PRB: VB/VB Apps Won't Run if Windows NT OLE Service Stopped

Last reviewed: September 29, 1997
Article ID: Q129800

The information in this article applies to:

Standard, Professional, and Enterprise Editions of Microsoft Visual Basic, 16-bit and 32-bit, for Windows, version 4.0
Microsoft Windows NT operating system version 3.51 and later

SYMPTOMS

If the OLE service under Windows NT is stopped, when you attempt to start Visual Basic or an application written with Visual Basic, you'll see this error:

   "Unexpected error; quitting"

Or, if the OLE service is stopped while Visual Basic or an application written with Visual Basic is running and you attempt to use an OLE control in Visual Basic, you'll see this error:

   "Unable to create embedded object"

CAUSE

Visual Basic uses OLE extensively for controls, data access, and even internal communication. The OLE Service is a necessary component for Visual Basic, but it is not absolutely necessary for this service to be running under Windows NT. It may be stopped to increase the overall performance of other tasks. If this is done, Visual Basic and Visual Basic applications will not run.

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

Scenario One

With Windows NT running, go to an MS-DOS command prompt. (Double-click the MS-DOS Command Prompt icon in your Main group in Program Manager.)
Type the following at the command prompt:
```
      Net Stop OLE
```
Switch back to Windows, and start Visual Basic. You'll see this error:
```
      Unexpected error; quitting
```
Switch back to MS-DOS, and type the following to restore everything to normal:
```
      Net Start OLE
```

Scenario Two

Start Visual Basic.
With Windows NT running, go to an MS-DOS command prompt. (Double-click the MS-DOS Command Prompt icon in your Main group in Program Manager.)
Type the following at the command prompt.
```
      Net Stop OLE
```
Attempt to add an OLE control to the default form. (Any control where an .OCX file appears in your Project window will be an OLE control.) Visual Basic reports this error:
```
      Unable to create embedded object
```
Switch back to MS-DOS, and type the following to restore everything to normal:
```
      Net Start OLE
```

Keywords          : IAPOLE VB4ALL VB4WIN vbwin GnrlVb kberrmsg kbprg
Technology        : kbole kbvba
Version           : WINDOWS:4.0
Platform          : NT WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbprb

================================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Last reviewed: September 29, 1997
© 1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.