Microsoft KB Archive/197159

= Dr. Watson Error in Internet Explorer 4.0 When Running After Installation on Terminal Server =

PSS ID Number: 197159

Article Last Modified on 6/24/2004

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Terminal Server Edition

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This article was previously published under Q197159



Microsoft Internet Explorer, Version 5.5 or 6.0
When you install Windows NT4 Terminal Server, if you do not install Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 during the Terminal Server setup, and instead install either Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 or 6.0 after Terminal Server setup is complete, the installation will succeed, but Internet Explorer will not run. When you start Internet Explorer after the installation is complete, you may receive the splash screen and then nothing. If you check the Advanced Properties in Internet Explorer, they may be blank.

Microsoft Internet Explorer, Version 4
After you install Terminal Server and select Internet Explorer 4.0 to be installed at the initial setup, Internet Explorer 4.0 may generate a Dr. Watson error or an access violation when trying load a Web page. Also, in the Properties page for Internet Explorer, the Advanced Properties are blank.

Or, you do not install Internet Explorer with Terminal Server. When you attempt to install Internet Explorer, the following error message may appear:

The installation of a previous program was never completed. We recommend restarting your computer before running Internet Explorer 4.01 SP1 Setup. Do you want to continue with Setup?

You may also experience a problem installing Microsoft Office 2000. The installation may not succeed because of an access violation.



CAUSE
On a computer with 1.3 GB of RAM or more and about 3 GB of free disk space on the system partition, GUI-mode Setup configures a default paging file for 1.3 GB of RAM of 2.9 GB (2.25 times physical RAM) minimum.

When the paging file is about to be created, Session Manager adds the RAM size to the paging file size to get the maximum size of the paging file, which adds up to 4.2 GB. However, the memory subsystem in Windows NT only supports paging files up to 4 GB. This behavior is by design and cannot be changed.

Therefore, Session Manager does not create the paging file. Because this is the only paging file on the system, you run without a paging file and experience the symptoms listed in the "Symptoms" section.

If this condition holds, then the temporary pagefile will be located under the %SystemRoot%\system32 directory, and will be called "Tempf.sys" with a size of 25 megabytes.



RESOLUTION
A supported fix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Apply it only to computers that are experiencing this specific problem. This fix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Window NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition, service pack that contains this fix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS

NOTE: In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The typical support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later:   Date        Time    Size    File name  Platform ---  05/16/2000  06:32p  80,656  Smss.exe   Alpha 05/15/2000 05:44p  45,328  Smss.exe   Intel



WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, do one of the following:
 * Install Terminal Server without installing Internet Explorer 4.0. When Terminal Server is installed and you are able to log on to it, make sure that the paging file actually exists by running a WINMSD command, and then look for the Pagefile.sys file. If one does not exist, create a pagefile on another partition, and then restart the computer. Again verify that there is a pagefile. If there is, then Internet Explorer 4, 5.5 or 6 will install and run.
 * If Terminal Server is already installed with Internet Explorer 4.0 and the problem is already appearing, uninstall Internet Explorer 4.0. You may have to run the IEREMOVE utility to completely uninstall Internet Explorer 4.0. Verify that the paging file exists, resize it, and/or make another paging file on another partition. Restart the Terminal Server computer and then verify with WINMSD and a physical check that the paging file is the correct size and is being used. Then, install Internet Explorer 4.0 from the Terminal Server compact disc.
 * Another option is to use a 2-GB FAT partition on the boot drive. This will retain the original paging file that is created during setup. Part of the process in converting from FAT to NTFS on the boot drive requires that the Pagefile.sys file be deleted and then re-created when the conversion process completes. Running the conversion process manually after installation was not able to reproduce this behavior.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.



MORE INFORMATION
To use the hotfix file for new Terminal Servers, rename the Smss.exe file to Smss.ex_, and then copy it to a network distribution share. Install Service Pack 6 for Terminal Server and apply the hotfix again when you are finished with Setup.

You can also install Service Pack 6 and the fix after GUI-mode Setup is finished. You see the paging file after the next reboot, and you can then start installing programs.

Additional query words: IE4 tse AV

Keywords: kbpending kbprb KB197159

Technology: kbNTTermServ400 kbNTTermServSearch kbWinNT400search kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTSsearch

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