Unable to start debugging on the web server. The COM+ registry database detected a system error

Question

I'm trying to debug an ASP.NET webapp that's configured to "Use Local IIS Web Server" on WinXP. When I start the debugger, the compile succeeds, and then the following error is displayed in a dialog:

Unable to start debugging on the web server. The COM+ registry database detected a system error

The webapp never launches in my browser. How can I get rid of this message and debug this webapp?

Answer 1

I tried the usual stuff, and my exact scenario ended up being described a post in the MSDN forums. Its answer worked for me, despite my environment (VS2008, .NET 3.5) being more modern:

Here are the steps I followed (basically a summary of the link above -- "ASPNET" being significant because that's the user running the IIS instance on my development box):

1. Close VS
2. Shutdown IIS
3. Add ASPNET to the local Administrators group
4. Start IIS
5. Start VS and successfully debug ASP.NET webapp
6. Close VS
7. Shutdown IIS
8. Remove ASPNET from the local Administrators group
9. Start IIS
10. Start VS and continue debugging ASP.NET webapp without error

My development workstation's security settings/situation is regularly managed by our security folks here, so something must have upset my ASP.NET/IIS/etc environment.