Situation:
You launch a pcAnywhere host, and Windows NT/2000/XP displays an error message stating that the requested service cannot be started.

Solution:
These situations can cause this error message (details for solving each follow). Try the solutions in the order given.

• A folder named "Program" exists on the same drive as "Program Files\pcAnywhere."
• A file named "Program" exists in the root directory.
• pcAnywhere is set as a service and you do not belong to the Administrator or Power User group.
• The pcAnywhere Host Service is disabled.
• The pcAnywhere Host Service HW Profile is disabled.
• An invalid connection item is selected.

Many of these issues can be solved by simply restarting the computer. Other specific causes and solutions are listed below.

A folder named "Program" exists on the same drive as "Program Files\pcAnywhere"
When attempting to access the pcAnywhere program modules, the long file name "Program Files" is truncated to the short form "Progra~1". Subsequently, the system looks for modules in "Program" rather than "Program Files."

To correct this situation, uninstall pcAnywhere and reinstall it into a folder with a short (eight characters or fewer) file name. You can also rename the Program folder, but this could have unwanted consequences for any applications you have installed into that folder.

A file named "Program" exists in the root directory
Another possible cause of the problem that is similar to having a folder named Program in the root directory, is the presence of a file named "Program" with no extension in the root directory. This file is typically created by a McAfee Antivirus installation.

To resolve the problem, locate and delete or rename the file "Program" in the root directory.

pcAnywhere is set as a service and you do not belong to the Administrator or Power User group
If the pcAnywhere host is set to run as a service, you must have Local administrator or local power user rights to launch the pcAnywhere host. Domain Administrative Rights do not give you the ability to launch the host. If you do not belong to either of these groups, you must have your network administrator either add your logon to one of those groups or stop pcAnywhere from running as a service. This will, however, limit pcAnywhere's functionality.

The pcAnywhere Host Service is disabled
Try manually enabling and starting the service. If that does not work , restart the computer.

The pcAnywhere Host Service HW Profile is disabled
Even if the pcAnywhere host service is set to automatic, you will see the error message if the HW (hardware) profile has been disabled. To check this:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel. The Control Panel appears.
2. Double-click Services. The Services window appears.
3. Scroll down the list and then click pcAnywhere Host Service.
4. Click HW Profiles. The Service window appears.
5. If the profile status is "Disabled," click Enable. If the status is "Enabled," the HW Profile is not the cause of the error.
6. Click OK, and then click Close.

An invalid connection item is selected
If you have a connection device selected that does not actually exist on the computer, this error can appear.

For example, if the host item's connection device is set to SPX, and the SPX protocol is not installed on the computer, the pcAnywhere host service cannot be launched.

To check which connection device is selected

1. Right-click the pcAnywhere host item, and then click Properties.
2. Click the Connection Info tab.
3. In the Device List, make sure that the device selected is actually installed on the computer, or select a device from the list that is installed.
4. Click OK, and then restart the pcAnywhere host.

Related Error Messages
Other error messages can occur depending on the situation. These messages include the following:

• "Could not start the requested service."
  This occurs when attempting to launch a host from within the pcAnywhere main module.
• "Unable to start the pcAnywhere Host service."
  This occurs when launching a host item on the desktop.
• "Could not start the pcAnywhere Host Service on \\(computer name). Error 0005: Access is denied."
• "Error 0193 - %1 not a valid NT application"
  This occurs when attempting to start the pcAnywhere service from the Services module in Control Panel.
  

When all else fails
If the above procedures did not resolve the problem, you may need to uninstall pcAnywhere, perform a clean boot of your computer, and then reinstall pcAnywhere.

To uninstall pcAnywhere, see one of the following documents:
How to uninstall pcAnywhere from Windows 9x or Windows Me
How to uninstall pcAnywhere from Windows NT/2000/XP

To clean boot the computer, see the document that refers to the operating system you are running:
How to perform a clean boot of Windows 95
How to perform a clean boot of Windows 98
How to perform a clean boot of Windows NT
How to perform a clean boot of Windows Me
How to perform a clean boot of Windows XP

After you have performed a clean boot of the computer, reinstall pcAnywhere.