Article ID: 246467
Article Last Modified on 11/2/2006
APPLIES TO
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Standard Edition
This article was previously published under Q246467
SYMPTOMS
A Windows NT 4.0-based server that is running Remote Access Services (RAS) may stop responding to new Point-to-Point protocol (PPP) requests from clients. When this occurs, the server appears to continue servicing existing PPP connections, but no new connections are accepted.
This problem occurs only on multiple-processor computers, on which PPP logging is enabled on the server.
CAUSE
When two threads attempt to write to the PPP log file at the same time, a problem in the kernel may cause the thread that is currently writing to the file to enter a wait state from which it never returns. Because the PPP process cannot proceed until log file write operations have finished, the Rasman.exe process stops responding (hangs), putting the computer into a state in which it cannot accept more PPP connections.
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.
To resolve this problem, 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:
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 usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.
The English-language version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later:
Date Time Size File name Platform
--------------------------------------------------------------
11/18/1999 04:16p 952,896 Ntkrnlmp.exe i386
11/18/1999 04:14p 932,736 Ntoskrnl.exe i386
11/18/1999 04:13p 1,403,968 Ntkrnlmp.exe Alpha
11/18/1999 04:13p 1,375,744 Ntoskrnl.exe Alpha
WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, disable PPP logging on multiple-processor RAS servers.
STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.
Keywords: kbhotfixserver kbqfe kbbug kbfix KB246467
