MDM.EXE - DLL Initialization Failed Error (194396)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Internet Information Server 4.0
This article was previously published under Q194396
We strongly recommend that all users upgrade to Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) version 6.0 running on Microsoft Windows Server 2003. IIS 6.0 significantly increases Web infrastructure security. For more information about IIS security-related topics, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/prodtech/IIS.mspx

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

When you install the Windows NT Option Pack 4.0 on Windows Terminal Server 4.0 and clients try to use the Internet Explorer 4.0 Web browser, it will appear to stop responding. The following message is displayed in a dialog box on the server:
MDM.EXE - DLL Initialization Failed
Initialization of the dynamic link library
c:\wtsrv\system32\kernel32.dll failed. The process is terminating
abnormally.
In addition, you may see occurrences of event ID 10010 from DCOM in the Event Viewer with the following description:
The server {0C0A3666-30C9-11D0-8F20-00805F2CD064} did not register with DCOM within the required timeout.

CAUSE

Mdm.exe is the Machine Debug Manager, which is used by the Windows NT Option Pack and Microsoft Developer Studio to provide application debugging. When Script Debugging is enabled for Internet Explorer 4.0, the debug manager is initialized whenever Internet Explorer 4.0 is started. In a Windows Terminal Server session, however, the debug manager cannot be initialized properly in the Interactive User's context and returns the errors listed above.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, perform one of the following:
  • Rename the MDM.exe found in the system root\system32 directory. -OR-

  • Remove all registry entries related to "MDM" and Machine Debug Manager. -OR-

  • For each client that will use Internet Explorer 4.0, disable Internet Explorer 4.0 Script Debugging by performing the following steps:

    1. Open Control Panel.
    2. Double-click the Internet icon.
    3. Click the Advanced tab.
    4. Click the check box next to Disable Script Debugging to enable it.
    5. Click OK.
    6. Close Control Panel.
    -OR-
  • If script debugging is required on a development server, it is possible to change the user context that Mdm.exe runs by editing the registry.

    NOTE: The following solution should only be used on a development or test server.

    WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

    1. Start the Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).
    2. Locate the RunAs value under the following keys in the registry (presented here as a list for readability):
      HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
  \AppID
    \{0C0A3666-30C9-11D0-8F20-00805F2CD064}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
  \Software
    \Microsoft
      \Windows NT
        \CurrentVersion
          \Terminal Server
            \Install
              \Software
                \Classes
                  \AppId
                    \{0C0A3666-30C9-11D0-8F20-00805F2CD064}
    3. Double-click the value to change it, and enter "administrator" (without the quotation marks).
    4. Click OK.
    5. Quit Registry Editor.
    -OR-

    Register the Class ID as System Global.For additional information on how to register the class as a system global, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    187146 DCOM Clients Cannot Create Objects

REFERENCES

For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

190157 Support for Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack on Terminal Server

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:6/22/2005
Keywords:kbpending kbprb KB194396
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