F11 and F12 Keys Do Not Function in MS-DOS Applications Under NTVDM

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

SYMPTOMS

The F11 and F12 function keys do not work or generate extended characters in MS-DOS applications running under Windows NT.

CAUSE

A program compiled or built using the 32-bit compiler is able to read all the function keys and to return the right values of the scan codes. When compiled or built using the 16-bit compiler, the same program returns the right values for the function keys F1 through F10, but does not return anything for F11 and F12.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0 or Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q152734 How to Obtain the Latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. This problem was first corrected in Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition Service Pack 4.

MORE INFORMATION

To read extended characters from an application, two consecutive calls to GETCH() are required:

• The first call returns a value indicating that the key is an extended character.



• The second call returns the actual key code (scan code).

Keywords          : NT4SP4Fix kbbug4.00 kbfix4.00.sp4 
Version           : WinNT:4.0
Platform          : winnt 
Issue type        : kbbug 

Last Reviewed: April 10, 1999