log.Fatalf("SCM query failed unexpectedly: %v\n%s", err, out)
}

exists, err := m.IsServiceRegistered(winsvc.WINDOWS_SERVICE_NAME)
if err != nil {
	if errors.Is(err, windows.ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED) { /* elevate and retry */ }
	return fmt.Errorf("service registration check failed - %w", err)
}

When it happens

Trigger: Opening the SCM database or querying service 'Nomad' fails — typically ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED when not elevated, or SCM RPC failure.

Common situations: Running the install command in a non-elevated shell; broken Windows management instrumentation/SCM after updates; remote-registry restrictions.

Related errors

• unable to create service - %w
• unable to check for existing service - %w
• could not get existing service - %w
• unable to stop existing service - %w
• service install failed - %w

AI-assisted analysis of hashicorp/nomad@482b49bf1a (2026-09-04). Data as JSON: /api/errors/f265a5b42b221188. Report an issue: GitHub.