Microsoft KB Archive/186495

= WOW Leak Launching Many Instances of a 16-Bit Application =

Article ID: 186495

Article Last Modified on 11/1/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition
 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Developer Edition
 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Enterprise Edition

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This article was previously published under Q186495





SYMPTOMS
In cases where 16-bit applications are launched repeatedly in separate Virtual DOS Machines (VDMs), system resources may be depleted because of a WOW memory leak. Symptoms of the leak condition will be popup errors messages indicating "low virtual memory" and potential system crashes if memory resources are severely depleted over a long period of time. The problem can be recognized by monitoring MemUsage under Windows NT Task Manager or by running Performance Monitor using the following counters:

  Object: Process Counter: Handle count and Private Bytes Instance: csrss



CAUSE
There is a memory leak in Wow32.dll and Winbase.dll.



RESOLUTION
To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0 or Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

152734 How to Obtain the Latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in Windows NT 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. This problem was first corrected in Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition Service Pack 4.

Keywords: kbhotfixserver kbqfe kbbug kbfix kbqfe KB186495

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