Not able to start the WebSphere installed with Information Server

Symptom

When trying to start WebSphere application server using the below example command:

Start -> All Programs -> IBM WebSphere -> Application Server v6 -> Profiles -> default -> Start the server

The below error is reported and no new new messages written to the startServer.log

ADMU7701I: Because server1 is registered to run as a Windows Service, the
request to start this server will be completed by starting the
associated Windows Service.
java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.
java:85)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.
java:58)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAcces
sorImpl.java:60)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:391)
at com.ibm.ws.bootstrap.WSLauncher.run(WSLauncher.java:219)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:571)
Caused by: com.ibm.websphere.management.exception.AdminException: ADMU7704E: Failed while trying to start the Windows Service associated with server: server1;
probable error executing WASService.exe: com.ibm.ws.management.tools.ProblemInWA
SServiceException: ADMU7711E: Unexpected exception associated with WASService.ex
e: exitCode = -1 during processing of server with name: server1
at com.ibm.ws.management.tools.WindowsService.doWASServiceAction(Windows
Service.java:380)
at com.ibm.ws.management.tools.WsServerLauncher.execWithWinService(WsSer
verLauncher.java:156)
at com.ibm.ws.management.tools.WsServerController.executeUtilityOnWindows(Ws
ServerController.java:128)
at com.ibm.ws.management.tools.WsServerLauncher.main(WsServerLauncher.java:114)