PowerPivot error "Unable to load the VertiPaq engine because there was a COM exception while loading."

Question

I work a support desk; only ~5 users of 700+ have PowerPivot.  The developer team had us do an upgrade last week to the new version of Power Pivot.  One of the first users gets this error (seen as an Info item in the event logs):

Event Type: Information
Event Source: Microsoft Office 14 Alerts
Event Category: None
Event ID: 300
Date:  3/30/2012
Time:  11:09:50
User:  N/A
Computer: XXXXXXXXXXXX
Description:
Microsoft Excel
Embedded Analysis Services Engine: Could not open embedded PowerPivot data.
P1: 101487
P2: 14.0.6029.1000
P3:
P4: 0x80004005

 Client OS:  Windows XP Pro SP3
 Office 2007
  Excel 2010
 MS SQL Server 2012 PowerPivot for Excel (32-bit), with prerequisites .NET4 and VS 2010 Tools for Office x86

It works on the developers computer.  I know virtually nothing about PowerPivot; just need some ideas on where to look so I can get this solved.

Thanks in advance!

---

Mike

south-central Nebraska

Answer 1

Hi Mike,

What's the version of your PowerPivot? What's the version of your SQL Server? If you are using SQL Server 2012, Have you installed the correct add-in for it? Actually using the newest features requires that you first uninstall the previous version, and then install the current version. The PowerPivot add-in to Excel cannot be upgraded using a Setup program. Furthermore, you cannot use an older and newer version of the add-in on the same computer.

1. In Control Panel, in Programs, click Uninstall a program. Select Microsoft SQL Server PowerPivot for Excel, and then click Uninstall.

2. Go to the download site that provides the installation software for the SQL Server 2012 version of the add-in and run the setup program that installs the add-in.

Besides, you have to upgrade a workbook to allows the use of new features, There are two ways to upgrade a PowerPivot workbook, please refer to this links http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg488724(v=sql.110).aspx 

Thanks,

---

Challen Fu

TechNet Community Support

Answer 2

Hi Challen,

   The PowerPivot version is 11.0.2100.60.  I'm unsure about SQL Server, it's either 2005 or 2008. 

   Uninstalls of the previous versions was done.  I also made sure the pre-requisites were installed - .NET Framework 4, and Visual Studio 2010 Tools for Office Runtime x86.  Thanks for the link to the MSDN page; I'll pass it on to the developers.

---

Mike

south-central Nebraska

Answer 3

After much troubleshooting this morning, we found that it's a permissions issue of some sort.  When we add the user to the local Administrators security group, the problem goes away.  Not an ideal option, but it'll work until we find a way to move them back to the preferred Users group.

Any ideas on what to check?

---

Mike

south-central Nebraska

Answer 4

I have the same problem but ONLY on (all) Windows XP SP3 machines , the same installation works on 7.

The previous version of PowerPivot work correctly on the same machines.

As reported by RV2011 user, with administrative privileges the problem do not occurs.

I tryed to investigate using sysinternals Process Monitor, but i did not found "access denied" errors or something like that.
I also tryed to disable the antivirus software.

This is a big trouble, I have to grant administrative privileges to all users working with powerpivot on XP!

Thanks

Fabrizio

Answer 5

We have another problem - possibly related to the original subject - with this computer and user.

Any file he opens with PowerPivot, he gets an error dialog window; the first line reads:
"Unable to load the VertiPaq engine because there was a COM exception while loading."

Clickin on the Details button I see this:

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

Error Message:

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

The 'configuration' start tag on line 12 position 2 does not match the end tag of 'system.data'. Line 172, position 7.

----------------------------

The 'configuration' start tag on line 12 position 2 does not match the end tag of 'system.data'. Line 172, position 7. (c:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Config\machine.config line 172)

----------------------------

Configuration system failed to initialize

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

Call Stack:

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

   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.MarshaledInvoke(Control caller, Delegate method, Object[] args, Boolean synchronous)

   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.Invoke(Delegate method, Object[] args)

   at Microsoft.AnalysisServices.XLHost.Addin.InProcServer.LoadSafeSandboxAfterConnection(String errorCache)

----------------------------

   at System.Configuration.ConfigurationSchemaErrors.ThrowIfErrors(Boolean ignoreLocal)

   at System.Configuration.BaseConfigurationRecord.ThrowIfParseErrors(ConfigurationSchemaErrors schemaErrors)

   at System.Configuration.BaseConfigurationRecord.ThrowIfInitErrors()

   at System.Configuration.ClientConfigurationSystem.EnsureInit(String configKey)

----------------------------

   at Microsoft.AnalysisServices.XLHost.Addin.InProcServer.LoadSafeSandboxAfterConnection(String errorCache)

   at Microsoft.AnalysisServices.XLHost.Addin.InProcServer.LoadOLEDBConnection(Boolean raiseCompleteEvent, String errorCache)

I did a search and saw  - back in 2010/2011 that this was a known issue and was supposed to be fixed.  I verified the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MSOLAP\CLSID  and CurVer values are correct (MSOLAP.5).  I did a full uninstall of PP and Excel 2010 then a reinstall - same result. 

Any ideas?

---

Mike

south-central Nebraska

Answer 6

My supervisor wound up 'blowing out' all of .NET, then  Excel 2010, PowerPivot, reinstalling them ..... after a couple reboots it appears to be working.  We can't be 100% sure, but we think it's a .NET issue.

All this is installed on a WinXP Pr SP3 box with .NET 1.0 through .NET 4 installed on it.

---

Mike

south-central Nebraska

Answer 7

hi you can also ask your problem on the given forum.

http://connect.microsoft.com/continue.aspx?pageType=1&regType=2&cru=%2fSQLServer%2ffeedback%2fdetails%2f679238%2funable-to-load-the-vertipaq-engine-because-there-was-a-com-exception-while-loading-error-on-upgrade&cu=