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Q270420: MB_SERVICE_NOTIFICATION Message Box May Not Exit the Process

Article: Q270420
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): 4.0 SP6,4.0 SP6a
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbKernBase kbOSWin2000 kbSDKWin32 kbService kbDSupport kbGrpDSKernBase kbWinNT400PreSP7
Last Modified: 08-MAY-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 4.0 SP6, 4.0 SP6a 
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 4.0 SP6, 4.0 SP6a 
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SYMPTOMS
========

If any thread in a process has displayed a message box by using the
MB_SERVICE_NOTIFICATION flag and that message box is still visible, the process
object will not be released even after the process exits. This problem occurs
whether the process exits normally through a call to the ExitProcess function or
abnormally through a call to the TerminateProcess function or as the result of
an exception. However, the process object is eventually released when the
message box is dismissed.

This behavior occurs in Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 6 (SP6) and Service Pack
6A (SP6A). With Service Pack 5 (SP5) and earlier, the process object is released
immediately after the process exits, as expected.

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.

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 on 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
  -------------------------------------------------------------
  09/13/2000  04:02p             955,328 Ntkrnlmp.exe  Intel
  09/13/2000  04:02p             934,848 Ntoskrnl.exe  Intel
  09/13/2000  04:03p           1,407,424 Ntkrnlmp.exe  Alpha
  09/13/2000  04:03p           1,383,488 Ntoskrnl.exe  Alpha



STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack
6 and Service Pack 6A.

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

This problem also occurs in Microsoft Windows 2000. For additional information
about a fix for Windows 2000, click the article number below to view the article
in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q270610 Message Box Using MB_SERVICE_NOTIFICATION May Not Exit the Process

Additional query words: Ntkrnlmp Ntoskrnl

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbKernBase kbOSWin2000 kbSDKWin32 kbService kbDSupport kbGrpDSKernBase kbWinNT400PreSP7Fix 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400sp6 kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTW400sp6 kbWinNTW400SP6a
Version           : :4.0 SP6,4.0 SP6a
Hardware          : ALPHA x86
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

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

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