RPC Server error

[sggaunt]

Going back to this one, I have a networked machine that will not run any of the 'help' services, tried a lot of things in the past. Linney's answer to another post prompted me to try running the sfc tool. (I may have tried this before)
typing sfc /scannow results in the following message in the command window.

Windows file protection could not initiate a scan of protected system files
0x000006ba [The RPC server is unavailable]

Checking the services list [after a normal start] showed RPC as Manual and not running.
Forcing a start changes it to started.

But the same error message is returned on running sfc (as if RPC has not actually started at all)

I have tried various patches on this machine in the past none have fixed this.
Applying SP3 didn't fix it.
The machine is generally slow even after a good clean up.
About the only thing I haven't tried is an 'R' re-install of Windows, the original disk is SP1, but I have an SP2 version not sure if that will work.
Any other recommendations?




Steve: N.M.N.F.
If something is popular, it must be wrong: Mark Twain

 

[sggaunt]

The non responsive CD boot was caused by the too fast 'Press any key to boot from CD ' message,
This seems to be quite a common problem.

I got round it by disabling the Harddrive boot in the BIOS, although it will still boot from the HD if no CD's are inserted or if you miss the Boot from CD prompt which is at least present for about 10 seconds now!

Repair install is ongoing.



Steve: N.M.N.F.
If something is popular, it must be wrong: Mark Twain

 

[sggaunt]

OK Repair install completed.
It still has SP3.

and It still has no Help Service!!

I dont think anything short of a wipe and re-install will fix this!


Steve: N.M.N.F.
If something is popular, it must be wrong: Mark Twain

 

[linney]

Is the Help and Support Service listed in Services? If it is, can you manually Start it, it is not Disabled in there is it?

 

[sggaunt]

linney: Yes the help and support service is listed but will not start.

Error 126: The specified module cannot be found.

But as we have seen in previous posts and threads all help diagnostices show that the H&S service is installed correctly. (and dont forget I just did a full repair install of windows)

H&S depends on the RPC service, this is shown as started, but everything on the properties tab is grayed out.

I need to check back to see exactly what it was that pointed me to this I think something else dosent work that also dependent on the RPC..


Steve: N.M.N.F.
If something is popular, it must be wrong: Mark Twain

 

[sggaunt]

This is from my previos attempt to sort this out

I have seen there is a suggestion to try a system file check. This dosnt work either. Get Error 0x000006ba [The RPC server is unavalible]
I fould a 'fix' involving root certifiacetes on the M$ website, It diddnt work!!

Steve: N.M.N.F.
If something is popular, it must be wrong: Mark Twain

 

[tlcscousin]

If you open regedit and expand h_key_local_machine/System/CurrentControlSet/Services
and check permissions on the services in question does system have full control and everything else read permissions?

 

[sggaunt]

tlcscousin:

This is the Permissions status for the help and RPC services

Help Service (helpsvc)
Administrators: Full control
Creator owner: Special permission effectively Full control (owner is Administrator)
Power users: Read only
System: Full control
Users: Read only

RPC Service (RpcSs)

Administrators: Full control
Creator owner: Special permission effectively Full control (owner is Administrator)
Power users: Read only
System: Full control
Users: Read only

The current user has administrator rights, but I know this isn't necessarily the same thing.

Steve: N.M.N.F.
If something is popular, it must be wrong: Mark Twain

 

[BadBigBen]

Error 126: The specified module cannot be found.

is the repair install up to date? meaning have you installed the hotfixes/updates since SP3?

You may receive the error message given below, when you try to start the Server service on your Windows XP computer.

Error 126: The specified module cannot be found

This error occurs when the DLL file Srvsvc.dll file is missing from your computer or is corrupt. To fix this error, you will have to extract the original Srvsvc.dll from the Windows XP installation CD and copy it to the System32 (C:\Windows\System32) folder on your computer. To extract and copy the file to system32, insert the Windows XP installation CD into the CD-drive of your computer. Open Command Prompt, and type the following command and press Enter.

expand <CD_drive>:\i386\srvsvc.dl_ C:\Windows\system32\srvsvc.dll

Note: Replace CD_Drive with the drive letter for your CD Drive.

After you have run the command, exit the Command Prompt window and start the Server service from the Service management console (On Start > Run type Services.msc and press Enter.)

Usually, errors such as error 126 occur due to problems in your system files and the system registry. To keep your PC free from various system and fatal error messages, you must perform regular system and registry maintenance, and ensure that your system is free from any unnecessary clutter and junk information. You must keep your PC updated with the latest security releases and patches, and regularly update and run antivirus scans to keep the computer free from malicious infections. To perform regular registry maintenance, you may opt to use a registry cleaner tool such as RegGenie and run it regularly to ensure that your registry is free from unwanted data and errors.

Source:

http://www.instant-registry-fixes.org/how-to-fix-error-126/

So it looks like either the registry may be corrupt or one of the system files may be damaged...




Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[linney]

As you can not easily run SFC, and the Repair should have fixed any dodgy System files, it however may not have fixed incorrect Registry entries as many of these are just transferred across during a repair install, you may be looking at a clean install. I hope this is not the case.




Have a look around this site for information on Services, included is a link to installing the Default Services of XP SP3 which you could think about merging into your own Registry.

Windows XP Service Pack 3 Services Registry Files

http://www.blackviper.com/WinXP/registry.htm

Default Windows XP Service Pack 3 Services Start Key:

http://www.blackviper.com/downloads/WinXP/Registry_Files/!Default_XP_Pro_SP3_Start_v300.zip

There may be a bit more to check out on the Permissions of Services other than what is gleaned from the Registry Permissions.

Services permissions

http://technet2.microsoft.com/Windo...3ec1-4ab0-9f9f-7cb396605f3e1033.mspx?mfr=true

 

[sggaunt]

Ben: Yes all the updates have been applied.
I cannot replace srvsvc.dll. I get a 'unable to create outputfile message', even if I stop the system restore service first. Not sure why this is relavant anyway?

linney: True SFC will not run.
I will look at the links.


Steve: N.M.N.F.
If something is popular, it must be wrong: Mark Twain

 

[tlcscousin]

I have run into something a bit similar on a machine that was ghosted then a repair install was run. The issue ended up being no permissions on any folder on the drive for system or the admin user.

 

[BadBigBen]

I cannot replace srvsvc.dll. I get a 'unable to create outputfile message', even if I stop the system restore service first. Not sure why this is relavant anyway?

This tells me that you do not have the right permission on the folder... even as ADMIN, the folder may be locked by the SYSTEM...

just for testing purposes take over ownership of the whole drive or the relevant subfolder...

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[linney]

Who is going to be the first to weaken and suggest a format and clean install?

 

[BadBigBen]

Linney, I think you just did...

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.

 

[sggaunt]

Cheers guys,

I will try the ownership thing, apart from that its complicated...

This machine will (hopefully) be undergoing a major change in role in the next few weeks.
From CAD (that's why it has 2 monitors)and embedded programming station to Print Fax and mail server.
It does have a lot of Data on board associated with several different CAD and Programming applications.
So once this has been moved off a format and re-install would be the obvious course of action.

The reason I have been attempting to fix it is because its possible replacement will very likely come with Vista pre-installed, and I don't know at this stage just how difficult it will be to make the new machine run the existing applications.
We are talking about local licencing servers and dongles for the most important of these.

The problem machine isn't (wasn't) that slow 2.0Ghz 1G ram, so If I could have done a easy fix it would have saved us time and money (for a replacement).

Of course another factor is that the 2 machines currently doing the Print server/Fax/Mail server role are well past their 'sell by date'.

But the up side is that I can tell my boss that nothing short of a re-install will get this machine running like it did. that should ease the purchase of a new one!





Steve: N.M.N.F.
If something is popular, it must be wrong: Mark Twain

 

[BadBigBen]

But the up side is that I can tell my boss that nothing short of a re-install will get this machine running like it did. that should ease the purchase of a new one!

Yep, sometimes the shortest/cost-effective way, is to start from scratch... and I think your situation is just such a case, as you already spend hours on end trying to trouble shoot the system, repair installing, etc...

keep us posted...

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.

 

[linney]

If taking ownership doesn't work you can have a look at this.

How to reset security settings back to the defaults

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313222#appliesto