Is your Windows computer displaying the “RPC Server is Unavailable”? As this error message isn’t that common for Windows, the error may seem daunting. Especially if you haven’t dealt with network-related issues before.

We’ll take a look at how RPC works and what causes this annoying error. Also, we’ll walk you through the troubleshooting process.

What Is RPC and What Causes the Error?

Before diving into the troubleshooting process, let’s take a closer look at how RPC works and what may cause its malfunction.

RPC, or Remote Procedure Call is a technology that uses an inter-process communication technique, designed to ensure communication between a server and a computer connected to the same network. Every time you use a Windows process to send data over the network, you use the RPC technology.

But what makes the RPC stop working? Most of the time, its services run into an issue. However, RPC issues can be linked to network connectivity settings, file and printer sharing configuration, or corrupted registry files.

Either way, the solutions below should help you get rid of the RPC server error in no time.

1. Restart the RPC Server

The most effective way to resolve the error is to restart the service. This will make Windows re-establish all connections and recall all processes.

  1. In the Start menu search bar, type services
  2. Click on Run as administrator.
  3. Look for DCOM Server Process Launcher and double-click on it.
  4. Ensure that "Startup type" is set to Automatic and "Service status" is Running.
  5. If there is any discrepancy, set the "Startup type" to Automatic and click Start below "Service status."
Restart the DCOM service

Restarting your computer is a solution to many Windows problems and is often a great first option before delving into more serious fixes.

2. Clean Boot the Computer to Rule Out Third-Party Applications

A "clean boot" is a boot state that disables all third-party software and services. Although this is not an automatic built-in feature in Windows, it's fairly easy to do. Many users report that the "RPC Server is unavailable" error is caused by faulty third-party applications.

To rule this as the cause of the error, you will have to clean boot your computer:

  1. In the Start menu search bar, enter sysconfig and open System Configuration.
  2. Go to the Services tab and check the Hide all Microsoft services button.
  3. Subsequently, check all the services from the list and click on Disable all.
  4. After this, open Task Manager via right-clicking on the Taskbar and selecting Task Manager.
  5. Go to the Startup tab and click on each service one by one and click Disable.
  6. Exit and restart the computer.
Hide all Microsoft Services option in msconfig window

Try using your computer and see if the error reappears. If it doesn't, it means that the error resulted from interference from a third-party application. It would be best to uninstall any recently installed applications and download a different version.

3. Check Your Network Connection Settings

If you're unable to open specific folders or files using File Explorer, it is possible that your network settings have not been configured properly. Follow these steps to enable the ideal options for your network:

How to Configure Your Network

To configure your network:

  1. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run command. In the dialog box, type ncpa.cpl and press Enter.
  2. Right-click on the relevant network connection. For example, if you're using Wi-Fi, right-click on Wi-Fi.
  3. Then click on Properties. Administrator privileges will be required to do so.
  4. In the Properties menu, enable the File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks and Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) options.

If this doesn't fix the issue, users can also try reinstalling the network drivers. This will cause Windows to re-download and install the network drivers, which could resolve the issue. To do this, follow these steps:

How to Uninstall Network Drivers

To uninstall your network drivers:

  1. Press Windows Key + R and type devmgmt.msc in the Run dialog box.
  2. The Device Manager will open.
  3. Navigate to the Network adapters option and expand it.
  4. Right-click on the network drivers and click on Uninstall.
  5. Close all windows and restart your computer.
Network driver uninstall confirmation box

4. Change Your Firewall Settings

The Windows Firewall may sometimes block RPC server traffic, resulting in the "RPC Server is unavailable" error. In such cases, users need to reconfigure their firewall settings to allow traffic.

For third-party firewalls, the steps may vary, but this is how you reconfigure the Windows Firewall:

  1. In the Start menu search bar, enter Control Panel and open it.
  2. In the Control Panel search bar, type "firewall."
  3. Under the Windows Firewall option, click on Allow an app through Windows Firewall.
  4. In the dialog box, look for Remote Assistance and check all the boxes.
  5. Save changes and restart your computer.

5. Change Registry Settings

Before you attempt this fix, be sure to create a restore point and back up your registry. If none of the fixes above helped resolve the error, it might be worth looking into your registry to check for any faulty values and fix them.

To do this, follow these steps:

  1. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box.
  2. Type regedit to open the Registry Editor.
  3. Navigate to:
            HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\services\RpcSs.
        
  4. Double-click on the Start entry and set "Value data" to 2.
  5. Navigate to:
            HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\services\DcomLaunch
        
  6. Double-click on Start value and change "Value data" to 2.
  7. Navigate to:
            HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\services\RpcEptMapp
        
  8. In the Start value, set "Value data" to 2.
RpcsS registry entry dialog box

If you're unable to find these registry entries, it may be time to reinstall Windows or use System Restore to restore your computer. For users who have no restore points, it's best they set Windows to create a daily restore point to avoid such mishaps in the future. Alternatively, you can manually create a restore point with Command Prompt.

6. Use System Restore to Restore Your Computer

If users have tried everything on the list and are still unable to resolve the error, it may be time to use System Restore. If you have System Protection enabled, Windows will usually create restore points automatically or when installing new software.

To use System Restore, follow these steps:

  1. In the Start menu search bar, type Control Panel and select the Best Match.
  2. In the Control Panel search bar, enter "recovery" and click on the Recovery option.
  3. Click on Open System Restore in the Recovery window. You'll need administrator privileges to do so.
  4. Click on Next, then select a restore point from the list.
  5. Click on Finish.
Running system restore

After this, Windows will automatically reboot your computer to an earlier state. Alternatively, you can also check out other ways to reset your computer.

7. Flush the DNS Server

If you’ve found nothing wrong with Windows Registry, you should flush your DNS. This way, you’ll clear the cache, which can fix the RPC server error.

To flush the DNS, launch Command Prompt with administrative rights. Then, type ipconfig /flushdns and press Enter to run the command.

Flush DNS Using CMD

Bid Farewell to the "RPC is Unavailable" Error

As is evident from the fixes listed above, the error is not particularly difficult to resolve. Work through these easy steps, and you'll be back up and running in no time.