Microsoft KB Archive/103933

= Windows NT May Use a Different HAL Version for Some 486 CPUs =

Article ID: 103933

Article Last Modified on 10/31/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server 3.1
 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.1
 * Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server 3.1

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This article was previously published under Q103933



On some computers with older versions of the Intel 486 processor, Windows NT may use a different version of the Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL); it may use HAL486C.DLL instead of HAL.DLL.

Intel identifies different versions of their processors with a letter designating the Stepping. The latest Stepping version of the 486 is D. If the Intel 486 processor with the C Stepping uses the standard HAL.DLL, there may be periodic system failures.

The correct HAL should be used based on the type of 486 processor installed in a computer. Setup installs HAL486C.DLL by default if it cannot confirm that the processor is a 486 with D or later Stepping.

In Windows NT, it is possible to determine the Steppings of a processor by doing the following:


 * 1) From the File menu in Program Manager, choose Run, and then select WINMSD.EXE.
 * 2) In Windows NT Diagnostics, choose Hardware, and then choose CPU Steppings.

The next dialog box identifies the Stepping version of CPU 0, which is the main processor.

Additional query words: prodnt crash

Keywords: kbhardware KB103933

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