Microsoft KB Archive/923162

= A program that throws many exceptions may run significantly more slowly on a computer that is running Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 =

Article ID: 923162

Article Last Modified on 3/26/2007

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APPLIES TO

 Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1, when used with:  Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition (32-bit x86)

 Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition (32-bit x86)

 Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition (32-bit x86)

 Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Web Edition</li></ul> </li></ul>

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<div class="notice_section">

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SYMPTOMS
A program that throws many exceptions may run significantly more slowly on a computer that is running Microsoft Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 (SP1).

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CAUSE
This problem occurs because of the Data Execution Prevention (DEP) feature of Windows Server 2003. An option in Windows Server 2003 disables the DEP checks to improve program performance. However, if you use this option, it does not disable all the new exception-handling security checks that DEP performs.

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Service pack information
To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows Server 2003. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

889100 How to obtain the latest service pack for Windows Server 2003

Hotfix information
After you apply this hotfix, the exception-handling security checks are disabled when DEP is disabled.

Prerequisites
You must have Windows Server 2003 SP1 installed to apply this hotfix.

Restart requirement
You must restart your computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information
This hotfix does not replace any other hotfixes.

File information
The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time item in Control Panel.

Note This hotfix only enables the ability to disable the exception-handling security check by DEP. You must still add the program to the DEP exclusion list. To add the program to the DEP exclusion list, follow these steps:
 * 1) Click Start, click Run, type sysdm.cpl, and then click OK.
 * 2) On the System Properties dialog box, click the Advanced tab.
 * 3) Under Performance, click Settings.
 * 4) Click the Data Execution Prevention tab.
 * 5) Click Turn on DEP on programs and services except those I select, click Add, and then add the program.

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STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the &quot;Applies to&quot; section. This problem was first corrected in Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2.

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MORE INFORMATION
Generally, exception handling takes less than 10 milliseconds. Therefore, a program that throws few exceptions does not run significantly more slowly. However, a large program that throws thousands of exceptions in a short time may run much more slowly.

To determine whether a program throws enough exceptions to affect performance, you can use a profiling utility or a debugging utility. Such utilities include the following:
 * Dependency Walker
 * Microsoft Visual Studio
 * Microsoft Debugging Tools for Windows

For more information about the DEP feature, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

875352 A detailed description of the Data Execution Prevention (DEP) feature in Windows XP Service Pack 2, Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005, and Windows Server 2003

For more information about a similar problem in Windows XP, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

919490 Programs that throw many exceptions run significantly slower on a Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer

For more information about the terms that are used in this article, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

824684 Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates

The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.

Keywords: kbwinserv2003sp2fix kbbug kbfix kbhotfixserver kbqfe kbpubtypekc KB923162

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