Stuck on Please Wait for the GPSVC? Here’s What to Do
Replace the DLL file with a new one to fix corruption issues
- If your computer is stuck on the, please wait screen, you may have a corrupt DLL file on your system.
- When it has the GPSVC plastered on the screen, your policy settings probably failed to apply or were interrupted midway.
- A quick workaround is to restart your system, but if it doesn't resolve the issue, you can reset your PC earlier.
Whenever you’re on your PC or manage a host of other computers, you may need to apply Group Policy settings. The Group Policy service may remain active in the background to ensure all the policies are applied.
The issue may arise when you get stuck on the please wait for the GPSVC error when starting your PC. If you’re lucky, it won’t take long, but sometimes, Group Policy errors can take excruciatingly long to clear. This article is for those times, so here’s what to do.
What does please wait for GPSVC mean?
The Group Policy Client service is responsible for applying Group Policy settings. It’s a system service that allows administrators to set policies for how users log on or whether they can log on at all, among other tasks.
The please wait message indicates a problem with the client updating its policies. This can happen when installing new software or changing your network environment.
Other possible reasons include:
- Policy cannot be applied – The GPO may be set to enforce a policy that cannot be applied to a computer or user because not all prerequisites have been met.
- The service stopped – The Group Policy Client service might not be running or stopped working on your computer.
- Outdated GPOs – If you have old GPOs that haven’t been updated recently, they could also be the reason behind your Group Policy not applying issue.
- Too many GPOs – If too many GPOs are being processed by the computer at one time, there may be a conflict in processing.
- A corrupt or missing DLL file – If you have a corrupt or missing DLL file, it cannot start and operate properly.
- Improper shutdown – If you fail to shut down your PC correctly or a power outage caused an improper shutdown, you may also be stuck on the please wait for the GPSVC error.
How do I fix Windows stuck on please wait screen?
Before you move on to the technical steps, we recommend trying the following first:
- Disconnect all external devices from your computer except the keyboard and mouse.
- Ensure you’re using an administrator account.
- Wait for a while, but how long to wait for GPSVC? If it takes more than five minutes, proceed to the next steps.
- Create another user profile to establish whether yours is corrupt.
- Try restarting your PC to refresh all services.
For the following steps, you’ll need to start your PC in Safe Mode.
1. Restart the Group Policy Client service
- Hit the Windows + R keys to open the Run command.
- Type services.msc and hit Enter.
- Locate Group Policy Client service, right-click on it, and select Properties.
- Navigate to the General tab, under Startup type, select Automatic from the drop-down options, and click on the Start button.
- Next, click Apply and then OK.
2. Run DISM and SFC scans
- Hit the Start Menu icon, type cmd in the search bar, and click Run as administrator.
- Type the following commands and press Enter after each one:
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /Restorehealthsfc /scannow
This step will be extremely helpful, but we recommend reliable third-party repair software, especially if a related DLL file is corrupt and prevents the service from running normally.
3. Download the DLL file manually
If the above system repair failed to restore the corrupt or missing DLL, you may have to download it manually. It’s not advisable to download such files from the Internet, given the number of untrustworthy sites parading fake as the real thing.
Still, backed up by a reliable antivirus, you can proceed to download the GPSVC.DLL file from sites like DLL-Files, which has legitimate files. Once you’ve downloaded and extracted the file, copy it in the C:\Windows\System32 directory to replace the previous one.
Restart your PC normally after the replacement and check whether you’re still stuck on please wait for the GPSVC error on startup.
4. Reconfigure your Registry keys
- Hit the Windows + R keys to open the Run command.
- Type regedit in the dialog box and hit Enter.
- Navigate to the following location:
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Svchost - Right-click on Svchost, select New Key, and name it as GPSvcGroup.
- On the right pane, right-click on an empty space, select New DWORD (32-bit Value) then rename it as AuthenticationCapabilities.
- Repeat step 5, but this time rename it as CoInitializeSecurityParam.
- Now, double-click on AuthenticationCapabilities, and under Value data, Enter 12320.
- Repeat the same for CoInitializeSecurityParam but under Value data, Enter 1.
- These are the default values for GPSVC so restart your system once done and see if this works.
Remember to create a restore point or backup the registry before making any edits.
5. Perform a System Restore
- Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run command.
- Type rstui and hit Enter.
- The System Restore window will open. Click on Next.
- Select the restore point you wish to revert to and click on Next.
- Now click on Finish.
If you’re interested in Group Policy management tools, we have them in plenty to help lessen the workload if you encounter such issues frequently enough.
Let us know of any other solution that may have solved this issue for you in the comment section below.
Still experiencing issues?
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If the above suggestions have not solved your problem, your computer may experience more severe Windows troubles. We suggest choosing an all-in-one solution like Fortect to fix problems efficiently. After installation, just click the View&Fix button and then press Start Repair.
