Microsoft KB Archive/932406

= The Windows desktop may stop updating correctly after a Windows Vista-based computer has been running for an extended period of time =

Article ID: 932406

Article Last Modified on 10/11/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Windows Vista Ultimate
 * Windows Vista Starter
 * Windows Vista Home Premium
 * Windows Vista Home Basic
 * Windows Vista Enterprise
 * Windows Vista Business
 * Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit Edition
 * Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit Edition
 * Windows Vista Home Basic 64-bit Edition
 * Windows Vista Enterprise 64-bit Edition

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Important This article contains information about how to modify the registry. Make sure that you back up the registry before you modify it. Make sure that you know how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up, restore, and modify the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows registry



SYMPTOMS
After a Windows Vista-based computer has been running for an extended period of time, the desktop screen may stop updating correctly. For example, you may experience any of the following symptoms:
 * Parts of the screen may go black.
 * Parts of the screen may become transparent.
 * The toolbar may disappear.
 * The toolbar may appear at the top of the screen instead of at the bottom of the screen.

If you add the GDI Objects column for the Explorer.exe process in the Task Manager console, you see that the GDI Objects column has reached the maximal number that is defined in the GDIProcessHandleQuota registry entry.



CAUSE
This issue occurs because of a GDI object leak in the Comctl32.dll file.



Update information
This hotfix corrects the GDI leak in the Comctl32.dll file.

The following files are available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:

Update for Windows Vista
Download the 932406 package now.

Update for Windows Vista for x64-based systems
Download the 932406 package now.

For more information about how to download Microsoft support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

119591 How to obtain Microsoft support files from online services

Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.

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.

Windows Vista, 64-bit versions


WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, use either of the following methods.

Method 1
Log off, and then log on to the computer.

Method 2
Stop, and then restart the Explorer.exe process. To do this, follow these steps:
 * 1) Press CTRL+ALT+DEL.
 * 2) Click Task Manager.
 * 3) Click the Processes tab.
 * 4) Click the explorer.exe process.
 * 5) Click End Process, and then click End process.
 * 6) Click the Applications tab.
 * 7) Click New Task.
 * 8) Type explorer in the Open box, and then click OK.



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
Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall the operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

In 64-bit Windows operating systems, the Graphical Device Interface (GDI) handle limit is not increased over that of 32-bit Windows operating systems. The maximum number of GDI handles that one process can handle is 65,535. You can restrict the number of GDI handles that each process may handle by setting the following registry value:

Value name: GDIProcessHandleQuota

Value type: REG_DWORD

Value data: 10000 (default decimal value)

You can set this registry value from a minimum value of 256 (decimal) to a maximum value of 65536 (decimal).

For more information about how hotfix packages are named, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

816915 New file naming schema for Microsoft Windows software update packages

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

Additional query words: Winx64 Windowsx64 64bit 64-bit

Keywords: kbbug kbqfe atdownload kbexpertisebeginner kbhotfixserver KB932406

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