ECE Licensing Manager install fails with Error 1923 - remove the leftover service

Issue:

Installing the ECE Licensing Manager fails with this message:

Error 1923. Service 'ECE Licensing Service' (ECE License Services.exe) could not be installed. Verify that you have sufficient privileges to install system services.

After the failure:

  • ECE Licensing Service still shows in the Windows Services list.
  • ECE Licensing Manager does not show in Settings > Apps or Control Panel > Programs and Features, so it cannot be uninstalled.
  • Running the installer again fails with the same error, even as an administrator.


Causes:

An earlier install failed partway, after it had created the ECE Licensing Service. The installer undid its own work, but the service was left behind.

The next install tries to create the service again. Windows refuses because a service with that name already exists, and the install fails. The message mentions privileges, but missing privileges are usually not the cause.


Solution:

Remove the leftover service, then install again.

  1. Close the Services window if it is open. While it is open, Windows may not finish removing the service.
  2. Open PowerShell as an administrator: right-click Windows PowerShell and choose Run as administrator. The window title should start with Administrator:.
  3. Run these two commands:
   sc.exe stop "ECE License Services.exe"
   sc.exe delete "ECE License Services.exe"

The first command may report that the service is not started. That is fine.

  1. Check the result of the delete command:
    • [SC] DeleteService SUCCESS - the service is removed.
    • FAILED 1072: The specified service has been marked for deletion - Windows will finish removing it after a restart. Restart the computer.
    • Access is denied - the window is not running as an administrator. Go back to step 2.
  2. Open Services again and confirm ECE Licensing Service is no longer listed.
  3. Run the ECE Licensing Service installer again. Right-click it and choose Run as administrator.

If the delete command is still denied

Security software or company policy can block the delete, even for an administrator. Remove the service through the registry instead:

  1. Open Registry Editor (regedit) as an administrator.
  2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\ECE License Services.exe.
  3. Confirm the DisplayName value reads ECE Licensing Service.
  4. Right-click the ECE License Services.exe key and choose Export to save a backup.
  5. Right-click the key again and choose Delete.
  6. Restart the computer, then run the installer again as an administrator.

If the registry delete is also denied, contact your IT department. They will need to remove the service, or allow the installer through your security software.

If the install still fails

Run the installer with logging turned on, and send the log file to ECE Design support. In an administrator PowerShell window (replace the path with where your installer is saved):

mkdir C:\temp
& "C:\Users\<you>\Downloads\ECE Licensing Service Installer.exe" /L*V "C:\temp\lm-installer.log"

The & at the start is needed in PowerShell. In Command Prompt, leave it out.


Notes:

  • In PowerShell, type sc.exe, not sc. In PowerShell, sc is a different command that writes files. In Command Prompt, plain sc works.
  • The name in the commands, ECE License Services.exe, is the service's internal name. ECE Licensing Service is the name shown in the Services list. The commands need the internal name. To check it, double-click the service in Services and read Service name on the General tab.
  • Always back up a registry key before you delete it.


Versions: 

ECE Licensing Manager 2026.1 (seen on 2026.1.162.1921). May apply to other versions.