Contributed By: Cliff Hobbs [MVP SMS]
This problem indicates that the Client is unable to "talk" to the Server Locator Point (SLP), in order to determine which SMS Site it should be assigned to. A typical cause of this error is when the OS of the Server hosting the SLP is upgraded to Windows 2003 SP1 and the DCOM permissions aren't modified.

In Windows 2003 SP1 the DCOM permissions are locked down a lot tighter. The main problem with this though is that it breaks any Reporting Points or Server Locator Points running on the upgraded server.  As a result, when a user clicks the "Discover" button on the "Advanced" tab of the "Systems Management" Control Panel applet they receive the error:

"Automatic Client Discovery Was Unsuccessful"

If you look in the System log on the Client you'll see the following entry:

Source: DCOM
Event ID: 10016
Description: The machine-default permission settings do not grant Activation permission for the COM Server application with CLSID {D452CB77-FB08-4CB3-B7EE-2F5369982BBE} to the user ServerName\IUSR_servername SID (S-1-5-21-xxxxxxx). This security permission can be modified using the Component Services administrative tool.

You've also got the same problem if when using the Client Site Assignment Tool you get the message:

"No Site Assignment Found"

To resolve this issue on a server hosting an SLP that has been upgraded to Windows 2003 SP1:

1. From the "Start" menu click "Run" and type "Dcomcnfg.exe".
    
2. Navigate to "Console root | Component Services | Computers | My Computer | DCOM Config".
    
3. Right-click "SMS_SERVER_LOCATOR_POINT" and select "Properties".
    
4. Click the "Security" tab.
    
5. Select "Customize" under "Launch and Activation Permissions".
    
6. Click "Edit…"
    
7. Select the "Internet Guest Account" group.
    
8. Deselect "Allow" for "Remote Launch" and "Remote Activation" (only "Local Launch" and "Local Activation" should be allowed).
    
9. Click "OK".
    
10. Click "OK".

This issue is documented in Microsoft KB article 913666 "An SMS 2003 server locator point stops working on a computer that is running Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1".
 

To see other SMS 2003 Troubleshooting FAQs click here.