Microsoft KB Archive/829830

= Systems Management Server 2003 Software Distribution may run a 16-bit program multiple times on a Windows Server 2003-based client computer =

Article ID: 829830

Article Last Modified on 10/27/2006

-

APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003

-





SYMPTOMS
You can use the Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) 2003 Software Distribution feature to run a 16-bit program on a Microsoft Windows Server 2003-based computer that is configured as an SMS 2003 client. When you do this, the SMS Software Distribution feature may try to run the 16-bit program multiple times.



CAUSE
This problem occurs on SMS 2003 Legacy Clients and on SMS 2003 Advanced Clients that are installed on Windows Server 2003-based computers. By default, all 16-bit programs run under the same instance of Virtual DOS Machine (Ntvdm.exe) on Windows Server 2003. If Ntvdm.exe is already active on the Windows Server 2003-based computer, SMS 2003 cannot monitor the 16-bit program. SMS 2003 treats this error as a non-fatal error and tries to run this program again after a scheduled time. By default, the scheduled time is 10 minutes. When SMS 2003 runs the 16-bit program again, multiple instances of the program appear to be running if the program continues to run for more than 10 minutes.



WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, run the 16-bit program with the cmd /c command. For example, right click a program in an existing package in the SMS Administrator Console, click Properties, type cmd /c .exe in the Command line input box on the program properties dialog box, and then click OK.

Note If you use cmd with the /c switch, you force Ntvdm.exe to automatically quit as soon as the 16-bit program quits. Therefore, SMS 2003 can monitor when the program starts and quits. However, SMS 2003 may not receive the exact exit code of the program.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the &quot;Applies to&quot; section.



MORE INFORMATION
Depending on the operating system, all 16-bit programs may start in the same instance of Ntvdm.exe. When an instance of Ntvdm.exe is already active, Microsoft Windows 2000-based computers and Microsoft Windows XP-based computers create a new instance of Ntvdm.exe for each 16-bit program. However, Windows Server 2003 runs all 16-bit programs in a single instance of Ntvdm.exe.

Keywords: kbnofix kbbug KB829830

-

[mailto:TECHNET@MICROSOFT.COM Send feedback to Microsoft]

© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.