How to fix SQL Server Management Studio COM error on startup

Every once in a while, and especially when I build virtual machines from existing images, I run into a weird error when running SQL Server Management Studio:

[su_box title=”Error Information” style=”soft”]Unable to cast COM object of type ‘System.__ComObject’ to interface type ‘Microsoft.VisualStudio.OLE.Interop.IServiceProvider’. This operation failed because the QueryInterface call on the COM component for the interface with IID ‘{6D5140C1-7436-11CE-8034-00AA006009FA}’ failed due to the following error: No such interface supported (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80004002 (E_NOINTERFACE)).[/su_box]

With a little google-ing around did find a solution, well, actually two. So here is how to fix this sql error.
One solution involves running an update to some registry keys (which is what always works for me) and the second a re-registration of a DLL (you’ve gotta love COM).

Option 1

As I mentioned earlier, this option always worked form me, and therefore I have never had to resort to option 2.

First, copy the following code snippet and paste it into a text file. Then rename the *.txt file you copied the snippet to, and rename to *.reg.
Now  run the fix by double-clicking on the *.reg file and voila’.
You’ll get a message prompt telling you whether or not the registry was successfully update.

[code lang=”html”]
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTInterface{6D5140C1-7436-11CE-

8034-00AA006009FA}]
@=”IServiceProvider”

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTInterface{6D5140C1-7436-11CE-

8034-00AA006009FA}NumMethods]
@=”4″

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTInterface{6D5140C1-7436-11CE-

8034-00AA006009FA}ProxyStubClsid32]
@=”{B8DA6310-E19B-11D0-933C-00A0C90DCAA9}”

[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareClassesInterface{6D514

0C1-7436-11CE-8034-00AA006009FA}]
@=”IServiceProvider”

[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareClassesInterface{6D514

0C1-7436-11CE-8034-00AA006009FA}NumMethods]
@=”4″

[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareClassesInterface{6D514

0C1-7436-11CE-8034-00AA006009FA}ProxyStubClsid32]
@=”{B8DA6310-E19B-11D0-933C-00A0C90DCAA9}”

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREClassesInterface{6D51

40C1-7436-11CE-8034-00AA006009FA}]
@=”IServiceProvider”

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREClassesInterface{6D51

40C1-7436-11CE-8034-00AA006009FA}NumMethods]
@=”4″

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREClassesInterface{6D51

40C1-7436-11CE-8034-00AA006009FA}ProxyStubClsid32]
@=”{B8DA6310-E19B-11D0-933C-00A0C90DCAA9}”
[/code]

PLEASE NOTE: I strongly suggest you back-up your registry, as I take NO responsibility it is breaks anything 🙂

Option 2

If option one failed to resolve your problem, then try running the following regsvr32 command:

[code lang=”html”]
C:WINDOWSsystem32>regsvr32 actxprxy.dll
[/code]

One last thing to mention is that no one seems to know or remotely understand what causes this issue.