Vista - MMC crashes when Event Viewer or Task Scheduler snap-in is run

Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium 64bit
Problem Description: I access either My Computer/Manage or run the msc file
directly. When I select any of the options under Event Viewer or Task
Scheduler the MMC application fails and exits with an error:

"MMC has detected an error with a snap-in and will unload it."

....which is then followed by another error message:

"FX:{b05566ae-fe9c-4363-be05-7a4cbb7cb510}
Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation.

Exception type:
System.Reflection.TargetInvocationException

Exception stack trace:
at System.RuntimeTypeHandle.CreateInstance(RuntimeType type, Boolean
publicOnly, Boolean noCheck, Boolean& canBeCached, RuntimeMethodHandle& ctor,
Boolean& bNeedSecurityCheck)
at System.RuntimeType.CreateInstanceSlow(Boolean publicOnly, Boolean
fillCache)
at System.RuntimeType.CreateInstanceImpl(Boolean publicOnly, Boolean
skipVisibilityChecks, Boolean fillCache)
at System.Activator.CreateInstance(Type type, Boolean nonPublic)
at Microsoft.ManagementConsole.FormView.InternalInitialize()
at
Microsoft.ManagementConsole.View.HandleInitializationRequest(IRequestStatus
requestStatus)
at Microsoft.ManagementConsole.View.ProcessRequest(Request request)
at Microsoft.ManagementConsole.ViewMessageClient.ProcessRequest(Request
request)
at
Microsoft.ManagementConsole.Internal.IMessageClient.ProcessRequest(Request
request)
at
Microsoft.ManagementConsole.Executive.RequestStatus.BeginRequest(IMessageClient messageClient, RequestInfo requestInfo)
at
Microsoft.ManagementConsole.Executive.SnapInRequestOperation.ProcessRequest()
at
Microsoft.ManagementConsole.Executive.Operation.OnThreadTransfer(SimpleOperationCallback callback)"

I have run sfc /scannow with admin rights and this finds nothing wrong with
the system which doesn't make sense. No third party snap-ins have been added
to the MMC. I have tried a clean boot (disabling third party services and
starting apps) - the problem still happens.

I have also tried some tips where I have tried repairing .NET
(blogs.msdn.net) but this does not help either.

This same problem has been reported on other web sites yet no help is found
on Microsoft's own sites... just similar problems in Windows Server 2003 for
example.