Windows File Protection could not initiate a scan of protected system files. 0x000006ba

While trying to repair a computer that was having some issues with the explorer shell not loading (explorer.exe) I attempted to run sfc /scannow to scan the Protected Windows Files to see if that’d get the shell to load. However, when attempting to run it, I ran into the following error:

Windows File Protection could not initiate a scan of protected system files.
Error code 0x000006ba [RPC server unavailable]

This was a bit annoying, because I have to use the task manager to do anything with this system. Since explorer.exe is not starting, the run command from the task manager is the only way to get anything to run. So, I’d run the sfc command, and it’d just flash for a second and disappear. After using the command prompt to run it (which was also broken, I had to copy autoexec.nt, command.com, and config.nt from the Windows CD to make it work) it gave me the above error.

I tried the fixes that Microsoft suggests where you export the Verisign certificate from a good computer and import it on the hosed one, which did not work. Later I tried running services.msc and I noticed that the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) and Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Locator services were both stopped and set to manual. I changed their status to automatic, rebooted the machine into regular mode, and am currently running the System File Checker.

With any luck I’ll be able to get the explorer.exe shell to function again after this. The repair install of Windows didn’t work and doing a format and reinstall is like losing…