MMC (Microsoft Management Console) has detected an error in a snap-in and will unload it

Question

Error showing up in Windows 7 or Windows Server based computers.

This error shows up when launching multiple windows system applications such as:

1. Windows Event Viewer
2. Windows Task Scheduler
3. Windows Activation Management Tool

The error shows up like below:

1. 

2. 

3. 

Error from stack trace:

at Microsoft.ManagementConsole.Internal.SnapInMessagePumpProxy.OnThreadException(Object sender, ThreadExceptionEventArgs e) at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.OnThreadException(Exception t) at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProcException(Exception e)
at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam) at System.Windows.Forms.UnsafeNativeMethods.CallWindowProc(IntPtr wndProc, IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wParam, IntPtr lParam) at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.DefWndProc(Message& m) at Microsoft.Windows.ManagementUI.CombinedControls.ListViewEx.DefWndProc(Message& m) at System.Windows.Forms.ListView.WndProc(Message& m) at Microsoft.Windows.ManagementUI.CombinedControls.ListViewEx.WndProc(Message& m) at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

Answer 1

First, Download the Hotfix

Okay, as I commented earlier, Microsoft claimed to have fixed this issue with KB2688730 at:

http://support.microsoft.com/hotfix/KBHotfix.aspx?kbnum=2688730&kbln=en-us

After visiting this site and providing it my e-mail address, I got a link in an e-mail message from Microsoft.com to help me download the actual hotfix:

http://hotfixv4.microsoft.com/.Net%20Framework%202.0%20–%20Win7%20SP1,%20Windows%20Server%202008%20R2%20SP1%20(CBS)/sp1/DevDiv965999/50727.5723/free/446502_intl_x64_zip.exe

Finally, Apply .NET Framework 3.5.1

Now installing that alone won't completely fix the problem ...unless, as I found out today, you also have Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5.1 installed and "turned on". In order to do so, go to the Windows Control Panel, and visit the Programs and Features applet. When it appears, click the hyperlink on the left sidebar titled, "Turn Windows features on or off".

Then a smaller dialog box will appear with a list of Windows components. Right now, the only thing that's important is that you place a checkmark on the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5.1 item (and its subitems). Then click OK. That's it!

After this, I was immediately able to right-click on the Windows Event Viewer log and get my expected context menu instead of the previous errors I was getting!