Why do I get this Crystal Reports error when running on new server after upgrade to OEM 2020 CR Runtime 64-bit version?

Question

Trying to access Crystal Report through ASP.NET Web Forms application and get the following error when trying to run the report.

System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException: Retrieving the COM class factory for component with CLSID {C0C99FA5-E1D3-494E-BE0C-73C19424F91C} failed due to the following error: 8007007f The specified procedure could not be found. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x8007007F).

I confirmed:

• SAP Crystal Report Application Server OEM 2020 is installed, licensed, and running - I can connect to the port, service is running in the Configuration Manager tool
• CR Runtime 64-bit components are installed on web server and match the version
• IIS web app is working fine, and is 64-bit (Enable 32-bit applications is False in the web application's Application Pool) - all pages and content works except for Crystal Reports integration
• ODBC connections are created for SQL Server as 64-bit (the rest of the ASP.NET Web app uses this connection just fine - gets data, confirmed correct DBMS and schema is used, etc.)
• Installed the VS Redist for this version, per the SAP PDF instructions on their website for 2020 OEM edition

Answer 1

About 10 years ago one of my users ran into a similar issue. Setting the the Crystal-related application's exe (right-click, properties, Compatibility tab, ...) to XP compatibility mode solved the problem. Worth a try...

Answer 2

I found the root cause, or at least part of it..

I had Shibboleth SP (version 3, if that matters) installed on the same server, and it added some components and IIS modules which seemed to cause a conflict with Crystal Reports OEM components.

I uninstalled Shibboleth SP and I no longer get the error.

I reinstalled Shibboleth SP and I once again get the Crystal COM error.

Crystal doesn't like Shibboleth, and this apparently is a known issue: https://shibboleth.net/pipermail/users/2021-January/048923.html

SysInternals Process Monitor is also helpful for confirming the problem, if this happens to you (and if you aren't using Shibboleth, i.e.: some other component is making Crystal choke.)

Answer 3

If you had googled that error you would probably have found out it's because Office is not installed on your server. For a very good reason. Microsoft does not support Office applications used in this manner. You will have to find some way else to do whatever it is that you are trying to do.