Dr. Watson Dialog Box Stops Responding on DEC Alpha Platform

 Last reviewed: July 3, 1997
Article ID: Q170057
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0

SYMPTOMS

When an application fails on a RISC-based computer, the Dr. Watson dialog box is displayed and waits, indicating that it is building a log file, but the OK and Cancel buttons remain unavailable. Also, the log file, %systemroot%\Drwtsn32.log, is never written to.

CAUSE

On RISC platforms, the exception record contains the address of the instruction that actually caused the exception. For OS/2 historical reasons, however, x86 exception records contain the address of the instruction that immediately follows the instruction that caused the exception. As a result, when Drwtsn32.exe attached to the failed process on a RISC platform, it retrieved the wrong address and the debugger process stopped responding.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 4.0. A supported fix is now available, but has not been fully regression-tested and should be applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem. Unless you are severely impacted by this specific problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Service Pack that contains this fix. Contact Microsoft Technical Support for more information.

Keywords : nt32ap NTSrvWkst ntutil prodnt kbbuglist kbfixlist
Version : 4.0
Platform : WINNT
Hardware : Alpha PPC
Issue type : kbbug
Resolution Type : kbfix

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Last reviewed: July 3, 1997
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