STOP Message: 0xC0000021A or Other Problems with Long PATH

• Microsoft Windows NT operating system version 3.1
• Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1
• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 3.5
• Microsoft Windows NT Server version 3.5

SYMPTOMS

If your AUTOEXEC.BAT file contains PATH statement(s) which evaluate to a very long PATH variable (greater than approximately 1024 characters), after you log on, the resulting PATH variable will not reflect those PATH statement(s). For example, if your AUTOEXEC.BAT file contains the following lines:

. . . PATH c:\directory1;c:\directory2;c:\directory3;c:\directory4;c:\directory5 PATH %path%;%path%;%path%;%path%;c:\directory6 PATH %path%;%path%;%path%;%path%;c:\directory7 . . .

after logging on, the PATH variable will contain only the values specified in the registry. When this happens, a new environment variable named "AutoexecPath" is created with the value specified by the PATH statement(s) in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

If your PATH statement(s) evaluate to an even longer PATH variable, logging on will cause WINLOGON.EXE to terminate, resulting in this STOP message:

   STOP: 0xC0000021A {Fatal System Error}
   The Windows Logon Process system process terminated unexpectedly
   with a status of 0xc0000005.  The system has been shutdown.

CAUSE

This is caused by the PATH variable buffer overflowing its size of 1024 characters.

WORKAROUND

Edit the PATH statement(s) in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file to evaluate to a shorter PATH variable.

If you computer hangs with the above STOP message, you can regain access to it by connecting to it remotely over the network and editing or renaming the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Alternately, if the file system is formatted as FAT, start MS-DOS and edit or rename your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT and Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1. This problem has been corrected in Windows NT Workstation and Windows NT Server version 3.5.