Microsoft KB Archive/187174

= Messenger Messages Are Lost If Desktop at Screen Saver =

Article ID: 187174

Article Last Modified on 11/1/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition

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This article was previously published under Q187174



SYMPTOMS
When your computer receives a Messenger message while the desktop is not the foreground application (for example, a screen saver is running), the message is not displayed.



CAUSE
With Microsoft Windows NT, the Messenger service attempts to display a message box, and, if it fails because of an incorrect desktop, the thread goes to sleep, and will be displayed after the next desktop switch by Winlogon.

With Terminal Server, Messenger messages are not displayed by the Messenger service, but a special Terminal Server mechanism is used to display it on the correct session. But the errors are not tested, so if the messages cannot be displayed because of a wrong desktop, they are lost.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Windows NT version 4.0, Terminal Server Edition.

Keywords: kbbug kbpending KB187174

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