Article ID: 224982
Article Last Modified on 11/1/2006
APPLIES TO
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Developer Edition
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Developer Edition
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Standard Edition
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Enterprise Edition
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4
This article was previously published under Q224982
SYMPTOMS
When the value of the process ID (PID) of any given process exceeds 65,535 or 0x10000, Win32k.sys generates the following error message on a blue screen:
NOTE: The first parameter will always be 0xc0000005 and the second parameter will always fall within the memory range of Win32k.sys.
CAUSE
When a process terminates, Win32k.sys must release structures allocated by that process. Win32k.sys tracks these structures by PID number. The driver Win32k.sys only supports PID numbers within the 0-65,535 range (ushort).
This problem occurs because a program is not releasing thread handles. When a thread is created, a handle is allocated out of the system handle table as well as the process handle table. This system handle table is the same handle table process IDs come from. This can cause the value of the process ID numbers to exceed 65,535 or 0x10000.
RESOLUTION
Windows NT Server or Workstation 4.0
To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0 or the individual software update. For information on obtaining the latest service pack, please go to:
- 152734 how to obtain the latest windows nt 4.0 service pack
For information on obtaining the individual software update, contact Microsoft Product Support Services. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information on support costs, please go to the following address on the World Wide Web:
Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition
To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
152734 How to Obtain the Latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack
STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was first corrected in Windows NT Server version 4.0, Terminal Server Edition Service Pack 6.
MORE INFORMATION
After you install the hotfix, if you attempt to create a process with an ID value greater than 65,535, the following pop-up error message is displayed and the process create does not work:
To find the process that is not releasing thread handles, use Performance Monitor to find a process with a high handle count.
Keywords: kbbug kbfix kbqfe kbhotfixserver KB224982
