ccweb: Error: The 'CreateDesktop' operation failed

This technote explains why the error, 'CreateDesktop' operation failed can occur for add to source control, checkin or checkout of a file when using IBM® Rational® ClearCase® Web (CCWeb) or ClearCase Remote Client (CCRC) on Microsoft® Windows®. Symptom Attempts to add to source control, checkin or checkout a file from the CCWeb or CCRC interface results in the following error: ccweb: Error: The 'CreateDesktop' operation failed. ccweb: Error: Can't exec "create_element 1f126801873c60d.f52b4006.b4cd.cf:83:07:e4:8f:70fa9cc7ee.414d4c29.9ac9.d0:c9:eb:16:ed:77 cb4fb1ea.8af8456e.aef0.e5:9d:22:e0:f2:cf C:\ClearCase_Storage\VOBs\VOB.vbs\s\sdft\2f\2c\tmp_10448.1": Not enough storage is available to process this command. ccweb: Error: Unable to invoke operation "create_element" for manager "_ms_word": Exec format error ccweb: Error: (Operation pathname was: "C:\Program Files\Rational\ClearCase\lib\mgrs\..\..\bin\zmgr.exe") ccweb: Error: Unable to store new version.

Cause

The error occurs because the value for the non-interactive desktop heap limit on the Rational Web Platform (RWP) server needs adjustment. The heap limit is an operating system level setting that can impact ClearCase functionality when set too high or too low. Note: If the heap size is set correctly on the RWP server, but the error message still comes up, check the server's other resources. If the server is low on drive space, this can also cause the error.

Resolving the problem

To address the error using, you need to reset the value for the non-interactive desktop heap limit on the RWP server which hosts the CCWeb and CCRC clients. By default, the non-interactive desktop heap limit is set to 512Kb. However, there are cases where this value must be decreased or increased, for example see technote 1142584. Attempt to reset the heap limit to 1024Kb, restart the host and see in the problem is resolved. If the problem is not resolved, reset the heap limit to 384Kb, restart the host and see in the problem is resolved. Note: There is a 48 MB hard-coded system buffer that is used by both the interactive and non-interactive desktops; however, this limit is no longer hard coded as of Windows XP and 2003. In Windows 2003, it is possible to increase the size of the 48MB pool to support more simultaneous desktops. The instructions for doing this are contained in Microsoft KB article 840342. The registry value is: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\SessionViewSize If this value is 0: it will allocate 20MB for the total desktop heap size, it is normally set to 48. If you increase this value and reboot, you will have more heap available for creation of new desktops. Thus you will be able to create more larger desktops, allowing the ALBD to have the settings it needs, while allowing you to use the server for multiple purposes, for example as an RWP server in a CCLT environment. Directions to change the non-interactive desktop heap limit: Note: This solution contains information about modifying the system registry. Before making any modifications to the Microsoft® Registry Editor, it is strongly recommended that you make a backup of the existing registry. For more information describing how to back up the registry, refer to the Microsoft Knowledge Base article 256986. Open the Windows registry, go to Start > Run, type: Regedit or Regedt32 Navigate within the Registry editor to the key: HKeyLocalMachine\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\SubSystems In the right-hand pane, double-click the value Windows Look for the area 'SharedSection=xxxx,yyyy,zzzz, aaaa'; where xxxx defines the maximum size of the system-wide heap (in kilobytes), yyyy defines the size of the per desktop heap, zzzz defines non-interactive desktop heap size and aaaa defines terminal services. Set the third value of the SharedSection to 1024 (as pictured below) or 384 as needed and restart the host. Note: For 64 bit machines, the default values are 1024,2048,786; only increase the third value to 2048 or 1024 as needed.