Q201911: BUG: DCOMCNFG Writes Ports Named Value in Incorrect Format

Article: Q201911
Product(s): Microsoft Programming Utilities
Version(s): 1.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbCOMt kbOSWinNT400 kbOSWin98 kbGrpDSCom kbDSupport
Last Modified: 12-JUL-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft COM, included with:
   - Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 
   - Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0 
   - Microsoft Windows 98 
   - Microsoft Windows 95 
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SYMPTOMS
========

The DCOMCNFG utility writes the port range specified for a protocol in a
incorrect format.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the
beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION
================

When a port range is specified for a protocol, such as 4000-4010, the value that
is written to the registry key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\RPC\Internet\Ports (named
REG_MULTI_SZ) is "4000 - 4010." A space is added preceding and succeeding the
"-". Remote Procedure Call (RPC) is extremly sensitive about the string format
and fails the RpcServerUsePortSeq call with RPC_S_OUT_OF_RESOURCES. As a result,
no client can talk to the server, and services such as Internet Information
Server (IIS) do not start.

Steps to Reproduce Behavior
---------------------------

1. Run the DCOMCNFG and click the Default Protocol tab.

2. Select the protocol, and add a port range to it.

3. Check the registry entry. You will see an incorrect port range format.

Additional query words:

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Keywords          : kbCOMt kbOSWinNT400 kbOSWin98 kbGrpDSCom kbDSupport 
Technology        : kbAudDeveloper kbCOM kbCOMPlusSearch
Version           : :1.0
Issue type        : kbbug

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