Exception from HRESULT: 0x80040D1B error was displayed when trying to access the search settings from SSP

If you get this error -->

Exception from HRESULT: 0x80040D1B

when you try to access the search settings from SSP, check whether you have any duplicate entries in

 \\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office Server\12.0\Search\Applications\{site GUID}\Gather\Portal_Content\Extensions\ExtensionList.

If you do, remove it, stop and start the MOSS Search service again.

I accidentally created duplicate entries in the list above when deployed PDF iFilter and got the error above.

Below is what you will see in your event viewer,

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The gatherer object cannot be initialized.

Context: Application '<>_SSP_Admin', Catalog 'Portal_Content'

Details:
    A duplicate extension entry exists in the registry. The duplicate extension should be deleted, but all other extensions are unaffected.   (0x80040d0b)

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