DOCUMENT:Q268722 08-MAY-2002 [winnt] TITLE :Access Violation in Cmd.exe Calling CreateProcess() PRODUCT :Microsoft Windows NT PROD/VER:winnt:4.0,4.0 SP4,4.0 SP5,4.0 SP6,4.0 SP6a OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS:kbWinNT400PreSP7Fix ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 4.0, 4.0 SP4, 4.0 SP5, 4.0 SP6, 4.0 SP6a - Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 4.0, 4.0 SP4, 4.0 SP5, 4.0 SP6, 4.0 SP6a ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SYMPTOMS ======== Parent programs that spawn a child program pass an environment block to the spawned child. In cases in which an extremely long path (more than 1,900 bytes) exists in the parent environment, an access violation may occur during the startup of a child process. For example, this might occur when a Setup program (as a parent) starts another program as a child process. The actual supported length for a path statement is 1,024 characters. Typically, a "Path too long" error message is generated when the path exceeds approximately 1,900 bytes. However, an extremely long path (more than 1,024 bytes but less than the amount that triggers the "Path too long" error message) may still generate an error message when a child process is spawned. As the parent spawns a child process (calling CreateProcess), a new Cmd.exe session is started and some expansion of the inherited environment block occurs. The following error message may occur when the new environment block is initialized for the child process: Cmd.exe - Application Error The instruction at "0x77f64bab" referenced memory at "0x0067006f". The memory could not be "written". Click on OK to terminate the application. CAUSE ===== An incorrect initialization of a buffer is occurring. RESOLUTION ========== A supported fix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem described in this article and should be applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem. To resolve this problem, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information on support costs, please go to the following address on the World Wide Web: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS NOTE: In special cases, charges that are normally incurred for support calls may be canceled, if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. Normal support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question. The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later: Date Time Size File name Platform ------------------------------------------------ 07/20/2000 03:02p 208,144 Cmd.exe Intel WORKAROUND ========== To work around this issue, shorten the path statement length. STATUS ====== Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article. Additional query words: ====================================================================== Keywords : kbWinNT400PreSP7Fix Technology : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTW400sp5 kbWinNTW400sp4 kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400sp6 kbWinNTS400sp5 kbWinNTS400sp4 kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400 kbWinNTW400sp6 kbWinNTW400SP6a Version : winnt:4.0,4.0 SP4,4.0 SP5,4.0 SP6,4.0 SP6a 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 2002.