IMAPI DCOM Problems

[Richard]

Windows XP-Home Edition

Sony VAIO, desktop

Browser: MSIE Ver. 6

Several times a day (10-20), at random intervals, while doing various
tasks - file management, utility chores, etc., my computer screen becomes
blue, all the icons disappear, and whatever I'm doing shuts down, and I get
a message from MS ".....sorry, hope this is not inconvenient....". Then in
a few seconds, everything on the screen reverts to normal, and I'm able to
proceed. If I was in the middle of something, I have to start over. (CD
burner is not being used during these episodes.)

When this happens, I immediately check with the event viewer the local
system log, and usually the following three events have occurred immediately
prior to the shutdown:

The IMAPI CD-Burning COM Service service was successfully sent a start
control.

The IMAPI CD-Burning COM Service service entered the running state.

The IMAPI CD-Burning COM Service service entered the stopped state.

I have attempted to fix this by disabling the IMAPI service using
administrative tools. But this leads to almost the same shutdown events
described above, but the service logs show messages indicating that
"....DCOM has failed to start the IMAPI service, because it was
disabled....." And as above, following the shut down, the screen in a
few second reverts to normal, and I can start over whatever I was doing.

I have disabled DCOM both in the registry and in the properties area of My
Computer, as instructed in MS Knowledge Base Article 825250. But even with
DCOM disabled, I get the same shut down problems as described above,
including the message ".... DCOM unable to open IMAPI..."

I can't figure out what is trying to load IMAPI when DCOM is not enabled. I
have tried every combination of IMAPI - "Manual, Automatic, and Disabled."
Obviously, I have done the standard chores: defrag, check for trojans,
spyware, viruses, etc. Computer is clean, and everything else about the
computer works well.

Anyone out there have any suggestions?

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP Windows Shell/User\)]

Do you have CD burning software? If yes, have you checked to make sure it
is up to date. If yes, try removing it, reboot and see if that resolves the
problem. If yes, you have a conflict with that application.

Most CD burning applications have a packet writing component that allows the
user to use the CD burner as they would a floppy drive. While advantageous
to the user, this software of necessity loads when the system boots and can
be the source of the type of issue you describe.

 

[Richard]

Thank you for your response. The CD burning software (which I rarely use)
came with the computer - Windows Media Player, ver. 9.0 and Sony Vaio Sonic
Stage, ver 1.0. The most common use (again not frequent) is simple drag
and drop files to a RW disk for back up purposes, I don't really know what
program handles that function.

The computer is approaching being three years old, and the problem I have
described has existed only for the past few months. It usually happens when
I am using Explorer (not internet explorer). Since this computer did not
come with a Windows XP disk, and the Sony disks do a clean install, I do not
want to remove the Sonic Stage, even though it rarely gets used. I will
check to see if there are new drivers.

Judging from the number of Google hits on this subject, this must be a very
common problem, and very difficult to solve - I have not seen any real
solutions - just suggestions.

Thanks again.

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP Windows Shell/User\)]

It doesn't matter if you use it or not, if it installed such a component as
described, it loads on bootup. Sonic Stage is, if I'm not mistaken, audio
editing software, I don't think it has a packet writing component. Windows
Media Player doesn't have such a component either. In XP, it uses the built
in function but that function does not support packet writing. If you are
able to drag and drop directly to CD, you must have some third party
software that implements it.

Check your documentation, check add/remove programs in Control Panel, check
Sony's website or contact them, there must be some such burning software on
your system if you are doing that function. The software likely needs to be
updated. The problem is common but it is usually caused by a corruption of
this specific application or the need for updates for the application be it
Nero or Roxio's product or Sonic, not to be confused with Sonic Stage.

 

[Richard]

Thank you again, and I will try to follow your suggestions.

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP Windows Shell/User\)]

You're welcome, good luck.