Alert message "Device reported a malfunctioning engine"

Products

• Endpoint Security

Issue/Introduction

• The Symantec SEP 16 agent opstate assessment service feature repeatedly generates an error message "Device reported a malfunctioning engine"
• Windows Event log has error messages like:

  7/3/2026 07:12:08 AM +00:00    System    Error    Microsoft-Windows-HAL    <hostname>.local    NT AUTHORITY\LOCAL SERVICE    21    The hardware real-time clock was not set because evaluation of the ACPI Time and Alarm Device method failed.  Status: 3221225659.    

Environment

• Symantec Endpoint Protection Agent: Version 16
• Microsoft Windows OS: Supported Versions

Cause

The Windows Event error is a Windows Kernel-General event triggered by the operating system’s interaction with the computer's motherboard or BIOS firmware.

Resolution

Despite appearing in log files alongside Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP), the Windows Event error message is not a Symantec specific error. The combination of the opstate alert "Device reported a malfunctioning engine" and the Windows Event viewer error indicate a hardware or firmware issue that need to be addressed.