I created an .msc file with mmc.exe, adding a number of items, including Event Viewer, for 5 different Windows servers. If there's an Event Viewer entry for a Windows 2008 R2 server, and that server is inaccessible (eg powered off), the entire MMC will crash upon startup. This never happened with Windows Server 2003. With 2003, if a server was unavailable, it would time out, but the rest of the items in the .msc would load. While this isn't a major issue, I would love to see it fixed. Picture a scenario where a server goes down, and one opens a custom made .msc with various items, and it won't open at all now. If there's any way to pass this along to the Windows Server team, I would really appreciate it. MCITP Enterprise Admin/Server Admin, MCSE NT, 2000, 2003

Hi, The Event Viewer is connected to remote server or just local server with entries of a remote server? I cannot reproduce the issue. I tried in VM with "connect to another server" and created a MSC file, then pause the target server and reopen the MSC file, it show "RPC server is unavailable" after trying to connect to target server instead of crash. Will the same issue occurs when only open Event Viewer while the remote server is powered off?Shaon Shan |TechNet Subscriber Support in forum |If you have any feedback on our support, please contact tngfb@microsoft.com

Here's a little more detail: Client PC: Windows 7 Target servers: Two Windows Server 2003 R2, Two Windows Server 2008 R2 I run MMC.EXE from Win7 command prompt, preceeded with runas /user: command, and I specify a Domain Admin account. This will allow me to view Event Viewer logs on target servers & domain controllers. In MMC, I add Event Viewer 4 times, specifying the 4 different servers. At first, I had the Windows Firewall on the Win 2008 server OFF. I was able to add the Event Viewer connection. Later I turned the firewall ON at the server, and that's when I started getting the crash issue. I then created a rule on the server to allow RPC for Event Viewer, and now it worked with firewall on, and the crashing stopped. However, a couple days later I had the server turned off for maintenance. I opened my .msc file at that time on Win 7 PC, and it crashed again. When it crashes, there's an event ID 1000 in the App log on Win 7, with this: Faulting application name: mmc.exe, version: 6.1.7600.16385, time stamp: 0x4a5bc808 Faulting module name: KERNELBASE.dll, version: 6.1.7600.16385, time stamp: 0x4a5bdfe0 Exception code: 0xc000041d MCITP Enterprise Admin/Server Admin, MCSE NT, 2000, 2003

Hi, This time I tried the same steps as yours and it seems I can reproduce the issue: 1. I use a standard user on Windows 7 (not local admin) 2. After add 3 event viewer to 3 servers, I cannot see the entries with Access is Denied error. Save the MSC to desktop. 3. Run the MSC file as Administrator and now I can see the entries on all 3 servers. 4. Pause a server and run MSC file as Administrator again. Get the error "MMC has detected an error in a snap-in and will unload it". However if I choose Unload the snap-in, and then add snap-in --- add servers which are not paused, event entries will be displayed in this way. So maybe remove the unavailable one from snap-in list and save to a new MSC file will be a workaround to this issue. I will check whether it is a bug. If so I will add in new reply. Shaon Shan |TechNet Subscriber Support in forum |If you have any feedback on our support, please contact tngfb@microsoft.com

Hi, This time I tried the same steps as yours and it seems I can reproduce the issue: 1. I use a standard user on Windows 7 (not local admin) 2. After add 3 event viewer to 3 servers, I cannot see the entries with Access is Denied error. Save the MSC to desktop. 3. Run the MSC file as Administrator and now I can see the entries on all 3 servers. 4. Pause a server and run MSC file as Administrator again. Get the error "MMC has detected an error in a snap-in and will unload it". However if I choose Unload the snap-in, and then add snap-in --- add servers which are not paused, event entries will be displayed in this way. So maybe remove the unavailable one from snap-in list and save to a new MSC file will be a workaround to this issue. I will check whether it is a bug. If so I will add in new reply. Shaon Shan |TechNet Subscriber Support in forum |If you have any feedback on our support, please contact tngfb@microsoft.com Shaon, that is the issue. The "gotcha" here is that if the .msc file is closed once a server is unavailable, you can't open it to unload the Event Viewer snap-in. Thank you for following up, it would be nice if this can be fixed.MCITP Enterprise Admin/Server Admin, MCSE NT, 2000, 2003

I mean when we get the error, there are 2 chioce "report this error to Microsoft and shutdown MMC" and "Unload the snap-in and continue running". Choose the second one and all Event Viewer will have a red X. go to File --- Add/Remove Snap-in, Remove the one which is marked as Local (which is actually the one for the server which is not available), save to a new MSC file so it can be accessed this time. This is just a workaround. I have record this issue and report to related department. If there is any update I will post back.Shaon Shan |TechNet Subscriber Support in forum |If you have any feedback on our support, please contact tngfb@microsoft.com

I never get that option to unload the snap-in. The whole MMC just gets that faded "I'm hung" look to it, and the only choice I have is to hit the X to close it. BTW, if I have it open, and I reboot one of the servers, then that hoses Event Viewer for that server. I have to close the whole MMC and reopen it. MCITP Enterprise Admin/Server Admin, MCSE NT, 2000, 2003

Hi, Yes it has a little difference and I can reproduce the same behavior on a Windows 2008 system. I have already report this issue as a potential bug.Shaon Shan |TechNet Subscriber Support in forum |If you have any feedback on our support, please contact tngfb@microsoft.com