When you are trying to automate Microsoft office softwares such as word or excel using macros or visual basic scripts, Runtime Error 429 occurs! A better example is using a Visual basic script to access the database information from Microsoft Access file and that inputting that information into Microsoft excel file and then using it to compute statistics or create a chart from it or whatever. So what is the other better way to automate those kinds of operations? Well, you can use an automation server that run on windows COM architecture! So what exactly an automation server does is to allow your office applications to access COM architecture as an independent function within the file or as an executable files that automate tasks.

Ok, let’s talk about how the Runtime Error 429 appears on the screen; it goes something like this,

“Run-time error 429 – ActiveX component can’t create object”

So, to summarize the Runtime Error 429 occurs because if you are trying to use Microsoft Visual Basic script to create a new object function or new operator that executes certain tasks associated with a Microsoft office applications.

How to Fix Runtime Error 429 using an Automation server troubleshooting?

The first step is to make sure you don’t have faulty application setups and configurations. This will make sure that you don’t have a server problem.  How to make sure that you don’t have a faulty setup? The solution is to find it out. Go to Start Menu > Run > Winword or Excel and then press enter key. You can also open it from the usual way from the Start menu > program files. If the program opens, it has no problem with the automation; on the other hand, it has a problem with automation, when it doesn’t open!

How to resolve that? Well to re-register the application that doesn’t open. Say that your Excel application is not opening up then you need to re-register it. To do that, go to Start menu > run > Type “C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Excel.exe/regserver” without quotes and then hit the enter key! If that doesn’t work, make sure to change the file path of Excel.exe to where you have installed it. Sometimes people may install the office in D:\ drive or other…

How to Fix Runtime Error 429 by verifying registry entries?

To do that,

1. Start menu > Run > type regedit. This will open the Windows Registry Editor!
2. Navigate to Registry key -> HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID.
3. Look for the LocalServer32 key; make sure it is using the correct file short path according to DOS 8.3.
4. Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID Key, note down the class identifiers code, or CLSID for the Microsoft applications. Since those are associated with ActiveX and OLE 2.0 objects, if they are not correct, Runtime Error 429 will occur. The CLSID for common Microsoft applications are as below,

The final step in the registry entry troubleshooting is to make sure that you have the correct key. If you had a wrong CLSID in the step 4, and you have changed it to the correct one, this step will teach you to verify that. To do that, go to LocalServer32 key and then paste the code that is between it, on the Start menu > Run, hit enter key. If the respective application belonging to the CLSID code opens up, then your setting are correct. If it doesn’t repeat from step 3 again!

How to Fix Runtime Error 429 by fixing the corrupted Normal.dot or Excel.xlb template file?

You now know that the Runtime Error 429 is caused by the failed automation. The application can also fail to open because of a corrupted Microsoft office template files such as Normal.dot for word, and Excel.xlb for Excel. How to check if the application has only failed to open because of these files? Well, we have another test to run. The first step is to search for these files on your computer and rename them to some other; just appending a character after their name like NormalX.dot is enough! Then go back to the automation test we talked about in the first question at the beginning of this article. Re-run the test again! If the application opens it creates a fresh copy of those files and then will continue to work again, if the application fails to open this time too then there is not problem with these template files; so in that case you need to rename those renamed files back to Normal.dot and Excel.xlb to start using them.

Summary!

The most common reasons for the occurrence of the Runtime Error 429 are the problems with the automation server of the Microsoft office applications. To correct that, you need to re-register all those applications. Then verify the entries found over LocalServer32 under the CLSID key in the windows registry. Also another way is to check for the corrupted Normal.dot and Excel.xlb files, run the rename test and see if its corrupted, if yes, let the application to recreate a fresh copy of them.

Note:

The best way to prevent runtime error 429 from occurring again is to invest in a good registry cleaner tool that will fix all the registry issues automatically, so you never need to touch that registry editor again! This will not just solve this runtime error alone but all other errors that can happen because of a corrupted registry entry! A registry cleaner will automatically compact and re-organize your registry when fixing it, which also enhances the performance of your computer! Download a free scan of a registry tool, which we use in our own lab, above this article!

1. Unregistered DLL Files:
   There is no chance that a fresh and active DLL files to be not registered in the windows registry. In the cases such as when a DLL file is corrupted it fails to get registered. This happens when there is an interruption during a program installation. The interruption could be like a system crash, or system power off due to ups power failure or laptop batteries fail. To resolve the Runtime error 217, you need to reinstall that application again. But make sure that the installer is not corrupted also, because in that case you need to get a new installer.
2. Outdated Msvcrt.dll file:
   Outdated old Microsoft MsVcrt.dll file causes Runtime error 217. You need to get it updated, to resolve this error. You can go to Microsoft.com and search for “Msvcrt.dll” and download it. Also turn on the System Auto update so that your OS can be updated with the latest hotfixes released by Microsoft periodically.
3. Improper regional settings:
   If your system’s date and regional settings did not match with an application’s settings Runtime error 217 error occurs. To resolve this update your date and regional settings from the control panel.
4. Outdated MS DCOM file:
   Again the outdated files like Msvcrt.dll, outdated MS DCOM files can also causes Runtime Error 217. To resolve this, go to Microsoft.com and search for “MS DCOM” and download and install it. You are now updated.
5. Missing Stdole32.Tlb file:
   First download the file from the Microsoft.com, search for it. Then save it in c:\windows\system32 folder. This resolves the Runtime error 217.
6. Malware – Viruses, spyware, adware, Trojans, worms, etc…:
   Runtime error 217 can also be caused by malwares. They mess up with the windows registry and cause all the headaches. Update and schedule to run antivirus and antispyware atleast 2 times a week. Also invest in a registry cleaner and schedule it to run atleast once a day. This resolves the problem!