Startup error. Help please.......

Mickey_D · 20 Jan 2006 at 07:35

Anyone ever seen this before? And if so, just what exactly does msdtc.exe do? Is it a critical file? Nothing "bad" really happens no matter if I click "Ok" or "Cancel".

WinXP Home SP1 with all current updates.

NathanE · 20 Jan 2006 at 07:51

That's used by Personal Web Server and SQL Server - both of which cannot be installed on XP Home. Also it referenced a null pointer (0x00000000) which is extremely rare in a Microsoft program.

Goto the Properties on the file to make sure it really is the real mc'coy.

PS: Update to SP2.

Skilldibop · 20 Jan 2006 at 09:44

those errors are commonly generated by failing memory. Allthough just as often when a spyware remover or antivirus remoces the .exe but not the Reg vaule that points to it. This can be cured by running Hijackthis and posting the output

uknorthboy · 20 Jan 2006 at 12:02

Check out this link http://www.neuber.com/taskmanager/process/msdtc.exe.html

Mickey_D · 21 Jan 2006 at 08:17

Ok, ran Hijackthis and got nothing. Tried running Services.msc and the service is set automatic, but of course is not running.

Now comes the new problem : I can't open any of the Properties for ANY of the services!!

Any ideas now?

uknorthboy · 21 Jan 2006 at 12:31

Maybe a restore point would sort it if you havent tried already that is.