HRESULT 0x80004013 (CO_E_CANT_REMOTE): meaning and diagnosis

Status / error code:		Category:

Constant name:
Source:		Operating System:
Description: COM required remote activation, but the requested activation context does not permit it.

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CO_E_INIT_ONLY_SINGLE_THREADED	CO_E_BAD_SERVER_NAME

CO_E_CANT_REMOTE

CO_E_CANT_REMOTE is an activation-routing failure. COM has determined that the requested class must be activated on another computer, but the request does not allow that remote path. It does not, by itself, prove that the remote server is offline or that a network connection was attempted.

Why remote activation was selected

COM can select a remote class server from the target supplied by CoCreateInstanceEx or from the class AppID configuration. In particular, the AppID key can define RemoteServerName for activations that do not provide a COSERVERINFO structure. The client’s requested CLSCTX also determines which server locations are eligible.

What to compare

Record the CLSID, requested CLSCTX flags, and any COSERVERINFO target used by the failing call.
Follow the CLSID-to-AppID mapping and inspect whether RemoteServerName, LocalServer32, or LocalService describes the intended deployment.
Keep the requested location explicit. Silently substituting a local server can activate a different installation or bypass the architecture the application expected.

References

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