COM Exception when users try to change their passwords through Web-IT portal or during the logoff (4223637)

When trying to reset a password or logging off from the webpage, the following error occurs.

System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException

(0x80040154): Retrieving the COM class factory for component with CLSID {DD668FF6-9972-4294-B76A-BF0A52EC682E} failed due to the following error 80040154. at provision._default.btnChangePass_Click

Additionally, the same CLSID may give a different behavior: nothing happens when user clicks on "Change Password" but errors out during clicking on Logoff

This can be caused if the DLL is not registered correctly or it can't be loaded for various reasons.

Workaround 1:

- Open CMD prompt with administrative privileges
- Navigate to \windows\system32 (to \windows\syswow64 on 64-bit machines)
- type command: regsvr32.exe pnutils.dll
- Restart IIS

Workaround 2:

Try to perform a repair of vWorkspace installation.

Workaround 3:

If the repair doesn't work, export HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{DD668FF6-9972-4294-B76A-BF0A52EC682E} from a working server and import it onto the broken server.

This will fix the missing registry information and allow password changes again.

Workaround 4:

Create REG file with the following content and import it on the webserver. No restarts required:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{DD668FF6-9972-4294-B76A-BF0A52EC682E}]
@="SetPassword"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{DD668FF6-9972-4294-B76A-BF0A52EC682E}\InprocServer32]
@="C:\\Windows\\system32\\PNUtils.dll"
"ThreadingModel"="Apartment"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{DD668FF6-9972-4294-B76A-BF0A52EC682E}\ProgId]
@="PNUtils.SetPassword"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PNUtils.SetPassword]
@="SetPassword"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PNUtils.SetPassword\CLSID]
@="{DD668FF6-9972-4294-B76A-BF0A52EC682E}"

Note: please navigate to pnutils.dll file in \windows\system32 (or in \windows\syswow64 on 64-bit machines) and check if DLL file has a "locked" icon. DLL file should be unblocked otherwise it won't be loaded. There can be various reasons why the DLL is locked as
- no digital signature. Possible corruption because pnutils.dll should be signed.
- there are alternative file streams for the file in NTFS. Streams can be seen using DIR /R command

If nothing of above, just try to cut and paste the DLL file to desktop, then copy/paste it back to the same folder.