How to Fix PcaSvc.dll Missing Entry PcaWallpaperAppDetect

This issue has recently started occurring for users upgrading to Windows 11 24H2. It is caused by a task in the Windows Task Scheduler calling an entry point in PCASVC.dll, which no longer exists in the new Windows update.

How to fix missing entry in PcaSvc.dll PcaWallpaperAppDetect

This issue has recently started occurring for users upgrading to Windows 11 24H2. It is caused by a task in the Windows Task Scheduler calling an entry point in PCASVC.dll, which no longer exists in the new Windows update.

Microsoft may have forgotten to remove the Task Scheduler task, so it keeps calling the entry point, causing this issue. Although it does not cause any issues beyond displaying the error message, several users have been troubled by this error.

PCASVC.dll, also known as the Program Compatibility Assistant Service (PcaSvc), is responsible for detecting and resolving compatibility issues for older programs running on the latest version of Windows. Since PCASVC.dll is a critical file associated with the Program Compatibility Assistant Service, it must not be corrupted. Otherwise, this error might occur.

Apart from the causes mentioned, the error can also appear if the PcaSvc service stops running in the background. Now that we have understood the causes, we can move on to the solutions to this problem.

1. Remove PcaWallpaperAppDetect from Task Scheduler 

As mentioned above, the PcaWallpaperAppDetect task in Windows Task Scheduler keeps calling an entry point that no longer exists, which leads to this error. To fix this, we can disable the PcaWallpaperAppDetect task from Windows Task Scheduler.

• Click the Start menu, search for Task Scheduler, and open it in Windows.
• Expand the Task Scheduler Library and navigate to Microsoft > Windows > App Experience.
• In the right pane, right-click on PcaWallpaperAppDetect and select End.
• Again, right-click on PcaWallpaperAppDetect and select Disable or Delete.
• Once done, close Task Scheduler and the error message should no longer appear.

2. Restart the PcaSvc Service

 This can be caused by another reason – probably the PcaSvc service is stopped. This service monitors and then detects incompatibility issues with installed programs. So, make sure that this service is running.

• Run the Run application by pressing Win + R keys at the same time.
• In the Run application type the command services.msc and press Enter. This will open the services window.
• Locate the service named Program Compatibility Assistant and double-click on it to open its properties.
• Change the startup type to Manual or Automatic.
• Once done, click Apply and then OK.
• Now restart your computer and the error should not appear.

3. Run SFC Command 

Since PCASVC.dll is linked to the Program Compatibility Assistant, which is responsible for the functionality of PCA, it should not be corrupted or missing. Otherwise, it might result in the PCASVC.dll missing entry error message.

So, we can try to restore the PCASVC.dll file by running the SFC command, a command-line utility that checks crucial system files and replaces them with the cached copy from the compressed folder located at %WinDir%System32dllcache. 

• Start Menu by pressing the Win key.
• Then, type Command Prompt in the search box.
• Right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
• Once Command Prompt is open Opening as administrator, type fc /scannow and press Enter to run the command.
• Wait for the command to run. Then check if this fixed the problem.