There may be times when you run into issues with a Windows PC connected to other devices on a network . Such is the case of the flaw that can cause the RPC server to be unavailable. For this reason, this interesting tutorial shows you how to fix ‘RPC Server Unavailable Error’ on Windows computers.
Index( )
- Why do I get the RPC Server Error message on Windows?
- Incorrect DNS configuration
- Wrong time zone and time
- ‘Tcp/IP NetBIOS Helper’ is not running
- Remote registry is not running
- How do I fix the ‘RPC Server Unavailable Error?
- On Windows 10
- Windows Server 2012 R2
- Windows 11
Why do I get the RPC Server Error message on Windows?
The RPC server error message in Windows can appear when incorrect DNS configuration is detected . Also, it is possible that the failure arises due to wrong time zone and time or when ‘Tcp/IP NetBIOS Helper’ is not running.
Incorrect DNS configuration
Incorrect DNS settings can cause network problems that prevent resources from responding or normal internet browsing. Rebooting the router or choosing a different DNS server usually resolves this issue. Also, you can choose to change the DNS from the router or from the command prompt.
Wrong time zone and time
Incorrect time zone and system time can also cause the ‘RPC Server Unavailable Error’ error. For this reason, you need to check if the system date and time settings are correct. Therefore, you will have a successful RPC connection.
To apply date and time settings , press the ‘Win + R’ keys, type timedate.cpl and press ‘OK’. Then, select the time zone corresponding to your country and click the ‘OK’ button. Then, click on ‘Change date and time’, finally, press ‘Apply’ and ‘OK’.
‘Tcp/IP NetBIOS Helper’ is not running
‘Tcp/IP NetBIOS Helper’ is software provided by Windows for the computer to be part of a local area network. As such, computers using older protocols can search based on NetBIOS instead of IP address. When ‘Tcp/IP NetBIOS Helper’ is not running it can cause RPC server to fail.
To solve this problem, you must access the Windows control panel and in ‘Network Connections’ locate the ‘Local Area Connection’ section. Open the ‘Properties’ and double click on ‘Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)’. In the advanced options, find the ‘NetBIOS Settings’ to activate this service and reboot your PC.
Remote registry is not running
Remote Registry is a Windows service that allows you to connect to registry structures on another PC using ‘regedit’. For this reason, it is necessary that you access as an administrator user on both computers in order to use this service properly. Press ‘Win +R’, type services.msc and press ‘OK’.
In the list of services offered by the system, locate the ‘Remote Registry’ option and check if it is running. To achieve this, right click on the service and press ‘Properties’. Under ‘Startup type’ select ‘Start’ click ‘Apply’ and ‘OK’. Indeed, you will be able to check if the RPC server unavailable error continues .
How do I fix the ‘RPC Server Unavailable Error?
Whether you’re doing the procedure on Windows 10, Windows Server 2012 R2, or Windows 11, it’s possible to troubleshoot the ‘RPC server unavailable’ error . To achieve this, you will need to check your network connection, the functioning of the firewall , as well as the server log.
On Windows 10
You can fix ‘RPC server unavailable’ error in Windows 10. To do this, open Control Panel and click ‘System and Security’. Select ‘Windows Defender Firewall’ and press ‘Allow an app through Windows Firewall’. Verify that all boxes are checked to enable proper communication .
Also, you need to check the status of the network connection. To achieve this, press ‘Win +R’ type ncpa.cpl and press ‘OK’. Find the network connection and right click to open the ‘Properties’. Check if the setting is enabled for File and printer sharing for the network option .
It is convenient to check your registry settings from the administrator account. Press ‘Win + R’ and type regedit to run the registry editor . Find the path HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM/CurrentControlSet/Services/RpcSs and change its value to 2. Do the same for DcomLaunch and RpcEptMapper.
Windows Server 2012 R2
To fix the error on Windows Server 2012 R2, you’ll need to access the PowerShell tool. There, type telnet lon-dc01 135 and press ‘Enter’. In this way, you will be able to check if the RPC TCP/UDP ports 135 are available or have been blocked by the firewall.
Also, you will need to check if the server order has been specified correctly. Access the network connections and in the properties of the TCP/IPv4 protocol write the address for the DNS servers. Also, you will need to change the registry key on the domain controller from the registry editor.
To define the TCP port number 5000 , you must specify this data: [HKLM CURRENT CONTROL SYSTEM]|Current Control Services ‘TCP/IP Port’=dword:00001388. The active firewall could prevent the port from working. Open PowerShell and type repadmin/replsummary to see if the error is resolved.
Windows 11
Also, it is possible to resolve the RPC server not available error in Windows 11. To do so, open system settings and access services. Then, check that all the service boxes are checked. Type ‘services’ in the browser and check if the ‘Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Locator’ is running.
It is important to open the task manager to disable unnecessary applications from startup. Also, you will need to open the registry editor to access the path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM/CurrentControlSet/Services/RpcSs. Change its start value to 2 and repeat the same step with DcomLaunch and RpcEptMapper.
