Q317372: You Receive a "STOP 0x00000050" Error Message in Win32k.sys

Article: Q317372
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): 4.0 SP6
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbWinNT400nospFix
Last Modified: 08-MAY-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 SP6, Terminal Server Edition 
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SYMPTOMS
========

You may receive the following error message on a blue screen in Windows NT
Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition:

  STOP 0x00000050 (0xa4032000, 0x00000001, 0x00000000, 0xc02900c8)

CAUSE
=====

This error message occurs if the data value for the AppInit_Dlls value in the
following registry key contains more than 32 characters:

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows

This situation is not handled by Win32k.sys properly and causes the pool to
become corrupted.

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
  ---------------------------------------------------------
  20-Feb-2002  16:12  4.0.1381.33529    170,256  Gdi32.dll
  20-Feb-2002  16:12  4.0.1381.33529    332,048  User32.dll
  04-Mar-2002  18:27  4.0.1381.33532  1,279,856  Win32k.sys
  20-Feb-2002  16:14  4.0.1381.33529    196,368  Winsrv.dll



WORKAROUND
==========

You can apply the hotfix, or you can use the Ln.exe tool from the Microsoft
Windows NT 4.0 Resource Kit to create "hard" links with shorter names to the
DLLs that are listed in the AppInit_Dlls value. Place the "hard" links in the
same folder as the original DLLs. Then, change the AppInit_Dlls value to use
your new "hard" links with short names. You can leave the file extension off
when you change the AppInit_Dlls value.

STATUS
======

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


Additional query words:

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Keywords          : kbWinNT400nospFix 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbNTTermServ400sp6 kbNTTermServSearch
Version           : :4.0 SP6
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

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