For a long time I would throw up a DebugBreak() or ASSERT(false) in the startup code of my ActiveX control, load up IE, go to a localhost page hosting my control, wait for the dialog to show up, then debug my application. I could also launch it under the debugger by setting IE as the container.

I tried again for the first time in 2 months and now this no longer works. If I use the ASSERT(false) method, when I get the Visual C++ Debug dialog and click "retry", IE simply closes without any debugger activity. When I try launching from VS2008 and hoping the DebugBreak() will kick in after I load the page, VS2008 does break, but it says either the "RPC Server is Unavailable" or the "RPC Client Call failed." I am never allowed to have my application in the debugger and it doesn't show up in the modules list of VS. The stack trace in VS2008 only contains Microsoft DLLs and modules and not a hint of my code.

I assume it's something I've picked up through Windows Update that broke this. Has anyone else ever seen this issue and know how to make it go away? As it stands, I'm now completely unable to debug my ActiveX control.