RPM Remote Print Manager - DCOM Configuration for XP

When users attempt to open the RPM Remote Print Manager® user interface, the following message may appear: "RPM Fatal Error: Cannot connect to service." This message may appear for various reasons, one of which is caused when the user does not have permissions to access the RPM service. This document addresses this issue.

Note: Click here to see other reasons that this message may appear.

For users to be able to access the RPM user-interface (UI), the proper permissions must be given to them by the system administrator. The RPM Setup program attempts to do this automatically; in rare circumstances, it may be unable to do so. To give users permission to access RPM, first log in as the Administrator or a user account with administrator priveleges and follow these steps.

  1. From the Start menu, choose Control Panel. Note that if you are using the "classic start menu," the Control Panel is in the Settings menu.

  2. If you are using Category View, click Performance and Maintenance, then click Administrative Tools. Double-click Component Services.

  3. In the Component Services, expand Component Services, then Computers, and finally, My Computer. Highlight DCOM Config. If you receive any DCOM Configuration Warnings, simply click Yes.

  4. On the right side of the window, right-click RPMSrvc and choose Properties from the menu. When the RPMSrvc Properties dialog appears, click the Security tab.
  5. Under Launch Permissions, choose Customize and press the Edit button in the launch permissions group box.

  6. Add the following groups with Allow permissions: Interactive, SYSTEM, and the local Administrators group. If the user account is not a member of the local Administrators group, add each user you wish to allow to launch the RPM service. Press the OK button.

  7. Repeat step 6 for both the Access Permissions and Configuration Permissions, adding the Interactive and SYSTEM groups, as well as any user you wish to give permissions to.

  8. When finished, press OK on the RPMSrvc Properties dialog to apply the changes and dismiss the dialog.
  9. In the Component Services window, highlight Services (Local). Right-click the RPM Remote Print Manager service on the right side of the window and choose Restart from the menu.

Now, log out as the Administrator and test by logging in as the user. The DCOM permissions should now be sufficient to allow users to launch the RPM user interface.