Microsoft KB Archive/817901

= The Ntvdm.exe program may quit unexpectedly on non-VME processors =

Article ID: 817901

Article Last Modified on 5/19/2005

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Edition
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Server

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SUMMARY
When using a Virtual DOS Machine (NTVDM) to run an MS-DOS or 16-bit-based application on a non-VME (Virtual Mode Extensions) processor, the session may stop responding. In addition, you may receive the following error message:

Program Error

NTVDM.EXE has generated errors and will be closed by Windows.

You will need to restart the program.

An error log is being created.

Dr. Watson creates a log, and the only option that you can click is OK. At this point, you have to quit the NTVDM process manually.



MORE INFORMATION
Virtual-8086 mode is used by Windows to provide MS-DOS and 16-bit applications the ability to run in their own environment without interfering with other applications. Most processors (CPUs) in the market today have support for Virtual Mode Extensions (VME), which provides enhancements to virtual 8086 mode. However, it is possible that a processor may not have or fully support VME.

Although Windows NT Virtual DOS Machine (Ntvdm.exe) does have the code path to also support non-VME processors, it was not tested in Windows 2000 and there are no plans to ensure 100% compatibility for non-VME processors in future versions of the OS. As a result, under certain configurations of hardware, drivers, memory, and application usage, systems that have non-VME processors may exhibit the symptoms listed earlier when you use NTVDM.

Additional query words: VIA C3

Keywords: kbinfo KB817901

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