Fix COMADMIN_E_OBJECTINVALID (0X80110402) in Windows

What triggers this error

I know seeing COMADMIN_E_OBJECTINVALID (0X80110402) stops you cold. It means the COM+ catalog found an object with missing or invalid properties. This happens most often when a COM+ application was installed, then something changed—a DLL got updated, a dependency got unregistered, or the application itself became corrupted. I've seen it after Windows updates on Server 2019, after uninstalling third-party software that shared a COM component, or even after a failed antivirus scan that quarantined a DLL.

The error text is blunt: "One or more of the object's properties are missing or invalid." It doesn't tell you which object or property. That's the frustrating part. But the fixes are straightforward. Start with the most common cause first, and move down the list if needed.

Cause #1: Corrupt or missing DLL registration

About 80% of the time, the problem is a DLL that powers the COM+ application got unregistered or its registration is hosed. When COM+ tries to load the object, it can't find the class ID or interface—so it throws 0X80110402.

Step 1: Identify the failing COM+ application

1. Open Component Services (run dcomcnfg as admin).
2. Expand Component Services > Computers > My Computer > COM+ Applications.
3. Look for any app with a red arrow or that fails to expand. Right-click it and select Properties.
4. Check the General tab for the application ID (GUID). You'll need this.

If you can't open the application at all, skip to Cause #2.

Step 2: Re-register all DLLs in the application's folder

COM+ apps usually store their DLLs in %windir%\system32\ or a custom folder. Find the DLLs listed in the application's Components tab. Then run this in an elevated command prompt for each DLL:

regsvr32 /u "C:\Path\To\YourDll.dll"
regsvr32 "C:\Path\To\YourDll.dll"

This unregisters and re-registers the DLL, fixing any broken registry entries. I've fixed this error on Windows Server 2022 by re-registering just two DLLs that a faulty backup tool had messed up.

Step 3: Restart COM+ System Application service

net stop COMSysApp
net start COMSysApp

Then try opening the COM+ application again. Error gone? You're done. If not, move to Cause #2.

Cause #2: Missing or invalid COM+ application properties

Sometimes the application itself has a corrupted property—like an identity that points to a deleted user account, or a security setting that references a removed group. COM+ can't validate the property, so it bails.

Step 1: Export and re-import the application

In Component Services, right-click the problematic COM+ application and choose Export. Save it as an Application proxy (MSI file). Then delete the application (right-click > Delete). Finally, right-click COM+ Applications > New > Application > Install pre-built application and browse to the MSI.

This rebuilds the COM+ catalog entry from scratch, fixing any corrupted properties. I've done this after a Windows 10 feature update mangled a COM+ app's identity setting.

Step 2: Check identity and security

If re-importing fails, examine the app's original settings. Open its properties (if you can), go to the Identity tab, and verify the user account exists and has the right permissions. On the Security tab, make sure no group or user is misspelled or deleted.

If you can't open properties, use PowerShell to dump the app's config:

$app = Get-WmiObject -Namespace "root\cimv2" -Class "Win32_COMApplication" | Where-Object {$_.Name -eq "YourAppName"}
$app

Look at the RunAsUser or Identity properties. If they show a blank or invalid SID, you've found the culprit. Change them via the Component Services UI after fixing the user account.

Cause #3: Corrupted COM+ catalog

Rare, but when the catalog itself is corrupt, every COM+ app will throw 0X80110402 or similar errors. This typically happens after a failed system restore or a registry cleaner went rogue.

Step 1: Rebuild the COM+ catalog

You'll need to delete and recreate the catalog files. Stop the COM+ services first:

net stop COMSysApp
net stop EventSystem

Then rename the catalog folder:

ren %windir%\system32\com\catalog catalog.old

Now restart the services:

net start EventSystem
net start COMSysApp

Windows will create a fresh catalog. You'll lose any custom COM+ applications—you'll need to reinstall them. Backup your apps before doing this. I only recommend this if the previous fixes didn't work and you're getting this error on multiple COM+ apps.

Step 2: System File Checker

Before giving up, run SFC to check system files:

sfc /scannow

If it finds corrupt files, reboot and test. This fixed 0X80110402 on a client's Windows 11 machine after a partial update.

Quick-reference summary table

That's it. Start with the DLL registration—it's the easiest and most common fix. If that doesn't work, move to exporting the app. And if you're still stuck after that, the catalog rebuild is your last resort. I've seen this error on everything from Windows Server 2012 R2 to Windows 10 22H2, and these three steps have never let me down.