Microsoft KB Archive/297854

= Smart card power down behavior on Windows 2000 and earlier operating systems =

Article ID: 297854

Article Last Modified on 12/23/2003

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Win32 Device Driver Kit for Windows 2000
 * Microsoft Windows 98 Driver Development Kit (DDK)
 * Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition Driver Development Kit

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This article was previously published under Q297854



SYMPTOMS
This article describes the behavior of the smart card power down sequence on the following operating systems:
 * Microsoft Windows 2000
 * Microsoft Windows 98
 * Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition

Windows 2000
Just after you insert a smart card in the reader, a smart card driver may receive a IOCTL_SMARTCARD_POWER request that contains the minor code SCARD_POWER_DOWN.

Windows 98 and Windows Millennium Edition
This behavior is not evident on either Windows 98 or Windows Millennium Edition.



CAUSE
This varying behavior occurs because of differences in how the smart card resource managers on the different operating systems send I/O controls (IOCTLs) to the smart card drivers.



STATUS
This behavior is by design.



Windows 2000
When you insert a smart card, the smart card resource manager powers the card to obtain the answer to reset (ATR) data. If no application calls the SCardConnect function within a short period of time, the Resource Manager sends IOCTL_SMARTCARD_POWER with minor code SCARD_POWER_DOWN to power down the card. The Resource Manager also sends this IOCTL to power down the card after the last connection has been closed by a call to the SCardDisconnect function.

Windows 98 and Windows Millennium Edition
The Resource Manager does not send these IOCTLs to power down the card under these conditions.

