How to Fix RPC Server is Unavailable on Windows

The RPC server error in Windows is a common issue, especially with Windows devices connected to a network like in an office or a small home network.

This kind of issue on Windows happens when your computer cannot communicate with other computers or devices throughout your local network.

But there’s no need to worry. Your files are still safe on your computer, and this can be easily fixed by performing a couple of troubleshooting techniques.

Today, we will show you how you can fix the RPC server unavailable error on Windows.

Let’s get right into it.

Method 1: Ensure that RPC Services Are Running

The first thing to check if you encounter an RPC server unavailable error on your computer is to check if the RPC services are running in the background. You can follow the steps below to verify if the essential RPC services are running on your computer.

Step 1. Press the Windows Key + R to open the Run Command Box on your computer.

Step 2. Afterward, type “services.msc” and hit Enter to launch the Windows Services Manager.

Step 3. Lastly, find the following services on the list DCOM Server Process Launcher, Remote Procedure Call (RPC), and RPC Endpoint Mapper. Make sure that their status is set to “Running.”

You can proceed to the following method if they are running in the background; however, if their status is not running. Right-click on the service and click “Start.”

After that, use your computer and see if the error message will still appear.

Method 2: Check Your Computer Firewall

The next thing that you can do to troubleshoot this issue is to check the Windows Firewall. In some cases, Firewalls can block traffic requests from RPC (Remote Procedure Call), which causes the RPC service problem.

To fix this, you can follow the steps below.

Step 1. Press the Windows Key + S on your keyboard on your computer and search for “Windows Firewall.”

Step 2. Next, click on Open to launch the Firewall’s Settings.

Step 3. After that, on the side menu, click “Allow an App or Feature through Windows Firewall.”

Step 4. Lastly, make sure that all the boxes for Remote Assistance are checked.

Restart your computer and observe if the error still occurs after changing your firewall settings.

Method 3: Check Your Internet Connection

The RPC service error can also happen when your network connection settings are not configured correctly.

In this case, you can follow the guide below to configure your network connection correctly to avoid RPC errors in the future.

Step 1. Press the Windows Key + R on your computer to open the Run Command Box.

Step 2. Next, type “ncpa.cpl” in the text box and click on “OK.”

Step 3. After that, the Network Connection Properties will open.

Step 4. Now, right-click on your current network connection and select Properties.

Step 5. Lastly, ensure that “File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks” and “Internet Protocol Version 6” are enabled on your Windows 10 computer.

Now, try to use your computer and see if the RPC server error would still occurs while using your computer.

On the other hand, if the RPC server is unavailable error is still present after changing your internet connection settings. You can try checking your Registry Keys.

Method 4: Check Your Registry

Here’s a method for advanced Windows users. Before doing anything on your registry keys, keep in mind that any changes on the registry can significantly affect your operating system if not performed correctly.

You should skip this method if you are not comfortable configuring your registry.

However, if you want to proceed with configuring your registry, follow the steps below carefully.

Step 1. Press the Windows Key + R to open the Run Command Box on your computer. Then, type “regedit” and click OK to launch the Registry Editor.

Step 2. After opening the Registry Editor, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetservicesRpcS. Check the image below for better visualization of where you need to navigate.

Step 3. Find the Start registry key in the RpcSs path and double-click it to edit its value. Set its data value to 2.

Step 4. Next, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetservicesDcomLaunch and find the Start registry key from the DCOM Server Process Launcher path. Now, double-click Start and change its value to 2.

Step 5. Lastly, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetservicesRpcEptMapper and find the Start registry key from RPC Endpoint Mapper. Double-click the Start registry key and change its data value to 2.

Now, close the Registry Editor and restart your computer. After that, use your computer and observe if the RPC server is unavailable error message will still occur on Windows.

However, if you still have Windows problems after doing the steps above. You can try doing the last method below, which can fix the issue with the Windows RPC server.

Method 5: Reinstall Windows 10

If none of the methods above worked to fix the RPC issue, the last thing you can do is install a fresh copy of Windows on your computer. It is possible that some of the critical system files on your computer got corrupted while updating Windows or during regular use.

In this case, it is best to reinstall Windows on your computer to ensure that you have a working copy of the operating system. However, before reinstalling Windows on your computer, don’t forget to back up your important files before making any changes to your system.

Frequently Asked Questions