DOCUMENT:Q175687 09-AUG-2001 [winnt] TITLE :Win32k.sys Causes STOP 0x0000001e and 0x0000000a on SMP PRODUCT :Microsoft Windows NT PROD/VER::4.0 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS:kbWinNT400sp4fix ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0 - Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 - Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0, Terminal Server Edition - Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition version 4.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SYMPTOMS ======== Programs runing on multiprocessor computers that start and close GUIs frequently may cause either of the following STOP blue screen error messages to be displayed: STOP 0x0000001e (0xc0000005, 0xa00f7538, 0x00000000, 0x00000008) KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED -or- STOP 0x0000000a(0x00000004, 0x0000001c, 0x00000000, 0x801175db) IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL On some multiprocessor computers, programs with multiple threads that use the CreateProcess() or CreateProcessAsUser() API calls to start processes do not start because of desktop heap leaks. This inability to start results in a User32.dll or Kernel32.dll file initialization error when the desktop heap is exhausted. CAUSE ===== This problem occurs because the thread object reference count breaks. The thread object reference count breaks because of a threadlockobject instruction within Win32k.sys that was not multiprocessor safe. This causes programs to quit abnormally. Because of the abnormal way in which the program quits, the desktop heap leaked until new processes could not be started. In some other instances, when a program quits abnormally, a blue screen error message may be displayed. 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. Additional query words: wts tse terminalsvr ====================================================================== Keywords : kbWinNT400sp4fix Technology : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTSEntSearch kbWinNTSEnt400 kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400 kbNTTermServ400 kbNTTermServSearch Version : :4.0 Hardware : ALPHA x86 Issue type : kbbug Solution Type : kbfix ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2001.