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COMADMIN_E_CAT_PARTITION_IN_USE
COM+ partition administration: exact meaning of COMADMIN_E_CAT_PARTITION_IN_USE
The partition cannot be deleted because one or more users have it as their default partition. Partition deletion checks user-to-default-partition assignments before removing the container.
Windows describes this condition as “The partition cannot be deleted because it is the default partition for one or more users”.
Where the result occurs
Partitions are logical containers with explicit IDs, names, user defaults, application contents, and platform enablement; operations must use the intended partition rather than assume a global namespace. In the specific case of this result, enumerate affected users and partition assignments, including domain identities and stale mappings.
Evidence to collect before repair
- Collect partition ID and all default-partition user assignments when diagnosing this result; without it the symbolic HRESULT is underdetermined.
- Record user SIDs and account resolution status.
- Preserve planned replacement partition for each user; it anchors the failure to the real administration object.
- Evidence should include activation tests before and after reassignment, captured before a repair changes state.
Diagnostic sequence
- The next diagnostic action is to enumerate every user mapped to the partition.
- To isolate it, assign each active user to an appropriate surviving default partition.
- remove or remediate stale mappings carefully.
- verify component activation routes to the replacement.
- The next diagnostic action is to delete the now-unreferenced partition and repopulate the catalog.
Practical administration scenario
An administrator retires a training partition while several accounts still select it as default.
Retry and recovery
Move each user to an appropriate surviving default partition, verify activation behavior, and then delete.
Difference from nearby COMADMIN results
COMADMIN_E_BASE_PARTITION_ONLY restricts an operation by partition type; this code reports live references preventing deletion.
Official Microsoft references
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