Vista - backup failed. transfer syntax not supported by RPC server

My Vista Ultimate Windows disc image backups were going smoothly and then I got an error: the backup failed transfer syntax not supported by RPC server (0x800706C).

In the event log were two errors at the time of the backup being started:
Error during RPC serialization: (hr = 0x800706c2)
Backup started at '6/23/2008 6:11:16 AM' failed with following error code '2147944130' (The transfer syntax is not supported by the RPC server.). Please rerun backup once issue is resolved.

Any advice on how to resolve this issue? Others have encountered this issue in another forum but there was no resolution posted.

Thanks!
Bill

Did you try the backup again?

I tried several times. I tried after disabling the non-Microsoft services. I booted into safe mode and tried from there, but the backup and restore center wouldn't start in that mode. I finally ran a retrospect backup so I would have that at least.

Another question - has it ever worked?

Sure. I started to use it almost every night after SP1 put my machine into a state where it wouldn't boot and it took me over a month to get back to where I was (but that's another story).

O, so it was working and then it stopped working - try tracing back the date when the backup first started failing, and then trace down your updates in WU to see if there is a close correspondence....

The last WU was a Windows Defender definition update on June 19, 2008 8:35PM. The last successful backup was June 19, 2008 10:56PM. I don't think it was a Windows Update that killed it.

I just ran into another error when I clicked on the "Create a restore point or change settings" link in the Backup and Restore Center:
"There was an unexpected error in the property page: The transfer syntax is not supported by the RPC server. (0x800706C2) Please close the property page and try again."

The last update was the same date as the last successful backup - and then(presumably) there was a reboot - and poof.

I'd say it is much more than a coincidence....

However, you're right - it is not a definite answer, and unfortunately, I don't have a definite answer - try running an SFC /SCANNOW and seeing if files have gotten corrupted....and I am assuming that you have thoroughly scanned you system for malware?

No. There was a reboot after the update and then there was a successful backup.

Also system restore doesn't work now either with the same error. There are some threads about this that point to a registry entry, but I don't have time to check them out right now.

Yes, I've got virus and malware protection running, but you never know when something might slip through that they don't detect right away -- or that they remove and mess up something in the process. That's what happened in one of the system restore not working threads.

That's true- I'd be interested to know (for future reference) if you do figure out the problem....