Active Directory Users and Computers Error: “the application has requested the runtime to terminate it in an unusual way”

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Active Directory Users and Computers Error: “the application has requested the runtime to terminate it in an unusual way”

August 27, 2008 by mcdrummerman

UPDATE [6/19/2009]: Below is my original fix for this problem however in the comments section frymaster provided an alternative. I am no longer running Vista 64 so haven’t tested it but another user has confirmed it worked for him.

Try deleting this file:

%userprofile%\appdata\Roaming\Microsoft\MMC\dsa

It will be recreated after you shut down your MMC console.

Thanks to frymaster for the update!

[Original Post]

I installed the newest version of RSAT for Vista Service Pack 1. I am running the 64-bit Version of Vista.

After installing this newest version I got this error when trying to start Active Directory Users and Computers:

Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime Library
“the application has requested the runtime to terminate it in an unusual way”

I could not find an answer anywhere, I was able to open up the Management Console (mmc.exe) and browse to the .msc file (dsa.msc) manually and it would open just fine.

I went looking for command line parameters for mmc.exe and here is what I found:

MMC command-line options

Using MMC command-line options, you can open a specific MMC console, open MMC in author mode, or specify that the 32-bit or 64-bit version of MMC is opened.

Syntax

mmcpath\filename.msc[/a] [/64] [/32]

Parameters

path \ filename.msc

Starts MMC and opens a saved console. You need to specify the complete path and file name for the saved console file. If you do not specify a console file, MMC opens a new console.

/a

Opens a saved console in author mode. Used to make changes to saved consoles.

/64

Opens the 64-bit version of MMC (MMC64). Use this option only if you are running a Microsoft 64-bit operating system and want to use a 64-bit snap-in.

/32

Opens the 32-bit version of MMC (MMC32). When running a Microsoft 64-bit operating system, you can run 32-bit snap-ins by opening MMC with this command-line option when you have 32-bit only snap-ins.

Source: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc757725.aspx

The short cut for Active Directory Users and Computers points to:

%SystemRoot%\system32\dsa.msc

Adding the “/64″ flag to the Target of the shortcut fixed the problem

%SystemRoot%\system32\dsa.msc /64

After that, no more errors!

Posted in Utilities, Windows | Tagged Active Directory Users and Computers, RSAT 64bit, the application has requested the runtime to terminate, Vista RSAT | 13 Comments

13 Responses

on February 21, 2009 at 7:32 am | Reply Kipling

Thank you so much! This was driving me to “drink”!!
on March 5, 2009 at 2:12 am | Reply Mick

Hey,

I´ve exactly the same Problem with Windows 7 running on a 32 Bit System..

but nothing helps..

any suggestions..?

cheers
Mick
- on March 5, 2009 at 1:30 pm | Reply mcdrummerman
  
  Are you using the RSAT tools for Windows 7?
  
  Microsoft Download:
on March 5, 2009 at 11:10 pm | Reply Mick

Thanks for reply

Yes I´m using the original RSAT for Windows 7..

it´s like Kipling wrotes one before….

cheers
Mick
on June 6, 2009 at 5:23 pm | Reply Campbell IT

I just had the same thing logging on at the actual console on Server 2008 64 Bit.

In this case /64 gave me the error but /32 got me in. After doing this I can now get in using the original link.

Great info, you saved me from doing a re-format. Which is not what I wanted to do.
on June 17, 2009 at 12:08 pm | Reply frymaster

Hi,

I was having the same symptoms. Fix for me was to delete the file %userprofile%\appdata\Roaming\Microsoft\MMC\dsa – this fixed the issue without needing to alter the shortcut.
- on June 19, 2009 at 7:46 am | Reply mcdrummerman
  
  Thanks for the update frymaster!
on June 19, 2009 at 12:38 am | Reply Andreasdb

tHANK YOU frymaster THIS WORKED PERFECTLY
on July 8, 2009 at 1:33 am | Reply ClausZ

Sorry to say… all that didn’t work for me.

I found an additional possible reason for that problem.

Using Vista Enterprise 64bit SP2 with German language pack i had to install the German RSAT. Vista didn’t let me do anything else.
With my user account (configured to German display language) “Active Directory Users and Computers” started without problems. With my admin account (display language English) it didn’t work. Switching the display language to German solved the problem for me.

Regards
on August 22, 2009 at 6:22 am | Reply mintra

Yippy frymasters delete the dsa worked for me with Windows 2008 SBS
on September 9, 2009 at 7:53 am | Reply Chris Bell

Thanks for the post. I am running Vista Enterprise 64 bit SP2. Adding /64 worked for me!
on September 22, 2009 at 7:05 am | Reply maayan

thanks a lot!
I’m using server 2008, adding /32 in the shortcut worked only if I used the shortcut, but still the same error if I try to open the active directory using run.

deleting the file %userprofile%\appdata\Roaming\Microsoft\MMC\dsa
worked perfectly!
on October 8, 2009 at 1:23 am | Reply escalade

Thnx frymaster and all 4 da heads up, i jst changed that dsa filename to dsaxx which could be same as deleting it and ran AD-user & comp..worked just fine.
Environment: Windows Server 2008 Enterprise sp1 (64 bit)