Q219602: Random Dr. Watson Errors in Services.exe
Article: Q219602
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): winnt:4.0
Operating System(s):
Keyword(s): kbenv kbinterop
Last Modified: 11-JUN-2002
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The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0
- Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition version 4.0
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IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry
SYMPTOMS
========
After you add or modify one of the values in the
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services registry key on your
computer running Windows NT 4.0, you may receive random or intermittent Dr.
Watson error messages with the Services.exe file as the source.
CAUSE
=====
This problem occurs because the DependOnService value type for one or more
Windows NT services may be corrupt or incorrect. The registry may have become
corrupt, or a service's value may have been improperly configured.
RESOLUTION
==========
WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems
that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot
guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor
incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
To resolve this problem, verify that the value type for the DependOnService value
is set to REG_MULTI_SZ for all services that contain value entries. To do this,
perform one of the following:
- Use Registry Editor to examine each DependOnService value for the correct
value type. To do this:
1. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).
2. Locate the following key in the registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services
3. Click each service to display to attendant DependOnService value for that
key. If the value type is not listed as REG_MULTI_SZ, go to the How To
Correct This Issue section.
- Export the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services key to an
external file, and then use a standard text editor to check the individual
DependOnService values for the correct value type:
1. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).
2. Locate the following key in the registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services
3. On the Registry menu, click Save Subtree As, type a unique name for the
file, and then click Save.
4. Quit Registry Editor.
5. Use a standard text editor, such as Notepad, to review the file and
confirm that the DependOnService value is associated with the correct
value type. For each entry that is not listed as REG_MULTI_SZ, go to the
How To Correct This Issue section.
- Use the Windows NT Diagnostics tool to identify incorrect value types for the
DependOnService value.
1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools (Common),
and then click Windows NT Diagnostics.
2. Click the Services tab, highlight each individual service, click
Properties, and then click Dependencies.
3. If you are experiencing this exact issue, the Service Dependency window
may contain values that look like this:
MSExchangeIS
end||
ee|e|e
e|||
NOTE:The Above characters "e" and "|" were substituted for the illegible symbols
that may be displayed.
4. Make a note of the service that contains these invalid entries and then
proceed to the How To Correct This Issue section.
How To Correct This Issue:
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1. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).
2. Locate the following key in the registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services
3. Highlight the DependOnService value, make a note of the current value
entries, and then press DELETE.
4. On the Edit menu, click Add Value, and then add the following registry
value:
Value Name: DependOnService
Data Type: REG_MULTI_SZ
Value: <dependent on each unique service>
5. Quit Registry Editor, and then restart the computer.
MORE INFORMATION
================
The Dr. Watson log, located in the %SystemRoot% folder, may also show a call
similar to the following in the stack trace below the faulted function:
services!ScReadDependencies
Windows NT reads the service dependencies for the service attempting to start,
identifies any incorrect value types, and then generates a Dr. Wastson error
message.
For additional information about the DependOnService value, please see the
following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q193888 How to Delay Loading of Specific Services
Additional query words:
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Keywords : kbenv kbinterop
Technology : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTSEntSearch kbWinNTSEnt400 kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400
Version : winnt:4.0
Issue type : kbprb
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