Group Policy Error 0x8007000d The data is invalid.

Problem: In the application event log of a Windows Server 2008 machine, you find entries with Event ID 8194 and error code "0x8007000d The data is invalid".

Example:

Log Name: Application
Source: Group Policy Files
Event ID: 8194
Task Category: (2)
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: SYSTEM
Computer: s001.example.com
Description:
The client-side extension could not remove computer policy settings for 'Another Policy {50ddf383-9dfb-43a6-a152-a2f5e36c7496}' because it failed with error code '0x8007000d The data is invalid.' See trace file for more details.

Resolution:

1. Log on to the machine
2. Open Windows Explorer
3. Navigate to %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\Group Policy\History
4. Delete all subdirectories
5. Open a command prompt
6. In the command prompt, enter gpupdate
7. Verify that subdirectories appear under %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\Group Policy\History

Note: %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\Group Policy\History contains a copy of the preferences contained in GPOs. If the copy process failed somehow, an invalid XML file may be left in one of the subdirectories, thus creating the 0x8007000d Error. By following the mechanism described above, a clean copy of the GPOs is created and the GPO is working again.