Microsoft KB Archive/181333

= WOW Environment Remains in Memory After Quitting 16-Bit Program =

Article ID: 181333

Article Last Modified on 2/22/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Edition
 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Developer Edition
 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Enterprise Edition

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This article was previously published under Q181333





SUMMARY
When you start a 16-bit program on a computer running Windows NT, the Ntvdm.exe and Wowexec.exe processes start. After you quit the 16-bit program, the Ntvdm.exe and Wowexec.exe processes remain in memory.



MORE INFORMATION
This behavior is a design feature of Windows NT. The Ntvdm.exe and Wowexec.exe processes remain in memory in case you start another 16-bit program. Leaving the Windows-On-Windows (WOW) environment (which consists of the Ntvdm.exe and Wowexec.exe processes) in memory improves performance.

The WOW environment is not loaded when you start Windows NT. It is loaded when you first start a 16-bit program.

Additional query words: subsystem 16bit

Keywords: kbinfo KB181333

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