the link to the thread doesn't work, so here it is
http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=sw_winxp&message.id=105109

DCOM is not a service listed as such that you can enable/disable in services. The service that is causing the problem is stated in your error message to be MDM = Machine Debug Manager. You could check its settings in the Services module of computer manager (right click my computer, click manage), make sure it is not disabled. Set it to start automatic. However the problem seems to be that it can't start when called, because of some bad registry setting (the "" bit in the message)

MDM depends on Remote Procedure Protocol, but if that were not started, most of your system would fail, so it must be a different problem

The server 0C0A3666-30C9-11D0-8F20-00805F2CD064 mentioned is the registry entry for the Machine debug manager.

You could check that the registry keys, values and data are correct: on my PC XP home SP1, they are:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{0C0A3666-30C9-11D0-8F20-00805F2CD064}

default has data Machine Debug Manager

AppID has data {9209B1A6-964A-11D0-9372-00A0C9034910}

 Sub key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{0C0A3666-30C9-11D0-8F20-00805F2CD064}\LocalServer32

Default has data C:\\Program Files\\Common Files\\Microsoft Shared\\VS7Debug\\mdm.exe (i.e. path to mdm.exe,
might be different with you: check in Windows Explorer)

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{0C0A3666-30C9-11D0-8F20-00805F2CD064}\ProgID

Default has data MachineDebugManagerAD1.7 (version number might be different, not sure)

The key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AppID\{9209B1A6-964A-11D0-9372-00A0C9034910}

default has data Machine Debug Manager

A  REG_ZS word called LocalService with data MDM

and two Reg binary values, called AccessPermission and LaunchPermission. The data are too long to give here, and in any case would be system specific.

Also, when you are on line, doubleclick on the link in the error report in event viewer, A Help and Support window will open from MS with more info and possibly some knowkedge base articles.

Also, I found this, to adjust authentication level of Machine debug manager for problems relating to a different application

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;312880&Product=winxp

(that also shows where you can access DCOM settings, by the way).

although I do not know if it is relevant to your problem. On my system XP home, the info about Visual Interdev6 is not relevant as I don't have that installed. The authentication level for Machine debug manager is set to default. You could try setting it to connect.

PS MDM is installed with Office or Visual basic, rather than with XP itself. If you don't need it you can, of course diable it. The error might in fact have nothing to do with your other problems!

Message Edited by JRosenfeld on 04-08-2004 08:24 PM

Message Edited by JRosenfeld on 04-08-2004 08:26 PM

Very thorough answer J. The command, run from a Command Prompt, to see which Services are running is:

net start

In case all your required Services are not running this is MS's default settings list for XP Home Services. The only one I definitely disagree with is the Universal Plug and Play. I'd set that to Disabled.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/using/productdoc/en/default.asp?url=/windowsxp/home/using/productdoc/en/sys_srv_default_settings.asp