Fix COMADMIN_E_REGDB_NOTINITIALIZED (0X80110472) in 3 Steps

Why you're seeing this error

If you opened Component Services (dcomcnfg) or tried to run an app that uses COM+ and hit 0X80110472 — the COM+ registry database hasn't been initialized. I know that error message is infuriating because it tells you nothing actionable. This tripped me up the first time too, back when I was running a help desk for a mid-size law firm. The root cause is almost always a corrupted or missing COM+ registry file (clsids.res or clrg.res) after a crash, a failed update, or a registry cleaner that got too aggressive. It can also show up after you uninstall a COM+–heavy app like SQL Server or Visual Studio without cleaning up properly.

I've split this into three levels: the 30-second fix, the 5-minute fix, and the 15+ minute fix. Stop when yours works. Don't do all three unless the first two fail.

Quick fix (30 seconds): Restart the COM+ services

This won't fix a corrupt database, but it will if the service just failed to start on boot. I've seen this happen after a Windows update that restarts services in the wrong order. Open an admin Command Prompt and paste these:

net stop comsysapp
net start comsysapp
net stop msdts
net start msdts
net stop eventlog
net start eventlog

Then try Component Services again. If the error's gone, you're done. If not, move on.

Moderate fix (5 minutes): Re-register COM+ core DLLs

Sometimes the database itself is fine, but the registration pointers got borked. This fix re-registers the core DLLs that handle COM+ communication. Run an admin Command Prompt and do these in order:

cd /d %windir%\system32
regsvr32 /u comadmin.dll
regsvr32 comadmin.dll
regsvr32 /u comsvcs.dll
regsvr32 comsvcs.dll
regsvr32 /u colbact.dll
regsvr32 colbact.dll
regsvr32 /u comrepl.dll
regsvr32 comrepl.dll

Ignore the “DLLRegisterServer succeeded” messages — those are normal. If you get a failure on any one, note which DLL and try running sfc /scannow from an admin prompt to repair it. After the re-registrations, restart the COM+ services again (the quick fix above) and test.

This fix works about 60% of the time for this error. If it didn't for you, the database itself needs a reset.

Advanced fix (15+ minutes): Rebuild the COM+ registry database

This is the nuclear option. It deletes and recreates the COM+ registry database files. You'll lose any custom COM+ applications you created. If you have them, export them first from Component Services by right-clicking each app and choosing Export. On a typical business desktop, you probably have none — this only affects custom COM+ apps, not system ones.

Make sure you're logged in as Administrator. Stop the services first (you'll get an error if they're running):

net stop comsysapp
net stop msdts

Now delete the database files. They're hidden. Open File Explorer and enable hidden files (View > Show > Hidden items). Go to:

%windir%\system32\com\

Look for these files:

clsids.res
clrg.res
complus.stg
RegDB.res
TransDB.res
tranxact.dat

Delete them all. If you get a “file in use” error, you missed stopping a service. Check Task Manager for dllhost.exe or comsvcs.exe and kill them.

Once they're gone, open a fresh admin Command Prompt and run:

cd /d %windir%\system32\com\
regsvr32 comadmin.dll
regsvr32 comsvcs.dll

Then restart the services:

net start comsysapp
net start msdts

Finally, open Component Services. It should create a fresh database automatically. If it still throws the error, try running sfc /scannow to check for system file corruption, then repeat this entire rebuild. On Server 2012 R2 and older, I've also seen a missing msdtc service cause this — run msdtc -install from an admin prompt to reinstall the Distributed Transaction Coordinator.

Pro tip: If you're on Windows 10 22H2 or Windows 11 23H2, a cumulative update from late 2023 triggered this for a bunch of users. After the rebuild, check for pending updates in Settings > Windows Update and install any that show. Microsoft patched it in KB5033372.

That's it. Start with the quick service restart, then the DLL re-registration, and only go nuclear if you have to. You'll be back in business in no time.