ERROR_DS_SAM_INIT_FAILURE 0x80072138

Error code 8504 · HRESULT 0x80072138

WINDOWS

Security Accounts Manager initialization failed because of the following error: …. Error Status: 0x…. Please shutdown this system and reboot into Directory Services Restore Mode, check the event log for more detailed information.

Windows troubleshooting diagram: Device Manager warning and a system file scan
Windows errors: check drivers, system files and Event Viewer, in that order.

What it means

ERROR_DS_SAM_INIT_FAILURE is a Windows error code (system error 8504, returned as HRESULT 0x80072138) reported by Windows. Its official message is: “Security Accounts Manager initialization failed because of the following error: %1. Error Status: 0x%2. Please shutdown this system and reboot into Directory Services Restore Mode, check the event log for more detailed information.”

How to fix ERROR_DS_SAM_INIT_FAILURE

  1. Reboot once — many one-off system codes disappear with a clean restart
  2. Repair system files: 'sfc /scannow' then 'DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth'
  3. Find the source in Event Viewer → System: filter for this exact code and open its provider link

Related errors

ERROR_DS_SAM_INIT_FAILURE_CONSOLEERROR_DS_SAM_NEED_BOOTKEY_PASSWORDERROR_DS_SAM_NEED_BOOTKEY_FLOPPYERROR_DS_COULDNT_IDENTIFY_OBJECTS_FOR_TREE_DELETEERROR_DS_SENSITIVE_GROUP_VIOLATIONERROR_DS_COULDNT_LOCK_TREE_FOR_DELETEERROR_DS_CANT_MOD_PRIMARYGROUPID

Source: Microsoft WinError.h

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