Error: Unable to start a DCOM Server: Microsoft.Windows.Cortana

Question

We customize Windows for a medical device. The Cortana was removed through the answer file,

<package action="remove">
    <assemblyIdentity name="Microsoft-Windows-LanguageFeatures-Speech-en-us-Package" version="10.0.17763.1" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="" />
</package>
<package action="remove">
    <assemblyIdentity name="Microsoft-Windows-LanguageFeatures-TextToSpeech-en-us-Package" version="10.0.17763.1" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="" />
</package>

now the following error messages began to appear in the Event viewer:

Unable to start a DCOM Server:
Microsoft.Windows.Cortana_1.11.6.17763_neutral_neutral_cw5n1h2txyewy!CortanaUI as Unavailable/Unavailable.
The error: "0"
Happened while starting this command:
"C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.Cortana_cw5n1h2txyewy\SearchUI.exe" -ServerName:CortanaUI.AppXa50dqqa5gqv4a428c9y1jjw7m3btvepj.mca

Unable to start a DCOM Server:
Microsoft.Windows.Cortana_1.11.6.17763_neutral_neutral_cw5n1h2txyewy!CortanaUI.AppXynb3eakad12451rv00qxextfnce9sxb8.mca as Unavailable/Unavailable.
The error: "0"
Happened while starting this command:
"C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.Cortana_cw5n1h2txyewy\SearchUI.exe" -ServerName:CortanaUI.AppXa50dqqa5gqv4a428c9y1jjw7m3btvepj.mca

In the future, we need Cortana to be disabled, and at the same time not to generate errors in Event Viewer.

What generates these messages, how can avoid this message in the event viewer?

The operating system used is Windows 10 IoT Enterprise (W10IoTE) version 1809.

In our case, the cause was SRP ([Software Restriction Policies](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/identity/software-restriction-policies/software-restriction-policies)). He worked in a mode that blocked everything except what he had on the list. SearchUI.exe was on this list, but it was not enough. To solve this problem, an entire folder with Cortana was added, which contains the SearchUI file. — Oleksandr, Jul 31 '20 at 11:30

score 0 · Answer 1 · edited Nov 05 '22 at 10:53

This is likely due to Cortona appx package corruption or missing binaries.

To resolve, re-register/re-install Windows Native application.

Open PowerShell as Administrator and copy-paste the following command:

Get-AppxPackage -allusers | foreach {Add-AppxPackage -register "$($_.InstallLocation)\appxmanifest.xml" -DisableDevelopmentMode}

This will re-register all the built-in appx packages.
Restart your system.
Reference KB: How to Reinstall and Re-register all the built-in apps in Windows 10 Creator Update https://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/37943.how-to-reinstall-and-re-register-all-the-built-in-apps-in-windows-10-creator-update.aspx

Error: Unable to start a DCOM Server: Microsoft.Windows.Cortana

1 Answers1