DOCUMENT:Q219602 11-JUN-2002 [winnt] TITLE :Random Dr. Watson Errors in Services.exe PRODUCT :Microsoft Windows NT PROD/VER:winnt:4.0 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS:kbenv kbinterop ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 - Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0 - Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition version 4.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Q256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry SYMPTOMS ======== After you add or modify one of the values in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services registry key on your computer running Windows NT 4.0, you may receive random or intermittent Dr. Watson error messages with the Services.exe file as the source. CAUSE ===== This problem occurs because the DependOnService value type for one or more Windows NT services may be corrupt or incorrect. The registry may have become corrupt, or a service's value may have been improperly configured. RESOLUTION ========== WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk. To resolve this problem, verify that the value type for the DependOnService value is set to REG_MULTI_SZ for all services that contain value entries. To do this, perform one of the following: - Use Registry Editor to examine each DependOnService value for the correct value type. To do this: 1. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe). 2. Locate the following key in the registry: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services 3. Click each service to display to attendant DependOnService value for that key. If the value type is not listed as REG_MULTI_SZ, go to the How To Correct This Issue section. - Export the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services key to an external file, and then use a standard text editor to check the individual DependOnService values for the correct value type: 1. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe). 2. Locate the following key in the registry: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services 3. On the Registry menu, click Save Subtree As, type a unique name for the file, and then click Save. 4. Quit Registry Editor. 5. Use a standard text editor, such as Notepad, to review the file and confirm that the DependOnService value is associated with the correct value type. For each entry that is not listed as REG_MULTI_SZ, go to the How To Correct This Issue section. - Use the Windows NT Diagnostics tool to identify incorrect value types for the DependOnService value. 1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools (Common), and then click Windows NT Diagnostics. 2. Click the Services tab, highlight each individual service, click Properties, and then click Dependencies. 3. If you are experiencing this exact issue, the Service Dependency window may contain values that look like this: MSExchangeIS end|| ee|e|e e||| NOTE:The Above characters "e" and "|" were substituted for the illegible symbols that may be displayed. 4. Make a note of the service that contains these invalid entries and then proceed to the How To Correct This Issue section. How To Correct This Issue: -------------------------- 1. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe). 2. Locate the following key in the registry: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services 3. Highlight the DependOnService value, make a note of the current value entries, and then press DELETE. 4. On the Edit menu, click Add Value, and then add the following registry value: Value Name: DependOnService Data Type: REG_MULTI_SZ Value: 5. Quit Registry Editor, and then restart the computer. MORE INFORMATION ================ The Dr. Watson log, located in the %SystemRoot% folder, may also show a call similar to the following in the stack trace below the faulted function: services!ScReadDependencies Windows NT reads the service dependencies for the service attempting to start, identifies any incorrect value types, and then generates a Dr. Wastson error message. For additional information about the DependOnService value, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Q193888 How to Delay Loading of Specific Services Additional query words: ====================================================================== Keywords : kbenv kbinterop Technology : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTSEntSearch kbWinNTSEnt400 kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400 Version : winnt:4.0 Issue type : kbprb ============================================================================= 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 2002.