Microsoft KB Archive/132722

= Server Instability After Reboot Caused by NDIS Driver Problem =

Article ID: 132722

Article Last Modified on 11/1/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.5
 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.51
 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.5
 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.51

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This article was previously published under Q132722



SYMPTOMS
Computers running Windows NT (especially multiprocessor computers) may stop responding (hang) or display a STOP message, within a few minutes of the Windows NT startup sequence after being rebooted.



CAUSE
There is a problem is NDIS.SYS that causes Windows NT to attempt to close a Windows NT file handle twice when NdisOpenFile and NdisCloseFile are called. Closing a handle a second time causes undefined results. If the handle being closed a second time is in use by another driver, the results are unpredictable, but may include a system hang or STOP message.

The following network card drivers make calls to the NdisOpenFile and NdisCloseFile APIs, and therefore may indirectly cause the symptoms mentioned above.

ANDTOK.SYS

F30N3.SYS

F70N3.SYS

IRMATRAC.SYS

NCRTOK.SYS

MDGMPORT.SYS

NE3200.SYS

NETFLX.SYS

PCIMAC.SYS

PRONET16.SYS

TCTOKNT.SYS

UBNEI.SYS

NOTE: The problem is in NDIS, not in these drivers. They are listed here to help identify systems that may exhibit the symptoms mentioned above.

RESOLUTION
To correct this problem, upgrade to Windows NT 3.51 (if you have not already done so) and install the latest U.S. Service Pack for Windows NT version 3.51.

NDIS.SYS was corrected to close the Windows NT file handle only once.

STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT versions 3.5 and 3.51. This problem has been corrected in the latest U.S. Service Pack for Windows NT version 3.51. For information on obtaining the Service Pack, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces):

S E R V P A C K

Keywords: KB132722

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