HRESULT 0x8000401E (CO_E_SERVER_START

Status / error code:		Category:

Constant name:
Source:		Operating System:
Description: A launched COM local server did not register its class factory before activation timed out.

Previous	Next
CO_E_REMOTE_COMMUNICATION_FAILURE	CO_E_CLSREG_INCONSISTENT

CO_E_SERVER_START_TIMEOUT

CO_E_SERVER_START_TIMEOUT means that COM did start the local server process, but the server did not become activation-ready within the allowed interval. For a LocalServer32 server, readiness requires registration of its class object with COM, not merely the existence of the process.

What must happen after launch

Microsoft documents that a local server started through LocalServer32 must register a class object within a time window that defaults to 60 seconds. An EXE that spends too long in initialization, waits on a deadlocked dependency, exits before calling CoRegisterClassObject, or registers a different CLSID can all leave the client waiting until this failure is reported.

Useful evidence

Capture the server command line and verify that the process was launched with the expected -Embedding mode.
Instrument the server startup path around COM initialization and CoRegisterClassObject; record the CLSID actually registered.
Investigate the startup dependency or deadlock rather than only increasing client retry time. A retry can reproduce the same unready server state.

References

Looking for a different code? Search another status or error code.