Loading Variables Get Stuck @76%

[oao]

I cannot create restore points in a Windows 7 x64 system and the writers list by vssadmin is empty. I tried all sorts of fixes from online to no avail.

I have installed Tweaking but when I load it the process gets stuck at 76% loading variables.

Pls advise.

[Boggin]

Can you try starting it in Safe Mode with Networking.

If that doesn't work, see if setting an exclusion in Windows Firewall does it.

[oao]

I am usually reluctant to bother with the safe mode.

I will try the firewall option and let you know. But before I do, what method does Tweaking use to repair VSS? Can you pls give me some details? If it's re-registering the DLLs, or one of the fixes usually suggested, I already tried that to no avail.

Thanks.

[oao]

I managed to circumvent the problem by downloading only the VSS repair tool from another site.

As I suspected, it re-registers the DLLs, which does not fix the problem.

Is there any point in posting a detailed description of the problem?

FP

[Boggin]

I don't know what method the repair program uses but I can ask - that is Shane's domain as the author of the program.

Since using that other repair tool, are you now able to start the Windows Repair program ?

Safe Mode is a method to eliminate the possibility of any 3rd party programs as the cause of Windows Repair not loading.

[oao]

The method used by the tool is re-registering the DLLs, which does not solve my problem.

I know what Safe mode is, I just prefer to leave it as the last resort.

[Boggin]

Depending upon the problem, Safe Mode is a first resort for me to see if it has been caused by something I have installed.

Are you getting an error message when trying to create a restore point ?

If so, then there could be corresponding errors in Event Viewer with a date and time stamp for when you tried.

You say you have tried a number of things - have you tried these -

https://neosmart.net/wiki/no-system-restore-points/

[oao]

I understand all that.

I dk what caused the problem when. I discovered it when I tried to create a restore point, by which time the causing error was gone from the event log.

I will first exhaust all the possible fixes before I go Safe mode. I still have one more to try. But whatever the cause, the utility does not repair VSS, so...

[Boggin]

Try creating another restore point and then check Event Viewer.

[oao]

I did: there are 3 events in the log, none of which reference the cause.

[oao]

OK, here are the details of the problem, where the method used by the repair utility fail:

1. EVENTCLS.DLL and SWPRV.DLL cannot be registered and get the following error
The module "X.DLL" was loaded but the call to DlRegisterServer failed with error code 0x80070715.

2. VSSUI.DLL and MSXML.DLL cannot be registered and get the following error:

The module "X.DLL" failed to load.

In addition, I cannot start the COM+ Event System service. If I do it via the services console I get "The COM+ Event System service started then stopped". If I do it via the command NET START ES I get "The service name is invalid".

If there is any corruption then SFC /SCANNOW should find an fix it, but it does not find any problem.

Any help will be appreciated. See if the author of Tweaking has any idea.

Thanks.
FP

[Boggin]

I'll pass it on but see if reinstalling the COM+ catalog helps.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/315296/how-to-clean-up-a-damaged-com-catalog

[oao]

Thanks.

What bothers me is that any corruption should be found by SFC /SCANNOW, but it isn't.

[oao]

"Note: These steps are applicable to the operating systems that are mentioned in the "applies to" section. These steps do not apply to Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, or Windows 7."

Mine is a Windows 7 system, so the solution you referred to does not apply. Incidentally, there is NO "applies to" section, so it's not even clear to what the solution does apply.

[Boggin]

Sorry - I missed that bit.

I haven't been able to find the equivalent for Win 7 but have asked for advice on this.

[jpm]

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_vista-hardware/com-event-system-has-stopped-working/cb5b67de-bf90-4bb7-bb2e-117af2e0eb23
see if that works for you

[oao]

Nope.

COM+ Event System has stopped working

Right click "Computer"
Click "Manage"
Under the "System Tools" section, Double click "Local Users and Groups"

There is no "Local Users and Groups" option on my system.

When I try to start the COM+ Event System Service, I get the attached error and the following entries in the event log:


d:\w7rtm\com\complus\src\events\tier2\service.cpp
200
80070002

d:\w7rtm\com\complus\src\events\tier2\service.cpp
200
80070002

The COM+ Event System service entered the stopped state.

Event Data:
0000   45 00 76 00 65 00 6E 00 74 00 53 00 79 00 73 00    E.v.e.n.t.S.y.s.
0010   74 00 65 00 6D 00 2F 00 31 00 00 00                t.e.m./.1...   

[oao]

Update: After much trial and error I managed to fix the COM+ Event System problem by applying to the register a key exported from a healthy system. Upon rebooting the system I checked the event log and found the following error:

======================

Volume Shadow Copy Service error: An internal inconsistency was detected in trying
to contact shadow copy service writers.  The Registry Writer failed to respond to a query
from VSS. Check to see that the Event Service and Volume Shadow Copy Service
are operating properly, and please check the Application event log for any other events.


Operation:
   Gathering Writer Data
   Executing Asynchronous Operation

Context:
   Execution Context: Requestor
   Current State: GatherWriterMetadata

Event Data:
0000   2D 20 43 6F 64 65 3A 20 42 55 45 43 58 4D 4C 43    - Code: BUECXMLC
0010   30 30 30 30 39 30 30 31 2D 20 43 61 6C 6C 3A 20    00009001- Call:
0020   42 55 45 43 58 4D 4C 43 30 30 30 30 38 39 33 39    BUECXMLC00008939
0030   2D 20 50 49 44 3A 20 20 30 30 30 30 30 36 32 34    - PID:  00000624
0040   2D 20 54 49 44 3A 20 20 30 30 30 30 32 32 37 36    - TID:  00002276
0050   2D 20 43 4D 44 3A 20 20 76 73 73 61 64 6D 69 6E    - CMD:  vssadmin
0060   20 20 6C 69 73 74 20 77 72 69 74 65 72 73 20 20      list writers 
0070   2D 20 55 73 65 72 3A 20 4E 61 6D 65 3A 20 31 38    - User: Name: 18
0080   33 30 54 5C 46 61 62 69 61 6E 2C 20 53 49 44 3A    30T\Fabian, SID:
0090   53 2D 31 2D 35 2D 32 31 2D 32 35 33 30 37 33 30    S-1-5-21-2530730
00A0   39 32 30 2D 32 30 38 39 34 33 38 36 32 34 2D 32    920-2089438624-2
00B0   38 31 39 36 36 31 36 33 31 2D 31 30 30 30 20 20    819661631-1000 
============================

Trying to create a restore point generates the same error.

So now I am back to the original problem, i.e.:

vssadmin list writers yields an empty list.

I went back and re-registered the various .DLLs per your VSSfix utility. While this time I did not get errors, I did not get any responses of successful registrations, which I should get. So it's not clear that they took. In any case, it has not resolved the empty list problem and that is the most common suggestion to solve it.

Any ideas?

[jpm]

Good to know - thanks for following up!

[oao]

Given the current error and state i.e., can't create restore point, writers list empty, can you check with the author of Tweaking if he has any ideas?

Thanks.

[jpm]

have you tried this:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/2009533/no-vss-writers-are-listed-when-you-run-vssadmin-list-writers-on-windows-server-2008

[oao]

OK, given that

* your VSS repair utility -- nor any other fix -- did not address the original problem;
* SFC /SCANNOW finds no problems;
* CHKDSK finds no problems

I want to try the full Tweaking utility, which brings us back to the initial problem I started with:
it gets stuck @76% while loading variables.

I reinstalled it, I stopped all running sware but the critical Windows processes and it still gets stuck. I also noticed that if I stop it, its process does not unload so I must use Task Manager to kill it.

Can you pls have the author look into this and help me out?

Thanks.

[oao]

Yes, I tried the suggestions at that link -- did not work. I now exhausted ALL suggestions available online.

I need to try the full Tweaking utility, but I can't due to its getting stuck.

[Boggin]

Have you tried loading the repair program since fixing the COM+Event System service and did you try putting an exclusion into Windows Firewall ?

[oao]

Yes -- as I said I just reinstalled it today.