SharePoint 2019 Error appears every hour - SPAdminV4 service started/stopped unexpectedly.

Question

SharePoint 2019 Error appears every hour - SPAdminV4 service started/stopped unexpectedly.

Keith Vollero 61

This error appears every hour on the hour. The thing is, the SPAdminV4 service is RUNNING. I don't need to restart it.

What can be going on?

Log Name: Application

Source: Microsoft-SharePoint Products-SharePoint Foundation

Date: 2/25/2026 10:00:02 AM

Event ID: 2137

Task Category: Health

Level: Error

Keywords:

User: APA\spfarm

Computer: Nobel.apa.virginia.gov

Description:

The SharePoint Health Analyzer detected an error. One or more services have started or stopped unexpectedly.

The following services are managed by SharePoint, but their running state does not match what SharePoint expects: SPAdminV4. This can happen if a service crashes or if an administrator starts or stops a service using a non-SharePoint interface. If SharePoint-managed services do not match their expected running state, SharePoint will be unable to correctly distribute work to the service.

SharePoint was unable to automatically repair this error.

To stop or start a service managed by SharePoint, use the SharePoint service management interface in the SharePoint Central Administration Site. If a service has crashed, restart the service manually on the affected servers by running "net start [service name]" from a command prompt. For more information about this rule, see "https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=142683".

Keith Vollero 61 Reputation points

2026-02-25T16:07:34.4666667+00:00

Could this be the sources of the problem?

2 answers

Your answer

Keith Vollero 61 Reputation points

2026-02-25T16:07:34.4666667+00:00

Could this be the sources of the problem?

Answer 1

Steven-N 21,805 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi Keith Vollero

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A

As you correctly noted, the Windows Services via services.msc knows the SPAdminV4 service is RUNNING.

However, look closely at your screenshot. Next to Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Administration (which is SPAdminV4), the status column is completely blank. It doesn't say "Started" in green text like the other services do. This means the SharePoint's Configuration Database currently thinks this service instance is "Unprovisioned" or "Offline" for this specific server.

And because these are foundational services, Central Administration hides the "Start/Stop" links to prevent you from accidentally disabling them via the web interface. So, to fix this behavior, you need to tell the Configuration Database to "Provision" the services, so it expects them to be running again.

You do this using the SharePoint Management Shell.

Log into the affected server (Nobel.apa.virginia.gov).
Open the SharePoint Management Shell as an Administrator.
Run the following script to re-provision both the Administration and Timer services for that specific server:

# 1. Fix the SharePoint Administration Service (SPAdminV4)
$adminService = Get-SPServiceInstance | Where-Object { $_.TypeName -eq "Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Administration" -and $_.Server.Name -eq $env:COMPUTERNAME }
$adminService.Provision()
Start-SPServiceInstance $adminService
# 2. Fix the SharePoint Timer Service (SPTimerV4) - which is also blank in your screenshot
$timerService = Get-SPServiceInstance | Where-Object { $_.TypeName -eq "Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Timer" -and $_.Server.Name -eq $env:COMPUTERNAME }
$timerService.Provision()
Start-SPServiceInstance $timerService

Note: Running these commands will update the Configuration Database. If you immediately refresh your "Manage services on server" page in Central Admin, you should now see the green "Started" text physically written next to both services.

Once Central Admin says "Started" and Windows Services says "Running", the two states will finally match, and the Health Analyzer will stop throwing the hourly Event ID 2137 error.

Hope my answer will help you.

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Keith Vollero 61 Reputation points

2026-02-26T14:06:34.5933333+00:00

Steven -

Thanks for responding so quickly, and for the suggestion, I think you're on to something. However, the situation just gets stranger and stranger. The script you provided failed with errors. The errors being, that "Powershell cannot provision a null-valued expression."

The two services I'm trying to start,

"Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Administration" and

"Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Timer"

Seem to be missing.

When I submit the simple 'Get-SPServiceInstance' command, I get a list of the two dozen or so services. This list includes

'Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Subscription Settings Service'

'Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Sandboxed Code Service'

'Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Workflow Timer Service'

'Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Incoming E-Mail'

'Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Web Application'

However, the Administration and Timer services are NOT included on that list. I can't provision them until I start them, but I cannot start them because I can't get a GUID for them.

What's even more confusing is that both services are shown as running under the Computer Management Console.

Any idea what the heck might be going on?
Steven-N 21,805 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-02-27T13:09:01.0833333+00:00
Hi Keith Vollero

Thank you for the detailed follow-up

When Get-SPServiceInstance returns nothing for Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Administration and Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Timer, it means the service instance records for this server have been deleted from the SharePoint Configuration Database. The services are still running as Windows services, but SharePoint has essentially "forgotten" they exist on this server. That's why it can't provision them.

Step 1: Run psconfig to re-register all services

& "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\16\BIN\psconfig.exe" -cmd services -install

Step 2: After psconfig completes, verify the services now appear

Get-SPServiceInstance | Where-Object { $_.TypeName -match "Foundation Administration|Foundation Timer" } | Select TypeName, Status, Server

You should now see both Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Administration and Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Timer in the list.

Step 3: Provision and start them

# Fix SPAdminV4 $adminService = Get-SPServiceInstance | Where-Object { $_.TypeName -eq "Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Administration" -and $_.Server.Name -eq $env:COMPUTERNAME } $adminService.Provision() Start-SPServiceInstance $adminService # Fix SPTimerV4 $timerService = Get-SPServiceInstance | Where-Object { $_.TypeName -eq "Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Timer" -and $_.Server.Name -eq $env:COMPUTERNAME } $timerService.Provision() Start-SPServiceInstance $timerService

Step 4: Restart the SharePoint Timer Service to force a config refresh

Restart-Service SPTimerV4

Hope this help
Keith Vollero 61 Reputation points

2026-03-02T15:36:29.9133333+00:00
Hi Steven -

Thank you for the details and PowerShell snippets. It sounds like everything should work, yet it does not.

A couple of points:

The psconfig.exe command as provided, failed. "-install" is not a valid option

However, I was able to run it with "installfeatures", which successfully completed.

This, however, did not do the trick. Even after successfully completing the psconfig, the 'Foundation Administration' and 'Foundation Timer' services failed to appear, and thus could not be provisioned.

As you can see, the two services are still not coming up in the Get-SPServiceinstance return. I am deeply puzzled, but very appreciative of your assistance.

Thank you,
Keith Vollero 61 Reputation points

2026-03-02T15:42:33.5266667+00:00

P.S. I did notice that the first run of the Get-SPServiceInstance command had the default "COMPUTERNAME" in the script, which would have accounted for the failure. However, I re-ran the command again, twice. Once with the correct computer name, and once with the server name restriction removed entirely.

Still No Joy.
Keith Vollero 61 Reputation points

2026-03-02T16:05:30.7+00:00

And while I don't understand the significance, perhaps this view of the settings might shed some light:

It shows the Foundation and Timer services as Compliant, though not Auto Provisioned. Shows the Foundation Database with a <blank> in the Compliant column. Does this mean anything?
Steven-N 21,805 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-03T14:10:14.0933333+00:00

Hi Keith Vollero

Thank you for your detailed response.

The additional information you've provided is extremely helpful and will greatly assist me in formulating the most appropriate approach for your situation. However, given the complexity of the require, I’d like to take some time to review the details thoroughly and conduct further testing to ensure I can offer you the most effective solution.

I’ll follow up with you as soon as I have an update. I truly appreciate your patience and apologize for the delay.

Best regards.
Steven-N 21,805 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-04T14:56:22.2533333+00:00
Hi Keith Vollero

The fact that the Get-SPServiceInstance cmdlet doesn't list the Foundation Administration and Foundation Timer services confirms that SharePoint’s Configuration Database has lost the service instance records for this specific server.

The psconfig.exe command likely failed with the -install flag due to how PowerShell parses the arguments when using the & call operator. Instead of wrestling with psconfig.exe, we can use the native SharePoint PowerShell cmdlet designed for this exact scenario: Install-SPService.

Please try the following steps from an elevated SharePoint Management Shell:

Step 1: Install missing services Run the following cmdlet. This will scan the local server and register any missing default services into the Configuration Database:

Install-SPService

Step 2: Verify the services have returned Check if the services now appear in the list:

Get-SPServiceInstance | Where-Object { $_.TypeName -match "Foundation Administration|Foundation Timer" } | Select TypeName, Status, Server

Step 3: Provision and start the services If the services appeared in Step 2, you can now run the provisioning script Steven originally provided:

$adminService = Get-SPServiceInstance | Where-Object { $_.TypeName -eq "Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Administration" -and $_.Server.Name -eq $env:COMPUTERNAME } $adminService.Provision() Start-SPServiceInstance $adminService $timerService = Get-SPServiceInstance | Where-Object { $_.TypeName -eq "Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Timer" -and $_.Server.Name -eq $env:COMPUTERNAME } $timerService.Provision() Start-SPServiceInstance $timerService

Step 4: Restart the Windows Service Finally, restart the Timer service at the Windows level to force a configuration refresh:

Restart-Service SPTimerV4

As for your question regarding the <blank> in the Compliant column for the Foundation Database that is completely normal in this broken state. Because the Timer and Admin services are out of sync, the Health Analyzer cannot successfully run its compliance checks against the database. Once the services are provisioned and started again, that column should populate correctly upon the next health check.
Keith Vollero 61 Reputation points

2026-03-04T17:01:17.89+00:00

Thank you for the deep dive and explanation. Sadly...

I have confirmed (double-checked) that I am running the SharePoint Management Shell as an Admin. I have also confirmed that the admin account I'm using is a member of the WSS_ADMIN_WPG group.

And yet, No Joy.

The sole positive aspect to this issue is that the system appears to be working perfectly. Central Admin resolves and all features are functional. Critical services, like User Profile and Search, are functional.

As an aside, I'm in the process of upgrading our system from SP 2019 to SharePoint Subscription Edition. That farm is running perfectly with copies of our content databases, and yet it is showing the exact same errors/issues.

Answer 2

The error you are encountering indicates that the SharePoint Health Analyzer has detected a mismatch between the expected running state of the SPAdminV4 service and its actual state. Even though the SPAdminV4 service is reported as running, this error can occur if the service crashes or if it is manipulated outside of the SharePoint management interface, such as through Windows Services or command line tools.

Here are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot this issue:

Check the Event Viewer: Look for any related errors or warnings in the Event Viewer that might provide more context about why the Health Analyzer is reporting this issue.
Service Management: Ensure that you are managing the SPAdminV4 service through the SharePoint Central Administration interface. Avoid starting or stopping the service through other means.
Restart the Service: Even though the service is running, try restarting it using the SharePoint management interface or the command prompt with net stop SPAdminV4 followed by net start SPAdminV4 to see if this resolves the issue.
Check for Updates: Ensure that your SharePoint environment is up to date with the latest patches and updates, as this can sometimes resolve underlying issues.
Review Custom Solutions: If you have any custom solutions or third-party applications that interact with SharePoint, review them to ensure they are not causing conflicts with the service.

If the problem persists, you may need to investigate further or consider reaching out to Microsoft support for assistance.

References:

Keith Vollero 61 Reputation points

2026-02-25T16:05:55.48+00:00

None of these suggestions were helpful. Checking the services from Central Administration, I noticed that the Foundation services were not running, and in fact, could not be accessed. Could this be the source of the problem?

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SharePoint 2019 Error appears every hour - SPAdminV4 service started/stopped unexpectedly.

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