In VMware vCenter Server 6.x, VMware recommends to use the vSphere Web Client or Service Control command-line tool to stop, start, or restart vCenter Server and/or Platform Services Controller services. This process is different from previous versions of vCenter Server with the Microsoft Windows Services snap-in.

For more information about previous version of vCenter Server, see Stopping, starting or restarting VMware vCenter Server services (1003895)
For more information about VCSA see, Stopping, Starting or Restarting VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.x services (2109887)

Starting/Stopping/restarting vCenter Server and/or Platform Services Controller services

To start/stop/restart a vCenter Server and/or Platform Services Controller service if it is has stopped using the vSphere Web Client:

1. Log in to the vSphere Web Client with a vCenter Single Sign-on administrator account.
2. Navigate to Administration > Deployment > System Configuration.
3. Click on Services to view the list of all services within the vCenter Server system.
4. To view a list of services for a specific node, click Nodes, select the node in question and click the Related Objects tab.
5. Right-click on the service you would like to start and select Start/stop/restart.

Notes:

• If you restart Inventory Service in the preceding method, the Inventory Service starts but the services depending on the Inventory Service fail to start.
• This issue will not be fixed as Inventory Service will be removed in the future release of vCenter Server.
• To work around this issue, log in to Windows Machine and restart Inventory Service.
• This issue does not occur in vCenter Server Appliance.

Start/stop/restart a windows  vCenter Server and/or Platform Services Controller service if it is has stopped using the command-line:

1. Log in as an administrator to the server that is running vCenter Server and/or Platform Services Controller.
2. Open an administrative command prompt.
3. Run this command to change to the vCenter Server and/or Platform Services Controller installation directory:

cd C:\Program Files\VMware\vCenter Server\bin

Note: This command uses the default installation path. If you have installed vCenter Server and/or Platform Services controller to another location, modify this command to reflect the correct install location.

4. Run this command to list the vCenter Server and/or Platform Services Controller services:

service-control –-list

5. Run this command to:

Start a specific service: service-control --start servicename

Start all services: service-control --start --all

To perform a dry run of the command, this displays the actions that command run without executing the actions: service-control --start --all --dry-run

Stop a specific service: service-control --stop servicename

Stop all services: service-control --stop --all

To perform a dry run of the command, this displays the actions that command run, without executing the actions: service-control --stop --all --dry-run

VMware Skyline Health Diagnostics for vSphere - FAQ
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vCenter Server 6.5 services

• How to stop, start, or restart vCenter Server services
• Stopping, starting, or restarting VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.x services
• vCenter Server 6.x のサービスを停止、開始、再起動する方法
• 如何停止、启动或重新启动 vCenter Server 6.x 服务
• Interrompendo, iniciando ou reiniciando os serviços do VMware vCenter Server 6.x
• Detener, iniciar o reiniciar servicios de VMware vCenter Server 6.x

vCenter Server 6.x services: