HRESULT 8000FFFF is a generic error code used by Win32 applications when an error condition exists but the cause is unknown. Our error handling code around the AeXCompress.dll handles all known types of exceptions including Microsoft COM+ and Altiris errors.
The error code is translated into catastrophic failure; in this case it means there is a problem with the PostEvent.asp request between the Active Server object in IIS and the EventRouter in COM+. Essentially IIS tells COM+ that there is an incoming request to be processed, but when it comes time for the EventRouter to read this request, it no longer exists and the 8000FFFF error is raised. The determination is that Microsoft's COM+ is unable to handle data spikes while under existing load.
One resolution for this has been to assure that all machines in a customers environment are patched with MS05-051, which addresses internal COM+ memory allocation.
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