Fix TBS_E_SERVICE_NOT_RUNNING (0x80284008) – TPM Base Services

When You'll See This Error

You're trying to enable BitLocker, or maybe you're running a TPM-related command in PowerShell like Get-Tpm or Initialize-Tpm. Suddenly, you get hit with: TBS_E_SERVICE_NOT_RUNNING (0x80284008). The exact message says “The TPM Base Services (TBS) is not running and could not be started.”

I've seen this most often on Windows 10 and 11 machines after a BIOS update, a driver update, or when someone accidentally disabled the TBS service. Had a client last month whose print queue died because of a Windows update that broke TBS—printer was BitLocker-protected, but the error was a red herring. The real culprit was the service itself.

Root Cause

The TPM Base Services (TBS) is a background service that handles communication between Windows and the TPM chip. If it's stopped, disabled, or its dependencies (like the RPC Endpoint Mapper or the TPM driver) are hosed, you get this error. Most common triggers:

You manually stopped the TBS service (maybe via services.msc)
A Windows update or driver update changed the service startup type
The TPM driver is corrupted or outdated
Secure Boot or TPM is disabled in BIOS/UEFI
Malware or third-party software (like some anti-virus) blocked the service

How to Fix It

Check service status and startup type. Press Win + R, type services.msc, hit Enter. Scroll to TPM Base Services. Right-click, go to Properties. It should be set to Automatic (Delayed Start is fine). If it's Disabled or Manual, change it to Automatic. Click Apply. Then hit Start. If it starts, you're done. If not, move to step 2.
Restart the TPM driver. Open Device Manager (Win + X → Device Manager). Expand Security devices. You'll see Trusted Platform Module (usually version 2.0). Right-click, select Uninstall device. Check Delete the driver software for this device. Restart the PC. Windows will reinstall the driver automatically. This has fixed half the cases I've seen.
Enable TPM in BIOS/UEFI. Reboot and enter BIOS (usually Del or F2). Look for Security → TPM or Trusted Computing. Make sure it's Enabled. Also check Secure Boot is enabled. Save and exit. This is especially common on older motherboards where TPM got turned off after a BIOS reset.
Run the TPM troubleshooter. Open Settings (Win + I) → Update & Security → Troubleshoot → Additional troubleshooters. Find TPM and run it. It's basic, but sometimes it works. Don't rely on it as your primary fix.
Use PowerShell to force-start the service. Open PowerShell as Administrator. Run:
```
Get-Service -Name TBS | Set-Service -StartupType Automatic
Start-Service -Name TBS
```
If that still fails, check the event log for more clues. Look in Event Viewer → Windows Logs → System. Filter by source TBS. You might see a specific error indicating a driver conflict or hardware issue.

If It Still Fails

Try a System Restore to a point before the error started. If that's not an option, do a repair install using the Windows Media Creation Tool (in-place upgrade). I've seen some cases where the TPM chip itself is faulty, but that's rare—usually it's a driver or BIOS setting. If you're on a corporate machine, check with IT: some group policies disable TBS. Also, if your TPM is firmware-based (Intel PTT or AMD fTPM), a BIOS update from the motherboard manufacturer often resolves it.

Pro tip: Don't skip the driver uninstall step. That single reboot reinitializes the TPM stack and clears most glitches. I've fixed three machines this week alone with that one move.