Multi-Processor Systems Randomly Restart or Stop Responding

 Last reviewed: August 13, 1997
Article ID: Q140065
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 4.0

SYMPTOMS

Windows NT Workstation systems with more than two processors and Windows NT Server systems with more than four processors experience random restarts or stop responding after four to six hours of operation.

NOTE: Retail versions of Windows NT Server or Windows NT Workstation do not support the number of processors necessary to experience this problem. Therefore, this problem is only seen on OEM versions of Windows NT.

CAUSE

There is a problem with some of the functions in Ntoskrnl.exe related to support of Windows NT Workstation systems with more than two processors and Windows NT Server systems with more than four processors.

WORKAROUND

Obtain the following update or wait for the next Service Pack. 

   ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/bussys/winnt/winnt-public/fixes/usa/nt40
   /hotfixes-postSP1/32proc-fix/

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 4.00. This problem was corrected in the latest Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 U.S. Service Pack. For information on obtaining the service pack, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces): 

   S E R V P A C K

Additional query words: prodnt
Keywords : kbbug4.00 kbfix4.00.sp2 nthw kbhw
Version : 4.0
Platform : winnt

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Last reviewed: August 13, 1997
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