unable to start rabbitmq and exits with reason {'EXIT',nodistribution} in context start_error - rabbitmq

Question

We are facing issues while running RabbitMQ service, the service when ran through cmd, we are getting below stacktrace:
C:\Program Files\RabbitMQ Server\rabbitmq_server-3.8.4\sbin>rabbitmq-server.bat
15:53:13.906 [error]
15:53:13.906 [error] Supervisor net_sup had child net_kernel started with net_kernel:start_link([rabbit_prelaunch_5364#localhost,shortnames], false, net_sup_dynamic) at undefined exit with reason {'EXIT',nodistribution} in context start_error
BOOT FAILED
===========
15:53:13.906 [error] CRASH REPORT Process <0.200.0> with 0 neighbours exited with reason: {error,badarg} in gen_server:init_it/6 line 401
Exception during startup:
15:53:13.922 [error] BOOT FAILED
15:53:13.922 [error] ===========
supervisor:children_map/4 line 1171
15:53:13.922 [error] Exception during startup:
supervisor:'-start_children/2-fun-0-'/3 line 355
supervisor:do_start_child/2 line 371
15:53:13.922 [error]
supervisor:do_start_child_i/3 line 385
15:53:13.922 [error] supervisor:children_map/4 line 1171
rabbit_prelaunch:run_prelaunch_first_phase/0 line 27
15:53:13.922 [error] supervisor:'-start_children/2-fun-0-'/3 line 355
rabbit_prelaunch:do_run/0 line 108
15:53:13.922 [error] supervisor:do_start_child/2 line 371
rabbit_prelaunch_dist:setup/1 line 15
15:53:13.922 [error] supervisor:do_start_child_i/3 line 385
rabbit_prelaunch_dist:duplicate_node_check/1 line 51
15:53:13.922 [error] rabbit_prelaunch:run_prelaunch_first_phase/0 line 27
error:{badmatch,
15:53:13.923 [error] rabbit_prelaunch:do_run/0 line 108
{error,
15:53:13.923 [error] rabbit_prelaunch_dist:setup/1 line 15
{{shutdown,
15:53:13.923 [error] rabbit_prelaunch_dist:duplicate_node_check/1 line 51
{failed_to_start_child,net_kernel,{'EXIT',nodistribution}}},
15:53:13.923 [error] error:{badmatch,
{child,undefined,net_sup_dynamic,
15:53:13.923 [error] {error,
{erl_distribution,start_link,
15:53:13.923 [error] {{shutdown,
[[rabbit_prelaunch_5364#localhost,shortnames],
15:53:13.923 [error] {failed_to_start_child,net_kernel,{'EXIT',nodistribution}}},
false,net_sup_dynamic]},
15:53:13.923 [error] {child,undefined,net_sup_dynamic,
permanent,1000,supervisor,
15:53:13.923 [error] {erl_distribution,start_link,
[erl_distribution]}}}}
15:53:13.923 [error] [[rabbit_prelaunch_5364#localhost,shortnames],
15:53:13.923 [error] false,net_sup_dynamic]},
15:53:13.924 [error] permanent,1000,supervisor,
15:53:13.924 [error] [erl_distribution]}}}}
15:53:13.924 [error]
15:53:14.924 [error] Supervisor rabbit_prelaunch_sup had child prelaunch started with rabbit_prelaunch:run_prelaunch_first_phase() at undefined exit with reason {badmatch,{error,{{shutdown,{failed_to_start_child,net_kernel,{'EXIT',nodistribution}}},{child,undefined,net_sup_dynamic,{erl_distribution,start_link,[[rabbit_prelaunch_5364#localhost,shortnames],false,net_sup_dynamic]},permanent,1000,supervisor,[erl_distribution]}}}} in context start_error
15:53:14.924 [error] CRASH REPORT Process <0.152.0> with 0 neighbours exited with reason: {{shutdown,{failed_to_start_child,prelaunch,{badmatch,{error,{{shutdown,{failed_to_start_child,net_kernel,{'EXIT',nodistribution}}},{child,undefined,net_sup_dynamic,{erl_distribution,start_link,[[rabbit_prelaunch_5364#localhost,shortnames],false,net_sup_dynamic]},permanent,1000,supervisor,[erl_distribution]}}}}}},{rabbit_prelaunch_app,start,[normal,[]]}} in application_master:init/4 line 138
{"Kernel pid terminated",application_controller,"{application_start_failure,rabbitmq_prelaunch,{{shutdown,{failed_to_start_child,prelaunch,{badmatch,{error,{{shutdown,{failed_to_start_child,net_kernel,{'EXIT',nodistribution}}},{child,undefined,net_sup_dynamic,{erl_distribution,start_link,[[rabbit_prelaunch_5364#localhost,shortnames],false,net_sup_dynamic]},permanent,1000,supervisor,[erl_distribution]}}}}}},{rabbit_prelaunch_app,start,[normal,[]]}}}"}
Kernel pid terminated (application_controller) ({application_start_failure,rabbitmq_prelaunch,{{shutdown,{failed_to_start_child,prelaunch,{badmatch,{error,{{shutdown,{failed_to_start_child,net_kernel,
Crash dump is being written to: erl_crash.dump...done
We are running the service on Windows 10 pro.
We tried checking the ports if being used by another process, but that's not an issue.
Checked if epmd.exe process is also running.
Both erl.exe and epmd.exe are allowed in windows firewall settings.
While installing RabbitMQ we can see an error like unexpected arguments neighbors string on the step of service installation, but the service installation status was successful.

Answer 1

I encountered a similar issue that was related to Proxifier. The problem was resolved by simply closing the Proxifier application.
It is recommended to close all proxy apps before trying again.