The Name service provider field is empty on the RPC Service tab in the Client for Microsoft Networks Properties dialog box (883104)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows XP Embedded
  • Microsoft Windows XP Embedded SP1

SYMPTOMS

You may notice that the Name service provider field is empty on the RPC Service tab in the Client for Microsoft Networks Properties dialog box. If you try to close the Client for Microsoft Networks Properties dialog box by clicking OK, an access violation may occur in Microsoft Windows Explorer (Explorer.exe). Or, the Client for Microsoft Networks Properties dialog box may stop responding (hang).

CAUSE

This problem may occur because the RPC Named Service component that contains the default RPC Name service provider is not included in the Microsoft Windows XP Embedded (XPE) image. The default RPC Name service provider is named Locator.exe.

RESOLUTION

You have to include the RPC Named Service component in your Windows XP Embedded build and then deploy a new image.

MORE INFORMATION

The Client for Microsoft Windows includes the Workstation service and the redirector file system driver (FSD) that is named the redirector. The redirector lets you access resources, such as files or printers, on other computers on the network. The redirector lets you access resources by redirecting I/O requests for non-local resources to the computer that owns these resources.

The Workstation service provides an administrative management interface to the redirector. The Workstation service is a distributed application that is written as a Remote Procedure Call (RPC) application. The Workstation service communicates with instances of itself on different computers on the network. Therefore, the Workstation service acts as both a server application and a client application.

An RPC application may register its interfaces with a name service. These interfaces are the routines that the RPC application implements. A client of that RPC application has to use the same name service so that remote procedure calls are dispatched to the correct server routines. The default RPC name service in Windows XP is Microsoft Locator. Microsoft Locator is implemented by Locator.exe. Locator.exe is included in the RPC Named Service component.

Steps to reproduce the problem

  1. Build an XPE image by using the Client for Microsoft Networks component.

    Note After performing a dependency check, the Client for Microsoft Networks component pulls in the Workstation service component. The Workstation service component in turn pulls in the RPC Local Support component. However, the Workstation service component does not pull in the RPC Named Service component. Make sure that the RPC Named Service component is not manually included or pulled in by other components.
  2. Click Start, click Run, type ncpa.cpl, and then click OK.

    This opens the Network Connections window.
  3. Double-click any Local Area Connection that appears in the Network Connections window.
  4. Click Properties.
  5. Click Client for Microsoft Networks, and then click Properties.
  6. In the Client for Microsoft Networks Properties dialog box, locate the Name service provider field on the RPC Service tab.

    Notice that the Name service provider field is empty. If you try to close this dialog box by clicking OK, an access violation may occur in Windows Explorer. Or, the dialog box may stop responding.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:8/19/2004
Keywords:kbprb KB883104 kbAudOEM kbAudDeveloper
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.