[windows] Multipass service fails to take ownership of data dir and won't start

[freedomwarrior]

Hello.

Edition	Windows 11 Pro
Version	24H2
Installed on	‎22.‎02.‎2025
OS build	26100.3194
Experience	Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.26100.48.0

Multipass version: multipass 1.15.0+win

When trying to start multipass service, got error:

The Multipass Service service on Local Computer started and then stopped. Some services stop automatically if they are not in use by other services or programs.

[georgeliao]

Hi @freedomwarrior
Sorry that you encountered this issue.

First and foremost, please follow the format of our bug report template as some important information missing. For example, we might need information about the local driver you use. Additionally, it is not clear how you started the Multipass service. Multipass service is supposed to start automatically upon installation.

Please priovide more details so we can better help you.

[Deza92]

Hi @freedomwarrior

I have the same problem in my two pc and and after several days I was able to solve it:

1º - Start powershell as administrator
2º - Run the following command: takeown /a /r /f "C:\ProgramData\Multipass"
3º - In the question, answer "Y", (in my case "S" because i'm from spanish)
4º - Go to Service and Start the "Multipass Service"
5º - Restart the program Multipass

[ricab]

Hi @Deza92, thanks for posting that. Do you know how you got into that situation? Did you manually acquire the "C:\ProgramData\Multipass" (or parents) before that started happening? Also what version of Multipass did you install at first or how long ago (ballpark)? And what version do you have now?

Multipass should be taking ownership of that directory itself, using a very similar command: takeown /a /r /d Y /f... I hope the /d Y does not depend on locale.

[Deza92]

Hi @ricab.

I had two different situations but had the same problem in my two pcs, the permissions.

1º - In my first PC, the program didn't finish installing and saw that the service "Multipass service" havent started
1º - In my second PC, the program finish installing, I started the Multipass GUI but appeared a message that said: "Waiting domain" and saw that the service "Multipass service" havent started.

Also changed the permissión of the directory Multipass, also add a new user administrator but I think that not necessary since with run the "takeown" works perfect.

In both pc, I install the versión 1.15.0 but I tried to install 1.15.1 and also didn't works. Now in my PC have 1.15.0 and in the other, I uploaded the 1.15.1.

The command "/d Y" (YES) depend on locale, because in other post I saw that a French user used "/d O" (OUAIS) and I used the "/d S" (SI). The first time I used the french command because I dont knew the command "takeown" and didnt work to me and I deleted the "/d O" y and in the next step it asked me if I wanted to run it and then I saw the S (SI in Spanish). On my second PC, I ran it by tampering with "/d S" and it worked the first time and didnt't ask for SI or NO in the second step.

[ricab]

Hi @Deza92, I see thanks. That is the issue then: Multipass needs to account for different languages when doing takeown... I am repurposing this issue to track that.

For anyone else hitting this, the workaround is what @Deza92 described.

[ricab]

It looks like this is actually a duplicate of #3866.