COM+ Component manager unaccessible
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Here’s something that I have never seen and can’t seem to fix. On my live server I cannot run the COM+ Administrator. The administrator MMC app comes up but I’m locked out of administering COM+ and DCOM through this interface. Here’s what the Console looks like:
I can get DCOM and COM+ applications to show, but it’s extremely slow to show up and when it finally does I cannot edit any of the packages or DCOM components.
After some more investigation I can see errors popping up about the DTC (Distributed Transaction Coordinator) not running properly on this machine. Which in turn results in these event log entries:
The account that the MS DTC service is running under is invalid. This can happen if the service account information has been changed using the Services snap-in in Microsoft Management Console (MMC). MS DTC service will continue to start. Please make sure that the MS DTC service account information is updated using the Component Services Explorer.
For more information, see Help and
Well, I checked the account DTC is running under and of course it’s running under SYSTEM. I’ve also tried to change the account to an Administrator account which didn’t change anything.
What’s odd is that COM+ components installed on the system run fine as do DCOM components. I register DCOM component programmatically on this box and that works as well. It seems everything is actually working but the MMC is not giving access to it.
Has anybody seen this problem before and more importantly know how to fix it?
It's not causing any problems at the moment - in fact this has been going on for a few months now, but I've tried to get this resolved with no success...
---
The solution in my case turned out to be this (pulled from comments below):
---
Ok I finally got resolution on this problem by calling Microsoft Support. The issue indeeed was the fact that the account on the Distributed Transaction Coordinator had been changed to Local System somehow. I'm not sure how this happened - presumably some software install did this (Specifically Sql Server 7.0 sets this setting, and although I run 2000 some of the software compoinents that are installed using Sql Server might have set this switch).
The solution was to uninstall and re-install DTC. The steps for this are:
Use Add Windows Components, and remove hte Network DTC from the Application Services.
Run MSDTC -uninstall
Go into the registry and remove the MSDTC keys in HKLM/Software/Microsoft/Software/MSDTC and HKLM/System/CurrentControlSet/Services/MSDTC
Reboot
Run MSDTC -install
Run Windows Add Components and add Network DTC back in.
Voila everything is back to normal and Network Service is assigned to the MSDTC service.
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The Voices of Reason
September 08, 2004
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
01. Right-click My Computer and press Properties.
02. Select the MS DTC tab.
03. Press Security Configuration.
04. Change the DTC Logon Account to "NT Authority\NetworkService". (in my case it disabled the password textboxes)
hth,
Frank
02. Select the MS DTC tab.
03. Press Security Configuration.
04. Change the DTC Logon Account to "NT Authority\NetworkService". (in my case it disabled the password textboxes)
hth,
Frank
Beth Massi
September 08, 2004
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
Rick,
Can you access the LogOn tab of the Distributed Transaction Coordinator Service from Administator Tools/Services? You can specify the account to run the service under from there as well.
-B
Can you access the LogOn tab of the Distributed Transaction Coordinator Service from Administator Tools/Services? You can specify the account to run the service under from there as well.
-B
September 08, 2004
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
Right, but I can't assign the Network Service account from there because I need to assign a password that I don't have. Internal accounts don't have accessible passwords (as far as I know anyway). If I leave the password blank the service fails to start altogether. I can get it to start, but apparently it doesn't work correctly when using any account but Network Service.
Still stuck...
Still stuck...
Mike Yeager
September 09, 2004
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
We had a nearly identical problem on one of our servers a few weeks ago. The only difference was that mmc sometimes crashed. We tried shutting down and re-starting the services. In the end, we re-booted the machine and it magically "fixed" itself. We never found out why.
September 09, 2004
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
Unfortunately it's not that simple in this case. I've rebooted a few times since <g>. It's been over 2 months that this has been going on. Everything runs Ok (I don't have apps running that actively use DTC either though)...
Joon
September 09, 2004
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
Hello,
We're also currently working on MSDTC to work on our cluster. The case with us is that the MSDTC service runs fine, but the MSDTC _Resource_ at the cluster fails to load. We still dunno why because the cluster service doesn't give comprehensive error messages. Drat.
Anyway, you might wanna try this in order to access the DTC options from Component Manager:
1. Stop MSDTC service
2. Run "msdtc -resetlog" (you might wanna backup the MSDTC.log first)
3. Start MSDTC service
4. Access component manager
This worked for us. Still, MSDTC fails to load as a cluster resource.
We're also currently working on MSDTC to work on our cluster. The case with us is that the MSDTC service runs fine, but the MSDTC _Resource_ at the cluster fails to load. We still dunno why because the cluster service doesn't give comprehensive error messages. Drat.
Anyway, you might wanna try this in order to access the DTC options from Component Manager:
1. Stop MSDTC service
2. Run "msdtc -resetlog" (you might wanna backup the MSDTC.log first)
3. Start MSDTC service
4. Access component manager
This worked for us. Still, MSDTC fails to load as a cluster resource.
October 06, 2004
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
Ok I finally got resolution on this problem by calling Microsoft Support. The issue indeeed was the fact that the account on the Distributed Transaction Coordinator had been changed to Local System somehow. I'm not sure how this happened - presumably some software install did this (Specifically Sql Server 7.0 sets this setting, and although I run 2000 some of the software compoinents that are installed using Sql Server might have set this switch).
The solution was to uninstall and re-install DTC. The steps for this are:
Use Add Windows Components, and remove hte Network DTC from the Application Services.
Run MSDTC -uninstall
Go into the registry and remove the MSDTC keys in HKLM/Software/Microsoft/Software/MSDTC and HKLM/System/CurrentControlSet/Services/MSDTC
Reboot
Run MSDTC -install
Run Windows Add Components and add Network DTC back in.
Voila everything is back to normal and Network Service is assigned to the MSDTC service.
The solution was to uninstall and re-install DTC. The steps for this are:
Use Add Windows Components, and remove hte Network DTC from the Application Services.
Run MSDTC -uninstall
Go into the registry and remove the MSDTC keys in HKLM/Software/Microsoft/Software/MSDTC and HKLM/System/CurrentControlSet/Services/MSDTC
Reboot
Run MSDTC -install
Run Windows Add Components and add Network DTC back in.
Voila everything is back to normal and Network Service is assigned to the MSDTC service.
Bret Williams
December 16, 2004
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
I am running Windows XP Professional and remarkably I don't have the option to install DTC. There isn't an entry "Application Services" in my "Add Windows Components" or a service named MSDTC on my box. Any ideas?
Bret Williams
December 16, 2004
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
figured it out...in the \windows\inf directory there was a MSDTCNT5.inf file. right-click and hit "install". then exit to a cmd prompt and do a "net start msdtc".
January 20, 2005
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
I had the same problems as above. Found that if I simply changed the "Distributed Transaction Coordinator" service to logon using the "NT AUTHORITY\NetworkService" group (with no password of course), problems were all solved. Thanks guys pointing me to the solution.
Yves Boivin
January 22, 2005
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
To Beth Massi and Frank Camp:
Thanks ! You saved te day ! I had the exact same problem and Changing the logon to NTAUTHORITY fixed it !
Bless you !
Thanks ! You saved te day ! I had the exact same problem and Changing the logon to NTAUTHORITY fixed it !
Bless you !
January 26, 2005
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
I have Windows XP SP1. Unfortunately, I already uninstalled MSDTC. There is also no MSDTCNT5.inf in C:\Windows\inf directory. Would someone point out how I can get MSDTC to reinstall?
Maria Purchell
January 26, 2005
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
I finally figured out how to make MS DTC to show up in Control Panel – Add/Remove program – Windows component. I changed sysoc.inf file. Under [components], there is an entry dtc. At the end of dtc entry, there is inf,hide,7. I simply just deleted hide to make it as inf,,7 (two commas). This made MSDTC to show up in Windows Component in Control panel. I was able to install MSDTC.
Mike Stenstrom
January 31, 2005
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
I searched MSDN and Technet for two days looking for this answer. Thank YOU very much! Changing the logon account to the NT Authority\Network Service did the trick. Now I get the "Properties" in the drop down. I'd recommend everyone change the passwords on the account BEFORE setting the service to log on
February 14, 2005
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
Rick you are a living ledgend
raghu
April 03, 2005
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
Rick you are Great!
GibC
May 09, 2005
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
Rick, thanx for the fix.
your a life saver.
your a life saver.
Matt
May 09, 2005
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
Rick and Brett, thankyou so much, I was sweating there for a moment, but then you came through. Well done!
Dave Sherrill
May 13, 2005
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
Thanks, I spent over 2 hours #@$#ing with this thing until I came across your article. Thanks!
ilker duran
May 23, 2005
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
Hi Rick, thanks for this great post.
You are wonderfull...
You are wonderfull...
SomeSysAdmin
May 23, 2005
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
Man that was exciting!
After i deleted those registry-keys (off course I forgot to make a backup) I did the reboot. Luckily for me it was a productionserver, which did not give me the explorer back.... i started panicking... I was able to start taskmanager using CTRL + SHIFT + ESC. Then i tried to manualy start explorer... no luck... The Server is a win2k3 terminal server, so nobody could work at that time (2:00 AM, who cares?)... then i was thinking about were i left my backup... i remembered i didn't have one.... I started cmd.exe from taskmanager it worked... i remembered something about starting the add/remove programs from a dos-prompt ande found it here: http://www.cc.umb.edu/desktop/FAQcontrolPanelAccessFromComm.htm I was able to start the add/remove programs using this command: "control appwiz.cpl" i then added IIS again, rebooted the server, prayed and then I found that explorer was working perfectly again.... Man that shit was scary... but it worked THANKS!
After i deleted those registry-keys (off course I forgot to make a backup) I did the reboot. Luckily for me it was a productionserver, which did not give me the explorer back.... i started panicking... I was able to start taskmanager using CTRL + SHIFT + ESC. Then i tried to manualy start explorer... no luck... The Server is a win2k3 terminal server, so nobody could work at that time (2:00 AM, who cares?)... then i was thinking about were i left my backup... i remembered i didn't have one.... I started cmd.exe from taskmanager it worked... i remembered something about starting the add/remove programs from a dos-prompt ande found it here: http://www.cc.umb.edu/desktop/FAQcontrolPanelAccessFromComm.htm I was able to start the add/remove programs using this command: "control appwiz.cpl" i then added IIS again, rebooted the server, prayed and then I found that explorer was working perfectly again.... Man that shit was scary... but it worked THANKS!
June 23, 2005
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
Hello Joon (and others)!
Thanks for the tip "msdtc -resetlog".
I was in the same situation, on my cluster based on windows 2003.
Impossible to get the ressource dtc online, after a comclust.exe.
the msdtc -resetlog has solved this issue.
Thanks to Rick, that has posted this article. Greatly appreciated!
Thanks for the tip "msdtc -resetlog".
I was in the same situation, on my cluster based on windows 2003.
Impossible to get the ressource dtc online, after a comclust.exe.
the msdtc -resetlog has solved this issue.
Thanks to Rick, that has posted this article. Greatly appreciated!
Rama
June 24, 2005
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
Hi
I still have the same problem. I changed the setting "Use Local Coordinator" in MS-DTC to a remote sql server machine on the same subnet. Then i wanted to reset it and so i did. But after that the component services come up like shown in your figure.
I went in to the registry looking the key "HK_Classes_Root\CID" and there are some branches under this in which some have a sub key called host. This was still pointing to the remote machine. I erased those values and restarted the machine. still no luck.
Anybody has any ideas
thanks
rama
I still have the same problem. I changed the setting "Use Local Coordinator" in MS-DTC to a remote sql server machine on the same subnet. Then i wanted to reset it and so i did. But after that the component services come up like shown in your figure.
I went in to the registry looking the key "HK_Classes_Root\CID" and there are some branches under this in which some have a sub key called host. This was still pointing to the remote machine. I erased those values and restarted the machine. still no luck.
Anybody has any ideas
thanks
rama
Lakshman
September 01, 2005
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
Hi All,
I am facing a peculiar isue with my VC++ COM+
components in Windows 2003.
Our application runs perfectly in windows 2000 and recently moved it to Windows 2003.
All the necessary Properties are checked for the MSDTC.
While opening the connection in one of our components it fails giving an error msg
"New Transaction cannot be enlisted in a specified co-ordinator." but if i change the transaction property from "Supported "to "Not supported" for that particular component everything woks fine.Kindly advise me what may be the problem??This is only occuring in the open connection method of that particular component alone.
I am facing a peculiar isue with my VC++ COM+
components in Windows 2003.
Our application runs perfectly in windows 2000 and recently moved it to Windows 2003.
All the necessary Properties are checked for the MSDTC.
While opening the connection in one of our components it fails giving an error msg
"New Transaction cannot be enlisted in a specified co-ordinator." but if i change the transaction property from "Supported "to "Not supported" for that particular component everything woks fine.Kindly advise me what may be the problem??This is only occuring in the open connection method of that particular component alone.
Miles Davis
September 03, 2005
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
Windows 2003 SP1 also reconfigures MSDTC. I had a server using a domain account for the MSDTC service and it set it back to use the Network Service, which is exactly what I wanted it do.. brillient.
Moises Lindo
September 15, 2005
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
you save my life, thanks a lot.
October 19, 2005
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
NO NEED TO ERASE Registry Keys.
If that was your problem ("invalid account..."), just uninstall the service and change the key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSDTC\Security\AccountName
To the admin logon on your server.
Then reinstall the service. The key will change to "NT AUTHORITY\NetworkService".
If that was your problem ("invalid account..."), just uninstall the service and change the key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSDTC\Security\AccountName
To the admin logon on your server.
Then reinstall the service. The key will change to "NT AUTHORITY\NetworkService".
Brad Kostreva
October 22, 2005
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
Rick -
As an FYI to you and your readers.
This particular issue will prevent an SMS 2003 Management Point from installing. Took a little digging and linking and cussing - but I finally found the link between DTC and the MP, which led to this article. Thanks for the research.
Take Care.
Brad Kostreva
As an FYI to you and your readers.
This particular issue will prevent an SMS 2003 Management Point from installing. Took a little digging and linking and cussing - but I finally found the link between DTC and the MP, which led to this article. Thanks for the research.
Take Care.
Brad Kostreva
Bembeng Arifin
October 27, 2005
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
Hi Rick,
thanks for your article, i am able to use the linkedserver at our application now.
but now i am having a same problem with the webserver. Fyi, i have 3 servers, i application server and 2 database servers. it seems that if i use transaction COM+ GetObject Context and run a process to 2 database server, the error will show up.
but if i set the COM+ Component transaction from supported to not supported, the process can be completed successfully.
Error Message : "New transaction cannot enlist in the specified transaction coordinator"
can anybody please advice for this problem?
thanks...
thanks for your article, i am able to use the linkedserver at our application now.
but now i am having a same problem with the webserver. Fyi, i have 3 servers, i application server and 2 database servers. it seems that if i use transaction COM+ GetObject Context and run a process to 2 database server, the error will show up.
but if i set the COM+ Component transaction from supported to not supported, the process can be completed successfully.
Error Message : "New transaction cannot enlist in the specified transaction coordinator"
can anybody please advice for this problem?
thanks...
Arturo Garcia / Peter Shirley-Quirk
January 15, 2006
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
RE: 6/24/2005 12:58 AM Rama
I too had the same symptoms - not caused by the account but by errors following an attempt to use a remote transaction coordinator (like Rama had). My advice now would be to back up the HKCR\CID and HKCR\SVCID registry keys before making the change.
Changing to a remote coordinator writes new settings under HKCR\CID, created new Providers under HKCR\SVCID and changes the default provider to point to the new entry.
To back out the change:
- stop the MSDTC service
- make a note of which GUIDs refer to the local services under CID by looking at the Host and Description entries
- under SVCID, reset the default provider to point to the local service
- delete the alternate provider (where there were both local and remote)
- under CID, delete the remote entries (the whole CID sub-entry, not just the host setting)
- restart the MSDTC service
I didn't get to the bottom of why the remote DTC entries were causing this issue. Ideas anyone?
I too had the same symptoms - not caused by the account but by errors following an attempt to use a remote transaction coordinator (like Rama had). My advice now would be to back up the HKCR\CID and HKCR\SVCID registry keys before making the change.
Changing to a remote coordinator writes new settings under HKCR\CID, created new Providers under HKCR\SVCID and changes the default provider to point to the new entry.
To back out the change:
- stop the MSDTC service
- make a note of which GUIDs refer to the local services under CID by looking at the Host and Description entries
- under SVCID, reset the default provider to point to the local service
- delete the alternate provider (where there were both local and remote)
- under CID, delete the remote entries (the whole CID sub-entry, not just the host setting)
- restart the MSDTC service
I didn't get to the bottom of why the remote DTC entries were causing this issue. Ideas anyone?
Marina
January 17, 2006
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
RE: 1/15/2006 1:25 AM Arturo Garcia / Peter Shirley-Quirk
Thanks a lot! Your instructions for registry update helped me to avoid the full Windows reinstall on the corporate server.
Thanks a lot! Your instructions for registry update helped me to avoid the full Windows reinstall on the corporate server.
Nigel Snow
February 27, 2006
# RE: 1/15/2006 1:25 AM Arturo Garcia / Peter Shirley-Quirk
Thanks, I too found that the registry update saved me after attempting to use a remote transaction coordinator. One thing to add is that for me normal service was only returned after reboot. Thanks Rick for starting this life saving thread !
Prateek
March 17, 2006
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
Greate weblog....it has saved my entire day...very helpful related to MSDTC.
By setting up the NTAUTHORITY as a longon account have solved all my problems
The same problem will also stop the MSMQ to appear in Computer Management.
By setting up the NTAUTHORITY as a longon account have solved all my problems
The same problem will also stop the MSMQ to appear in Computer Management.
March 19, 2006
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
Rick
This blog illustrates the beauty of online help and proved to be truly serendipitous!
While searching for an unrelated sysoc.inf edit I found this post which not only cured the nagging COM+ glitch but also resolved several other mysteries. The comments from your clever audience proved my hunch for better ways to install MS components using inf commands(avoiding the aweful add/remove components)and also shed light on the chronic annoyances of log on quirks.
Now, thanks to all this, Charlie can surf.
Charlie
This blog illustrates the beauty of online help and proved to be truly serendipitous!
While searching for an unrelated sysoc.inf edit I found this post which not only cured the nagging COM+ glitch but also resolved several other mysteries. The comments from your clever audience proved my hunch for better ways to install MS components using inf commands(avoiding the aweful add/remove components)and also shed light on the chronic annoyances of log on quirks.
Now, thanks to all this, Charlie can surf.
Charlie
Dario Di Falco
April 06, 2006
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
Great!!!
2 dos command and now everithing's good!
2 dos command and now everithing's good!
Pedro Santos
September 20, 2006
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
Thanks a lot your article whas the only one that helped me, not even the microsoft database had helped me, not even a little clue, by the way and correct me if i'm wrong but the microsoft knowledge service is becoming worst every year that passes.
Pedro Santos
Pedro Santos
Harald Hedlund
October 02, 2006
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
Speaking of MSDTC, s there a iway to set the timeout in the registry or by a dos command without having to open the MMC?
Wael
July 15, 2007
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
Dear All,
I am facing the same problem, i tried the steps above but no luck the component services MMC hanges when i try to open it.
Please advise
Regards,
I am facing the same problem, i tried the steps above but no luck the component services MMC hanges when i try to open it.
Please advise
Regards,
Michael
February 22, 2008
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
Excellent post. I only have one addition as I experienced this exact issue, and after uninstalling MSDTC and reinstalling, it went right back to the same way it was before I uninstalled. After uninstalling MSDTC, I had to delete the \Windows\System32\MSDTC directory, which includes the logs that were being used. I also had to delete 3 \HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CID keys, as I too had MSDTC pointed to a remote MSDTC source. After a reboot and reinstall of MSDTC, all worked great. Thanks again for the help!
# re: COM+ Component manager unaccessible
Next problem is that I can't figure out how to set the account. Setting to a specific user requires a password which of course I don't have for a system account. Looking at the link you provided there are a few hints but I can't DTC to work at all so there's no UI to configure it either... So, now I know what the problem is, but not how to fix it :-}