Q258839: Space at End of Batch File Name Causes Server to Hang

Article: Q258839
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): winnt:4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbWinNT400PreSP7Fix
Last Modified: 08-MAY-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition version 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0, Terminal Server Edition 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When you start Cmd.exe from other programs or batch files with another batch
file as a parameter, the script does not run but appears to be busy if the file
name is padded with space character.

When you check in Task Manager, you find a large number of instances of Cmd.exe.
Eventually, you receive error messages caused by insufficient memory, C run-time
error messages, or DLL initialization error messages.

A sample command line is:

  cmd /c "test.bat "

Note the extra space character before the second quotation mark. The contents of
Test.bat do not matter.

CAUSE
=====

Cmd.exe contains a parsing error that results in the behavior described in the
"Symptoms" section.

RESOLUTION
==========

A supported fix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to
correct the problem that is described in this article. Apply it only to
computers that are experiencing this specific problem.

To resolve this problem, 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, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

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

NOTE: In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls
may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific
update will resolve your problem. The usual 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
  ----------------------------------------------------
  04/03/2000   04:45p   357,648   Cmd.exe     Alpha
  04/03/2000   04:46p   208,144   Cmd.exe     Intel



WORKAROUND
==========

To avoid the problem, remove the extra space at the end of the file name.

STATUS
======

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

Additional query words:

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Keywords          : kbWinNT400PreSP7Fix 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTSEntSearch kbWinNTSEnt400 kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400 kbNTTermServ400 kbNTTermServSearch
Version           : winnt:4.0
Hardware          : ALPHA x86
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

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