Cannot start the Peer Name Resolution Protocol service

I had a problem with my old user account and followed instruction that said I needed to create a new account in order to fix my "Microsoft Store" account.

I did this, I created a new user account and deleted the old broken one, because this new account fixed my problems.

Unfortunately I can no longer access HomeGroup. I couldn't create a HomeGroup because my system kept insisting that the old user account name had created a HomeGroup, but the account was deleted, so I can't join a non existing HomeGroup. I found a solution by leaving the HomeGroup in my other computer on the network and it made the existing homeGroup (old account) go away, letting me create a new HomeGroup, but when I try to create the group I get errors.

I ran the troubleshooter from the HomeGroup control panel and it ends with the error saying I have a network error which leads to the Windows network diagnostic which ends with the following error:

Either the Peer Name Resolution Protocol service (PNRPsvc) or the Peer Networking Identity Manager service (p2pimsvc) is not running.

When I use the administration tools to access services and look at the services p2pimsvc is running and when I try to manually start PNRPsvc I get the following error:

Windows could not start the Peer Name Resolution Protocol service on Local Computer. Error 0x80630203: Unable to access a key.

I read a few posts that mention deleting the idstore.sst file from the
C:\windows\serviceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Roaming\PeerNetworking folder but that didn't worked.

Tried Net stop p2pimsvc and deleting (moved for safe keeping just in case) the files under C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Roaming \PeerNetworking didn't work.

How do I fix this? Can the permissions to this key be repaired? It looks like some kind of permission problem, but how do I find the file in question in order to change permissions?

I found a thread here that explains how to repair access to HomeGroup folder permissions, but I don't have these folders in Windows 8!

So where is this key? how do I fix permissions so the service can access it and start?

"Windows cannot set up homegroup on this computer"


1. Click Start, type services.msc in Start search box and hit Enter.

2. Right-click the Peer Networking Identity Manager and select Properties.

3. Set the Startup type to Automatic under Properties.

4.Check if the service is started; if not, right-click and select Start.

5. Click OK.

Hope it Helps!!

Also restart the Homegroup Listener Service.

If all else fails try a refresh or reset of Windows 8.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2293-refresh-windows-8-a.html

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2302-reset-windows-8-a.html