How to fix Error 1360 on Windows 11

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Why This Error Happens

Error 1360 (ERROR_GENERIC_NOT_MAPPED) occurs when a Windows API call receives an Access Control Entry (ACE) or access mask containing generic rights (like GENERIC_READ, GENERIC_WRITE, or GENERIC_ALL) that should have already been translated into specific, object-type rights before being processed. This typically happens due to a corrupted Security Descriptor on a registry key, file, folder, or service, or because a Group Policy Object (GPO) failed to properly convert permissions during processing. Third-party security software or a botched Windows Update can also interfere with the generic-to-specific mapping function (MapGenericMask), triggering this failure.

Step-by-Step Resolution Guide

Step 1: Verify System File Integrity

  • Open Command Prompt as Administrator (search “cmd,” right-click, “Run as administrator”).
  • Run sfc /scannow to scan and repair corrupted system files that manage security mapping.
  • Follow up with DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth to repair the underlying Windows image if SFC reports unfixable errors.

Step 2: Isolate the Faulty Object via Event Viewer

  • Open Event Viewer (eventvwr.msc) and navigate to Windows Logs > System or Application.
  • Filter for Event ID 1360 and check the “Details” tab (XML view) to identify the specific service, registry key, or file path referenced in the error.
  • Note the exact object path; this is usually where a broken ACL resides.

Step 3: Reset Permissions on the Affected Object

  • If the object is a registry key, right-click it in regedit, select Permissions > Advanced, and click “Disable inheritance,” then “Convert inherited permissions into explicit permissions.”
  • If it’s a file or folder, open Command Prompt as Admin and run: icacls "C:\Path\To\Object" /reset /T /C
  • This forces Windows to strip out any malformed generic ACEs and rebuild the security descriptor using standard non-generic rights.

Step 4: Force a Group Policy Refresh

  • If the error correlates with a domain-joined machine or local policy, open Command Prompt as Admin and run: gpupdate /force
  • If failures persist, run gpresult /h C:\gpreport.html and open the report to check which specific GPO is failing to apply, then repair or unlink that policy from the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC).

Step 5: Check for Interfering Third-Party Software

  • Temporarily disable third-party antivirus or endpoint protection tools, as they often hook into the Windows Security API and can corrupt access masks.
  • Reboot and check if the Event ID 1360 error reoccurs; if it stops, contact the vendor for an updated driver/definition that supports Windows 11’s security model.

Alternative or Verification Steps

  • Verify the fix: Re-check Event Viewer for new occurrences of Event ID 1360 after 24 hours of normal usage; also confirm the specific service or application tied to the original error now starts/functions without throwing access-denied prompts.
  • Alternative fix: If the error stems from a corrupted user profile, create a new local admin account and migrate data—this bypasses profile-specific NTUSER.DAT security descriptor corruption without requiring a full OS reset.