Fix 0X00000A37: Cannot enumerate service NERR_RplCannotEnum

Quick answer

Fix 0X00000A37 by verifying the RPLUSER account has full control over %SystemRoot%\System32\RPL\RPL.DAT, then run rplcfg /restore to rebuild the database.

What's going on here

This error pops up when you try to enumerate remote boot records — the RPL service can't open its database. Happens most often after a domain migration, a password reset on the RPLUSER service account, or a corrupted RPL.DAT file. I've seen this on Windows NT 4.0 terminal servers and old LAN Manager setups still limping along. The culprit is almost always permissions or a broken database file.

Step-by-step fix

1. Stop the RPL service. Run net stop rplsvc from an elevated command prompt.
2. Check the RPLUSER account. Go to Computer Management → Local Users and Groups → Users. Make sure RPLUSER exists. If not, create it with a non-expiring password. Reset its password to something you know.
3. Update the RPL service logon. Open Services.msc, find Remote Program Load (RPL), right-click → Properties → Log On tab. Set it to use the RPLUSER account you just fixed. Apply.
4. Fix permissions on the database folder. Navigate to %SystemRoot%\System32\RPL\. Right-click the folder → Properties → Security. Give RPLUSER Full Control. Check the RPL.DAT file itself too — same permissions.
5. Rebuild the database. Open a command prompt as admin. Run rplcfg /restore. If you have backups of RPL.DAT, restore from those instead. Otherwise, rplcfg will create a fresh empty database.
6. Restart the service. net start rplsvc. Then try your enumeration again.

If this doesn't work

Sometimes the database gets royally screwed — a full reinstall of the RPL service is faster than forensic repair. Run rplcfg /remove to wipe it clean, then rplcfg /install to reinstall. You'll lose all custom boot records, but it beats chasing ghost corruption.

Another trick: the RPL.DAT file can grow beyond 64KB in older systems and just stop working. Check its size. If it's over 60KB, rename it to RPL.DAT.OLD and let rplcfg /restore create a fresh one. Re-import your records from backup.

Prevention

Never let the RPLUSER password expire. Set it to never expire in user properties. Also schedule a weekly backup of %SystemRoot%\System32\RPL\ — just copy the whole folder to a network share. That database is brittle, and you'll thank me when this error hits at 3 AM before a remote boot test.

Pro tip: If you're on a domain, RPLUSER must be a local account, not a domain account. The service runs before network logon is available. Domain accounts will fail silently.