How to Fix 'The Parameter is Incorrect' Error in Services.msc on Windows 11

If you’re encountering the “The Parameter Is Incorrect” error in Windows 11, it can prevent you from accessing your drives and files. This guide details the most effective solutions to resolve this issue.

How to Fix "The Parameter Is Incorrect" Error in Windows 11?​

1. Change Decimal Symbol Setting​

• Open Control Panel: Click on the Start Menu, type "Control Panel" in the search bar, and press Enter.
• Search for “Region”: In the Control Panel, use the search bar at the top right to find "Region".
• Access Additional Settings: Click on "Region" and then click on "Additional settings".
• Change Decimal Symbol: Find the "Decimal symbol" field and ensure it’s set to a period (.). If it’s a comma, replace it with a period.
• Reboot Your PC: Restart your computer and try to access the drive again.

Changing the decimal symbol can resolve issues caused by regional settings that alter how numbers are formatted.

2. Add a Registry Value (Advanced)​

Note: Editing the registry can cause serious problems if not done correctly. Proceed with caution and back up your registry first.

• Open Run Dialog: Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog.
• Open Registry Editor: Type "Regedit" and press Enter.
• Navigate to Registry Path:
  • Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\UX.
• Modify Registry Value:
  • Find "IsConvergedUpdateStackEnabled", right-click it, and select Modify.
  • Change the value from 1 to 0 and click OK.
• Reboot Your PC: Restart your computer.

If the issue persists:

• Navigate to Another Registry Path:
  • Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\SystemCertificates.
• Create a New DWORD Value:
  • Right-click on "SystemCertificates", select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
  • Name it "CopyFileBufferedSynchronousIo" and set its value to 1.
• Reboot Your PC: Restart your computer.

Adding a registry value can enable certain system settings that might resolve the parameter error.

3. Perform a system restore​

• Press Windows + S to open Search, type Create a restore point in the text field, and click on the relevant result.
• Click on System Restore.
  
• Select Choose a different restore point, and click Next.
• Pick another restore point from the list that was created before the issue first appeared, and click Next.
  
• Finally, verify the restore details, click Finish, and confirm the change.

4. Run SFC in Command Prompt​

• Open Command Prompt as Admin: Click on the Start Menu, type "CMD", right-click on Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator.
• Run SFC Command: Type sfc /scannow and press Enter.
• Wait for the Process to Finish: Allow the command to complete. Do not interrupt it.
• Reboot Your PC: After the scan finishes, restart your computer.

The SFC command checks and repairs corrupted system files, which might be causing the error.

5. Run CHKDSK Command​

• Connect External Drive: If the error is on an external drive, connect it to your computer and note the drive letter (e.g., F.
• Open Command Prompt as Admin: Follow the steps in Solution 3 to open Command Prompt as an administrator.
• Run CHKDSK Command:
  • Type chkdsk F: /f /x /r (replace F: with the correct drive letter) and press Enter.
• Wait for the Process to Finish: Allow the command to complete. Do not interrupt it.

The CHKDSK command scans and fixes file system errors on the drive, which might resolve the issue.

6. Format the Drive​

Note: Formatting the drive will erase all data on it. Ensure you recover important data first using AnyRecover or another data recovery software.

6.1. Recover Files with AnyRecover​

• Download and Install AnyRecover: Go to the AnyRecover website, download, and install the software.
• Select the Drive: Launch AnyRecover, select the drive showing the error, and click Scan.
• Recover Files: Choose the files you want to recover and save them to a different location.

6.2. Format the Drive​

• Open File Explorer: Press Windows Key + E to open File Explorer.
• Right-click on the Drive: Find the problematic drive, right-click on it, and select Format.
• Set Format Options:
  • Set the file system to "NTFS".
  • Set the allocation unit size to 2048 bytes.
  • Choose Quick Format and click Start.
• Wait for the Process to Complete: Allow the format to complete.

Formatting the drive will reset it to factory settings, potentially fixing the parameter error.

By following these detailed steps, you should be able to resolve the “The Parameter Is Incorrect” error and regain access to your drives and files.