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Q197159: Dr. Watson Error in IE 4.0 After Installation on Terminal Server

Article: Q197159
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): 4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 08-MAY-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0, Terminal Server Edition 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
========

Microsoft Internet Explorer, Version 5.5 or 6.0
-----------------------------------------------

When you install Windows NT4 Terminal Server, if you do not install Microsoft
Internet Explorer 4 during the Terminal Server setup, and instead install either
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 or 6.0 after Terminal Server setup is complete,
the installation will succeed, but Internet Explorer will not run. When you
start Internet Explorer after the installation is complete, you may receive the
splash screen and then nothing. If you check the Advanced Properties in Internet
Explorer, they may be blank.

Microsoft Internet Explorer, Version 4
--------------------------------------

After you install Terminal Server and select Internet Explorer 4.0 to be
installed at the initial setup, Internet Explorer 4.0 may generate a Dr. Watson
error or an access violation when trying load a Web page. Also, in the
Properties page for Internet Explorer, the Advanced Properties are blank.

Or, you do not install Internet Explorer with Terminal Server. When you attempt
to install Internet Explorer, the following error message may appear:

  The installation of a previous program was never completed. We recommend
  restarting your computer before running Internet Explorer 4.01 SP1 Setup. Do
  you want to continue with Setup?

You may also experience a problem installing Microsoft Office 2000. The
installation may not succeed because of an access violation.

CAUSE
=====

On a computer with 1.3 GB of RAM or more and about 3 GB of free disk space on
the system partition, GUI-mode Setup configures a default paging file for 1.3 GB
of RAM of 2.9 GB (2.25 times physical RAM) minimum .

When the paging file is about to be created, Session Manager adds the RAM size to
the paging file size to get the maximum size of the paging file, which adds up
to 4.2 GB. However, the memory subsystem in Windows NT only supports paging
files up to 4 GB. This behavior is by design and cannot be changed.

Therefore, Session Manager does not create the paging file. Because this is the
only paging file on the system, you run without a paging file and experience the
symptoms listed in the "Symptoms" section.

If this condition holds, then the temporary pagefile will be located under the
%SystemRoot%\system32 directory, and will be called "Tempf.sys" with a size of
25 megabytes.

RESOLUTION
==========

A supported fix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to
correct the problem described in this article and should be applied only to
systems experiencing this specific problem. This fix may receive additional
testing at a later time, to further ensure product quality. Therefore, if you
are not severely affected by this problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait
for the next Window NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition, service pack that
contains this fix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services
to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services
phone numbers and information about support costs, please go to the following
address on the World Wide Web:

  http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS

NOTE: In special cases, charges that are normally incurred for support calls may
be canceled, if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific
update will resolve your problem. Normal support costs will apply to additional
support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in
question.

The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or
later:

  Date        Time    Size    File name  Platform
  -----------------------------------------------
  05/16/2000  06:32p  80,656  Smss.exe   Alpha
  05/15/2000  05:44p  45,328  Smss.exe   Intel




WORKAROUND
==========

To work around this problem, do one of the following:

- Install Terminal Server without installing Internet Explorer 4.0. When
  Terminal Server is installed and you are able to log on to it, make sure that
  the paging file actually exists by running a WINMSD command, and then look
  for the Pagefile.sys file. If one does not exist, create a pagefile on
  another partition, and then restart the computer. Again verify that there is
  a pagefile. If there is, then Internet Explorer 4, 5.5 or 6 will install and
  run.

- If Terminal Server is already installed with Internet Explorer 4.0 and the
  problem is already appearing, uninstall Internet Explorer 4.0. You may have
  to run the IEREMOVE utility to completely uninstall Internet Explorer 4.0.
  Verify that the paging file exists, resize it, and/or make another paging
  file on another partition. Restart the Terminal Server computer and then
  verify with WINMSD and a physical check that the paging file is the correct
  size and is being used. Then, install Internet Explorer 4.0 from the Terminal
  Server compact disc.

- Another option is to use a 2-GB FAT partition on the boot drive. This will
  retain the original paging file that is created during setup. Part of the
  process in converting from FAT to NTFS on the boot drive requires that the
  Pagefile.sys file be deleted and then re-created when the conversion process
  completes. Running the conversion process manually after installation was not
  able to reproduce this behavior.


STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products that are
listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION
================

To use the hotfix file for new Terminal Servers, rename the Smss.exe file to
Smss.ex_, and then copy it to a network distribution share. Install Service Pack
6 for Terminal Server and apply the hotfix again when you are finished with
Setup.

You can also install Service Pack 6 and the fix after GUI-mode Setup is finished.
You see the paging file after the next reboot, and you can then start installing
programs.

Additional query words: IE4 tse AV

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbNTTermServ400 kbNTTermServSearch
Version           : :4.0
Issue type        : kbprb
Solution Type     : kbpending

=============================================================================

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