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Q296885: Console Process May Hang During the Creation of a Child Console

Article: Q296885
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): 4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbenv kbtoolkbbuglist kbfixlist
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 Workstation version 4.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When you start a console program that immediately creates another console
program, both programs may stop responding (hang).

NOTE: Console programs run from the operating system's command line, in
character-mode, not from a graphical user interface.

CAUSE
=====

When the first console process is created, the Client Server Runtime System
(CSRSS) creates a new thread for playing sound by using the Media Control
Interface (MCI) API DLL (Winmm.dll). If another console process is created at
this point, these two threads may deadlock each other.

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   Version        Size       File name   Platform
  ------------------------------------------------------------------
  22-May-2001  17:05  4.0.1381.298     166,160  Gdi32.dll   Intel
  22-May-2001  17:05  4.0.1381.7092    327,440  User32.dll  Intel
  26-Mar-2001  18:41  4.0.1381.7095  1,254,512  Win32k.sys  Intel
  24-May-2001  15:43  4.0.1381.7095    175,376  Winsrv.dll  Intel
  22-May-2001  17:01  4.0.1381.7092    305,424  Gdi32.dll   Alpha
  22-May-2001  17:01  4.0.1381.7092    575,760  User32.dll  Alpha
  26-Mar-2001  18:37  4.0.1381.7095  2,053,552  Win32k.sys  Alpha
  24-May-2001  15:39  4.0.1381.7095    313,616  Winsrv.dll  Alpha

NOTE: Due to file dependencies, this hotfix requires Microsoft Windows NT 4.0
Service Pack 6a.



STATUS
======

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

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

Csrss.exe is the user-mode portion of the Win32 subsystem, and Win32k.sys is the
kernel-mode portion. CSRSS is an essential subsystem that must be running at all
times. CSRSS is responsible for console windows, creating and/or deleting
threads, and some parts of the 16-bit virtual MS-DOS environment.

This would typically require the CREATE_NEW_CONSOLE flag to be set in the
dwCreationFlags parameter that is sent to the CreateProcess,
CreateProcessAsUser, or CreateProcessWithLogonW Platform SDK functions.

Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbenv kbtool kbbuglist kbfixlist
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400
Version           : :4.0
Hardware          : ALPHA x86
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

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

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