Snap-in Failed to Initialize - Group Policy & Server Tools missing

SBS2003 SP1 Exchange SP2 NON-R2

Hi all,
Strange things occuring with our SBS box:

I cannot enter group policy editor either via MMC or by gpedit.msc
Error: Snap-in Failed to Initialize. - Name: Group Policy Object Editor
GPMC runs but I am not allowed to edit anything as it returns same error
above.

I have searched around and found a few things to do, and tried
re-registering the dlls, and adding the webm to the path, none of which help,
but what is really worrying is that I have found server tools to be missing
from SBS component setup. All that is listed is Exchange Server and Fax
Services.

So before I take the plunge, advice please:
Shall I reinstall server tools from SBS CD1 as described here?:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=829622

Thanks in advance.

Robc

You could try that. I hadn't seen that KB, but my preference would have
been to go to CP Add/Remove, run the SBS setup wizard from there, and follow
the steps to reinstall. (Select Windows Small Business Server 2003 in
add/remove -> Change to start the wizard).

I'm not clear that that's going to fix the GPMC, though. You could try the
same thing for that - select in CP Add/Remove, click the Change button to
reinstall it.

You're not getting any errors in the logs that point you in a good direction
for troubleshooting?


"Rob C" <RobC@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:6E6403AD-1A3F-401A-BEC9-74D25197C132@microsoft.com...
> SBS2003 SP1 Exchange SP2 NON-R2
>
> Hi all,
> Strange things occuring with our SBS box:
>
> I cannot enter group policy editor either via MMC or by gpedit.msc
> Error: Snap-in Failed to Initialize. - Name: Group Policy Object Editor
> GPMC runs but I am not allowed to edit anything as it returns same error
> above.
>
> I have searched around and found a few things to do, and tried
> re-registering the dlls, and adding the webm to the path, none of which
> help,
> but what is really worrying is that I have found server tools to be
> missing
> from SBS component setup. All that is listed is Exchange Server and Fax
> Services.
>
> So before I take the plunge, advice please:
> Shall I reinstall server tools from SBS CD1 as described here?:
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=829622
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> Robc
>

Dave, thanks for the help.
This is getting nasty.
I don't get an option to start the wizard in add/remove SBS2003. After a few
next clicks I get to the point where I can only select either Exchange Server
or Fax Services. There is no server tools or anywhere where I can start a
wizard.
It did create a continue setup icon on the desktop, where if I click it, at
loading components 20 and 21, this error flags up:
---
Setup.exe - Unable to locate component
The application has failed to start because framedyn.dll was not found.
Reinstalling this application may fix the problem.
---


Setup continues after acknowledging the errors but as I said above, the
server tools component is missing.

I have doublechecked framedyn.dll and it resides here:
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wbem.

I copied the framedyn.dll from dllchache back to webm thinkning it could be
corrupt but I get same error.

re-registering framedyn.dll comes up with this error:
---
framedyn.dll was loaded but the dll registerserverentrypoint was not found.
---

Doesnt that mean SBS does not think this file is a dll???


Checking event logs show absolutely nothing I can link to this issue.
Everything on the server appears to be working correctly aside from this.

I am a little stumped to say the least!





"Dave Nickason [SBS MVP]" wrote:

> You could try that. I hadn't seen that KB, but my preference would have
> been to go to CP Add/Remove, run the SBS setup wizard from there, and follow
> the steps to reinstall. (Select Windows Small Business Server 2003 in
> add/remove -> Change to start the wizard).
>
> I'm not clear that that's going to fix the GPMC, though. You could try the
> same thing for that - select in CP Add/Remove, click the Change button to
> reinstall it.
>
> You're not getting any errors in the logs that point you in a good direction
> for troubleshooting?
>
>
> "Rob C" <RobC@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:6E6403AD-1A3F-401A-BEC9-74D25197C132@microsoft.com...
> > SBS2003 SP1 Exchange SP2 NON-R2
> >
> > Hi all,
> > Strange things occuring with our SBS box:
> >
> > I cannot enter group policy editor either via MMC or by gpedit.msc
> > Error: Snap-in Failed to Initialize. - Name: Group Policy Object Editor
> > GPMC runs but I am not allowed to edit anything as it returns same error
> > above.
> >
> > I have searched around and found a few things to do, and tried
> > re-registering the dlls, and adding the webm to the path, none of which
> > help,
> > but what is really worrying is that I have found server tools to be
> > missing
> > from SBS component setup. All that is listed is Exchange Server and Fax
> > Services.
> >
> > So before I take the plunge, advice please:
> > Shall I reinstall server tools from SBS CD1 as described here?:
> >
> > http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=829622
> >
> > Thanks in advance.
> >
> > Robc
> >
>
>
>

What happens if you try to do the reinstall as described in the KB, instead
of from add/remove?

If you google "framedyn.dll" you can find some references that it's OK to
ignore that error when registering the dll. I'd start by seeing if the
tools reinstall works, and if you have to, reinstall the GPMC from
add/remove the same way (not from SBS, the GPMC has its own listing in
add/remove).

You've seen this, right? "Application Has Failed to Start Because
Framedyn.dll Was Not Found" Error Message When You Open the System
Properties Dialog Box
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/319114


"Rob C" <RobC@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:B053C648-CA06-4EEE-A5CA-8DED5C9D74BD@microsoft.com...
> Dave, thanks for the help.
> This is getting nasty.
> I don't get an option to start the wizard in add/remove SBS2003. After a
> few
> next clicks I get to the point where I can only select either Exchange
> Server
> or Fax Services. There is no server tools or anywhere where I can start a
> wizard.
> It did create a continue setup icon on the desktop, where if I click it,
> at
> loading components 20 and 21, this error flags up:
> ---
> Setup.exe - Unable to locate component
> The application has failed to start because framedyn.dll was not found.
> Reinstalling this application may fix the problem.
> ---
>
>
> Setup continues after acknowledging the errors but as I said above, the
> server tools component is missing.
>
> I have doublechecked framedyn.dll and it resides here:
> C:\WINDOWS\system32\wbem.
>
> I copied the framedyn.dll from dllchache back to webm thinkning it could
> be
> corrupt but I get same error.
>
> re-registering framedyn.dll comes up with this error:
> ---
> framedyn.dll was loaded but the dll registerserverentrypoint was not
> found.
> ---
>
> Doesnt that mean SBS does not think this file is a dll???
>
>
> Checking event logs show absolutely nothing I can link to this issue.
> Everything on the server appears to be working correctly aside from this.
>
> I am a little stumped to say the least!
>
>
>
>
>
> "Dave Nickason [SBS MVP]" wrote:
>
>> You could try that. I hadn't seen that KB, but my preference would have
>> been to go to CP Add/Remove, run the SBS setup wizard from there, and
>> follow
>> the steps to reinstall. (Select Windows Small Business Server 2003 in
>> add/remove -> Change to start the wizard).
>>
>> I'm not clear that that's going to fix the GPMC, though. You could try
>> the
>> same thing for that - select in CP Add/Remove, click the Change button to
>> reinstall it.
>>
>> You're not getting any errors in the logs that point you in a good
>> direction
>> for troubleshooting?
>>
>>
>> "Rob C" <RobC@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:6E6403AD-1A3F-401A-BEC9-74D25197C132@microsoft.com...
>> > SBS2003 SP1 Exchange SP2 NON-R2
>> >
>> > Hi all,
>> > Strange things occuring with our SBS box:
>> >
>> > I cannot enter group policy editor either via MMC or by gpedit.msc
>> > Error: Snap-in Failed to Initialize. - Name: Group Policy Object Editor
>> > GPMC runs but I am not allowed to edit anything as it returns same
>> > error
>> > above.
>> >
>> > I have searched around and found a few things to do, and tried
>> > re-registering the dlls, and adding the webm to the path, none of which
>> > help,
>> > but what is really worrying is that I have found server tools to be
>> > missing
>> > from SBS component setup. All that is listed is Exchange Server and Fax
>> > Services.
>> >
>> > So before I take the plunge, advice please:
>> > Shall I reinstall server tools from SBS CD1 as described here?:
>> >
>> > http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=829622
>> >
>> > Thanks in advance.
>> >
>> > Robc
>> >
>>
>>
>>

Dave and all hi,
Thanks for your input and suggestions.
A very late solution for this one, but I'd thought I'd post it if it helps
anyone:
I use an Intel server motherboard and about 2 months ago I uninstalled the
server management software as it was simply crap, resource hogging, slow,
just taking up disk space. It was a couple of months later I attempted to do
some policy changes that resulted in my issues above.
It appears the clever people at intel did not write their uninstall routine
correctly and the uninstall application inadvertently disables wbemupgd.dll.
DOH!

Here is their fix:

Products Affected
Intel® Server Management 5.5.6, 5.5.7 and 5.8.
Description
When Uninstalling Intel Server Management 5.5.6, 5.5.7 or 5.8 on a system
with Microsoft* Windows* 2003 Server
(Standard or Advanced), the uninstall application inadvertently disables
wbemupgd.dll. Afterwards the Windows*
Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, Windows Components Wizard will not start
and displays the following error
message: "Setup Library wbemupgd.dll could not be loaded, or function
OcEntry could not be found. Contract your
system administrator. The specific error code is 0x7e."
Corrective Action / Resolution
Three changes will need to manually be performed after uninstalling Intel
Server Management 5.5.6, 5.5.7 or 5.8

1) Version 5.5.7:
Update the path environment variable: Go to “My Computer -> Properties ->
Advanced -> Environment
Variables -> System Variables and remove the terminating “;” (semi-colon) at
the end of the path statement.
Default Path
%SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem
Changes to Path after installing ISM 5.5.7
%systemroot%\system32;%systemroot%;%systemroot%\system32\wbem;c:\program
files\intel\servermanagement\bin; c:\program
files\intel\servermanagement\bin\cli;
Changes to Path after Uninstalling ISM 5.5.7
%systemroot%\system32;%systemroot%;%systemroot%\system32\wbem;c:\windows\system32;
Delete the “;” at the end of the path statement.
Version 5.5.6 and 5.8
Update the path environment variable: Go to “My Computer -> Properties ->
Advanced -> Environment
Variables -> System Variables and replace c:\windows\system32 with the
default path value:
%SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem
Changes to Path after Uninstalling ISM 5.5.6
c:\windows\system32
Remove c:\windows\system32 and replace with
%SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem

2) Remove the ISM path statement from the AUTOEXEC.BAT file
Changes to AUTOEXEC.BAT Path after Installing ISM 5.5.7and 5.8
path = "%PATH%;c:\program files\intel\servermanagement\bin";""
Delete the following from the Autoexec.bat Path:
c:\program files\intel\servermanagement\bin";""

3) Update the system registry PATH variable from REG_SZ to REG_EXPAND_SZ.
Go to START -> RUN -> regedit <enter>
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session
Manager\Environment
Rename the PATH key to PATH_OLD and copy the Value’s Data.
Create a new Expandable String Value Key named PATH and paste the value data
to the new PATH key.