WOW Environment Remains in Memory After Quitting 16-Bit Program

• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0
• Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0
• Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition version 4.0

SUMMARY

When you start a 16-bit program on a computer running Windows NT, the Ntvdm.exe and Wowexec.exe processes start. After you quit the 16-bit program, the Ntvdm.exe and Wowexec.exe processes remain in memory.

MORE INFORMATION

This behavior is a design feature of Windows NT. The Ntvdm.exe and Wowexec.exe processes remain in memory in case you start another 16-bit program. Leaving the Windows-On-Windows (WOW) environment (which consists of the Ntvdm.exe and Wowexec.exe processes) in memory improves performance.

The WOW environment is not loaded when you start Windows NT. It is loaded when you first start a 16-bit program.

Additional query words: subsystem 16bit

Keywords          : ntgeneral NTSrvWkst 
Version           : WINNT:4.0
Platform          : winnt 
Issue type        : kbinfo 

Last Reviewed: February 2, 1999