How to fix Error 1364 on Windows 11

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Why This Error Happens

Error 1364 (“A specified authentication package is unknown”) typically occurs when the Local Security Authority (LSA) cannot locate or load a required authentication package, such as Kerberos, NTLM, or MSV1_0. This is often caused by corrupted registry entries under the LSA subkey, a damaged or missing authentication DLL, or third-party security software interfering with Windows’ native authentication providers. In some cases, a failed Windows Update or malware infection can also strip out or corrupt these critical security components.

Step-by-Step Resolution Guide

Step 1: Verify the LSA Registry Configuration

  • Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
  • Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa.
  • Confirm the value Authentication Packages includes msv1_0 and is not blank or corrupted.
  • Back up the registry key before making any edits (File > Export).

Step 2: Run System File Checker and DISM

  • Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
  • Run sfc /scannow to repair corrupted system files, including authentication-related DLLs.
  • If issues persist, run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth to repair the Windows component store.
  • Restart the machine once both scans complete successfully.

Step 3: Check for Third-Party Security Software Conflicts

  • Temporarily disable or uninstall third-party antivirus/security suites that may hook into the LSA process.
  • Reboot Windows 11 and check if the error persists in a clean-boot state.
  • If the issue disappears, reinstall the security software using the latest version from the vendor.

Step 4: Inspect and Repair the SAM/Security Hives

  • Boot into Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) via Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced Startup.
  • Open Command Prompt from the recovery menu and navigate to C:\Windows\System32\config.
  • Rename SECURITY and SAM files to .bak and restore from a known-good backup in C:\Windows\System32\config\RegBack (if available).
  • Reboot into Windows normally.

Step 5: Reset Authentication Services

  • Open Services (services.msc) and confirm the Local Security Authority Process and Netlogon services are running.
  • Restart the Netlogon service via Command Prompt: net stop netlogon followed by net start netlogon.
  • Restart the computer to reload the LSA authentication stack.

Alternative or Verification Steps

  • Open Event Viewer (eventvwr.msc) and check the System and Security logs for Event ID 1364 to confirm the error no longer appears after applying the fix.
  • If the problem persists, consider performing an in-place upgrade repair using Windows 11 installation media (setup.exe and choose “Keep personal files and apps”) to restore core authentication components without a full reinstall.