Usbipd Warning The Service Is Currently Not Running A Reboot Should Fix That Official
A reboot is the safest solution if:
In those cases, go ahead and reboot—it will reset the service control manager and reload drivers cleanly.
When you reboot, Windows restarts all services in their configured order. If usbipd is set to Automatic, it will start cleanly. However, if a driver or another service interferes later, the issue can reappear. Common recurrence triggers include:
If the problem returns after a reboot, you need to investigate the event logs.
After reinstall and reboot, verify the service is running:
sc query usbipd
If you are a developer working with Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL 2) and need to attach USB devices from your Windows host directly into your Linux environment, you have likely encountered usbipd-win. This open-source project allows you to share USB devices connected to Windows with WSL 2 instances.
However, a common and frustrating roadblock appears when running the command:
usbipd wsl list
Or any other usbipd command, only to be greeted with the warning:
usbipd warning the service is currently not running a reboot should fix that
This message can be confusing, especially if you have already installed the software correctly. Is a reboot really necessary? What if rebooting doesn't work? Why is this happening in the first place?
This article will explain what this warning means, why it appears, and—most importantly—how to permanently fix it so you can get back to working with your USB devices in WSL.
If the problem persists after a reboot, check if the service is disabled or if driver conflicts exist. Would you like troubleshooting steps for when a reboot doesn’t fix it?
This specific error message often crops up for developers and hobbyists using WSL2 (Windows Subsystem for Linux) who are trying to pass through USB devices like Arduinos or webcams.
If you’re seeing the message "usbipd: warning: The service is currently not running. A reboot should fix that," here is a quick guide on how to get it moving without necessarily restarting your whole computer. What’s Happening? A reboot is the safest solution if:
The usbipd-win tool relies on a background service in Windows to bridge your physical hardware to the Linux environment. This warning means that while the command-line tool is installed, the engine that does the actual work hasn't started or has crashed. Step 1: Start the Service Manually
Before you go through the hassle of a full reboot, you can try to force the service to wake up using the Windows Services manager: Press Win + R, type services.msc, and hit Enter. Scroll down to find USBIPD Device Host.
Right-click it and select Start (or Restart if it claims to be running already). Alternatively, you can do this via PowerShell (Admin): powershell Start-Service usbipd Use code with caution. Copied to clipboard Step 2: Check for Version Mismatches
Sometimes this error persists because the version of usbipd installed on Windows doesn't match the tools installed inside your WSL distribution.
Update Windows side: Download the latest .msi from the usbipd-win GitHub releases.
Update Linux side: Inside your WSL terminal, ensure you have the latest tools:
sudo apt update sudo apt install linux-tools-virtual hwdata sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/local/bin/usbip usbip `ls /usr/lib/linux-tools/*/usbip | tail -n1` 20 Use code with caution. Copied to clipboard Step 3: The "Soft" Reboot
If the service won't start, a full Windows reboot usually clears the driver lock. However, you should also ensure WSL itself is fresh. In PowerShell, run: powershell wsl --shutdown Use code with caution. Copied to clipboard
Then, try starting the usbipd service again before opening your Linux terminal. Step 4: Check for Conflicting Drivers
If you use other USB redirection software (like VirtualBox or VMware), they can occasionally fight over the USB/IP drivers. If the service fails to start even after a reboot, try temporarily disabling those programs.
SummaryIn 90% of cases, manually starting the USBIPD Device Host in services.msc fixes the issue instantly. If that fails, a clean install of the latest version is your best bet.
Are you having trouble binding a specific device once the service is actually up and running?
The warning "usbipd: warning: the service is currently not running; a reboot should fix that" occurs when the usbipd service (or its dependency driver, VBoxUsbMon) has failed to start or was never initialized after installation. 1. Start the Service Manually (No Reboot) In those cases, go ahead and reboot—it will
Often, you can bypass the reboot by manually starting the service and its underlying driver using an Administrator PowerShell: Start the driver: powershell sc.exe start VBoxUsbMon Use code with caution. Copied to clipboard Start the usbipd service: powershell sc.exe start usbipd Use code with caution. Copied to clipboard Verify status: powershell sc.exe query usbipd Use code with caution. Copied to clipboard
If it still fails, check the Windows Event Log for crash reports under the "Application" section. 2. Troubleshoot Conflicting Software
The VBoxUsbMon driver used by usbipd-win can conflict with existing installations:
VirtualBox Conflict: If you have a full installation of VirtualBox, its own USB monitor service may interfere. Try disabling VirtualBox services or updating to the latest version of both.
Antivirus/Firewall: Third-party firewalls might block the service from initializing the network-based USB protocol. 3. Repair or Reinstall
If the service remains unresponsive, the installation may be corrupted or blocked by Windows security:
Purge the old version: Run winget uninstall --purge dorssel.usbipd-win.
Reinstall: Download the latest .msi from the official GitHub releases and run it as an administrator.
Force Driver Binding: If you can see the service but can't attach devices, use the "force" flag once: powershell usbipd bind --busid Use code with caution. Copied to clipboard 4. WSL-Specific Checks
If you are using usbipd-win for WSL2, ensure your environment is ready:
Update WSL: Run wsl --update followed by wsl --shutdown to ensure you have the required 5.10.60.1+ kernel.
Attach Command: Once the service is running, use usbipd attach --wsl --busid .
Does the sc.exe query usbipd command return a specific error code or simply say the service is "Stopped"? When you reboot, Windows restarts all services in
usbipd: error: Server is currently not running. #122 - GitHub
The warning "usbipd: warning: The service is currently not running; a reboot should fix that" typically indicates that the usbipd (USBIP Device Host) service or its required drivers failed to initialize properly. While a reboot is the recommended first step, several alternative fixes can resolve the issue without a full system restart. 1. Manually Start the Service
The service may simply be set to manual start or failed to trigger. Open an Administrator PowerShell or Command Prompt. Run the command: sc.exe start usbipd.
Alternatively, open the Services app (services.msc), locate USBIP Device Host, and ensure its "Startup type" is set to Automatic. 2. Address Driver Interference
A common cause of this error is a conflict with other virtualization software, specifically VirtualBox.
VirtualBox Conflict: usbipd-win uses the VBoxUsbMon driver. If a full version of VirtualBox is installed, its own drivers may interfere.
Force Restart Drivers: You can try stopping and restarting the specific drivers manually: sc stop usbipd sc stop VBoxUSBMon sc start VBoxUSBMon sc start usbipd 3. Reinstall via WinGet
Many users report that standard MSI installers occasionally fail to register the service correctly. A clean reinstall via the Windows Package Manager (winget) often fixes persistent service errors. Uninstall: winget uninstall --id=dorssel.usbipd-win -e Install: winget install --id=dorssel.usbipd-win -e 4. Check WSL Prerequisites
If using this for WSL2, ensure your environment meets the minimum requirements:
Kernel Version: You need Linux kernel version 5.10.60.1 or higher. Check yours with uname -a in WSL.
Update WSL: Run wsl --update from an admin prompt followed by wsl --shutdown to ensure the latest features are active. Troubleshooting Checklist
Check Event Log: If the service crashes on start, check the Windows Event Log under "Application" for specific error codes or crash reports.
Firewall Rules: Ensure TCP port 3240 is open, as the service communicates over this port.
Path Conflicts: Ensure there isn't another sc.exe or usbip executable in your PATH environment variables that might be intercepting commands.
usbipd: error: Server is currently not running. #122 - GitHub