DOCUMENT:Q297722 08-MAY-2002 [winnt] TITLE :COM Server May Not Be Started from the Login Script PRODUCT :Microsoft Windows NT PROD/VER::4.0,4.0 SP6 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS:kbenv kbWinNT400PreSP7Fix ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 4.0, 4.0 SP6, Terminal Server Edition ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SYMPTOMS ======== If you start COM servers with a login script, a user's password is about to expire, and the user receives a dialog box that prompts them to change their password, an error message that is similar to the following error message may be logged in the Application event log: Unable to start a DCOM Server: {000209FF-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}. The error: "No process is on the other end of the pipe." In the login script was the following command. C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~1\Office\Winword.exe /Automation -Embedding The script or program that starts the server may also display an error message. Note that the "No process is on the other end of the pipe" error message is an example of an error message that may be logged. Other error codes may also be logged. CAUSE ===== This problem occurs because the COM server is started in the user session. The server is started by the instance of Winlogon for that session in a separate thread that starts during initialization. To start a COM server, the thread needs information collected when the user logs on by the main thread. When the user received the password expiration dialog box, the main thread is stalled and cannot provide this information. When this occurs, the information is not available and the COM server is not started. RESOLUTION ========== A supported fix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem described in this article and should be applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem. To resolve this problem, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information on support costs, please go to the following address on the World Wide Web: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS NOTE: In special cases, charges that are normally incurred for support calls may be canceled, if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. Normal support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question. The English-language version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later: Date Time Size File name Platform -------------------------------------------- 6/19/01 2:41 207,120 Msgina.dll Intel NOTE: Due to file dependencies, this hotfix requires Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 6a. STATUS ====== Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article. Additional query words: ====================================================================== Keywords : kbenv kbWinNT400PreSP7Fix Technology : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbNTTermServ400 kbNTTermServ400sp6 kbNTTermServSearch Version : :4.0,4.0 SP6 Hardware : ALPHA x86 Issue type : kbbug Solution Type : kbfix ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2002.