How to fix Error 1726 on Windows 11

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Windows 11 Troubleshooting Guide: Error 1726 – “The Remote Procedure Call Failed”

Why This Error Happens

Error 1726 occurs when the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) service is unable to establish or maintain communication between two systems or processes, often due to the RPC service being stopped, misconfigured, or blocked by a firewall. This can also stem from network connectivity issues, corrupted system files, or port conflicts on the ports RPC relies on (typically port 135 and dynamic high ports). In domain environments, DNS resolution failures or authentication problems between the client and server can also trigger this error.

Step-by-Step Resolution Guide

Step 1: Verify the RPC Service Is Running

  • Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
  • Locate “Remote Procedure Call (RPC)” in the list and confirm the Status is “Running” and Startup Type is set to “Automatic.”
  • If stopped, right-click the service and select “Start.” Note that this service cannot be manually stopped or disabled if running correctly, so if it’s off, investigate dependent services for conflicts.
  • Also check “RPC Endpoint Mapper” and ensure it is also running and set to Automatic.

Step 2: Check Windows Firewall and Network Configuration

  • Open Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security via the Start menu search.
  • Navigate to Inbound Rules and ensure “Remote Procedure Call (RPC)” and “COM+ Network Access” rules are enabled for your active network profile (Domain/Private/Public).
  • Confirm that port 135 (TCP) is not blocked by a third-party antivirus or firewall application.
  • Run ping <target-computer-name> in Command Prompt to confirm basic network connectivity before troubleshooting RPC specifically.

Step 3: Run System File Checker and DISM Scans

  • Open Command Prompt as Administrator (search “cmd,” right-click, “Run as administrator”).
  • Run sfc /scannow to repair corrupted system files that may be interfering with the RPC service.
  • Follow up with DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth to repair the underlying Windows system image.
  • Restart your PC after both scans complete to apply repairs.

Step 4: Verify DNS and Network Adapter Settings

  • Open ncpa.cpl via Win + R to view network adapters.
  • Right-click your active adapter, select “Properties,” then check “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” settings.
  • Ensure DNS server addresses are correctly configured (either automatic via DHCP or pointing to a valid internal DNS server in domain environments).
  • Run ipconfig /flushdns in an elevated Command Prompt to clear any stale DNS cache entries causing resolution failures.

Step 5: Restart Dependent Services and Reboot

  • In services.msc, locate “DCOM Server Process Launcher” and “Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Locator,” ensuring both are running.
  • Restart the “Server” and “Workstation” services if the error involves file sharing or network resource access.
  • Perform a full system restart to ensure all service dependencies reinitialize cleanly.

Alternative or Verification Steps

  • To verify the fix, attempt the original action that triggered Error 1726 (e.g., accessing a remote share, running a remote script, or connecting to a remote printer) and confirm it completes without the RPC failure message.
  • If the issue persists, use Event Viewer (eventvwr.msc) under Windows Logs > System to search for related Event IDs around the same timestamp, which may reveal a specific service or driver conflict requiring targeted repair.