DBWEB: NT 3.51 SP4 Doesn't Restart After Installing dbWeb1.1a

• Microsoft dbWeb version 1.1

SYMPTOMS

Windows NT Server 3.51 with Service Pack 4 does not restart after you install Microsoft dbWeb 1.1a. A blue screen appears with the message:

   SESSION3_INITIALIZATION_FAILED

CAUSE

The initial release of dbWeb 1.1a contained a Setup program that failed to copy the Microsoft Windows NT 3.51 system file Smss.exe back onto the hard drive after removing the original Smss.exe from the \Winnt\System32 folder.

RESOLUTION

Rerun Windows NT Server Setup and initiate the emergency repair process in order to copy Smss.exe back to the \Winnt\System32 directory. To do this, you need the original Windows NT Server installation disks and CD-ROM.

You can use an emergency repair disk with Setup, but it is not required. If you do not supply an emergency repair disk, Setup will attempt to use the repair directory on the hard drive. An emergency repair disk created for one computer will not work on another computer. Use the following steps to rerun Setup and initiate the emergency repair process.

NOTE: The following steps assume that Windows NT is installed in a folder called \Winnt. Change the folder name as appropriate for your computer.

1. Restart the computer using the Windows NT Setup startup disk. When prompted, insert Windows NT Setup disk 2.

2. When the Windows NT Setup screen appears, type R to initiate the emergency repair process. Follow the instructions on screen to clear and select from the following:

         [ ] Inspect registry files
         [ ] Inspect startup environment
         [X] Verify Windows NT system files
         [ ] Inspect boot sector
         Continue (perform selected tasks)
   

   Select Verify Windows NT system files.

3. Select Continue (perform selected tasks) and press ENTER.

4. Press ENTER to continue detection of mass storage devices in your computer. When prompted, insert Setup disk 3 and press ENTER.

5. Press ENTER to continue without specifying additional mass storage devices in your computer. At the next screen, press ENTER to continue.

6. When prompted, insert your Emergency Repair disk and press ENTER. If you do not have an Emergency Repair disk, Windows NT will use the Repair folder on your hard drive.

7. Setup asks if you want your hard disks examined for corruption. Because the purpose of this repair is to copy Smss.exe back into the \Winnt\System32 folder, you can press ESC to skip disk verification.

8. The emergency repair process will check the date and time of files on your computer to determine if they are the original files copied by the Windows NT Server installation. Because Service Pack 4 is installed, Setup prompts you to replace many files, but Smss.exe is the only file you need to copy. When Setup prompts you to replace a file, press ESC to bypass the replacement for all files except Smss.exe.

9. Press ENTER to restart your computer.

MORE INFORMATION

A setup program sometimes attempts to upgrade system files. Because it cannot overwrite files when they are in use, Setup copies the new files as temporary files to a temporary location, and creates new Windows registry entries detailing which files need to be deleted or overwritten. When you restart your computer, Smss.exe reads the registry files and performs those actions.

The version of Smss.exe in Windows NT 3.51 Service Pack 4 does not perform its task correctly, so the dbWeb 1.1 and 1.1a Setup program compares the date and time on the current Smss.exe file to the one in its compressed archive. If the latter file has a more recent date and time, the Setup program prompts you whether you want to install a patch to NT 3.51 SP4.

This works fine in the initial release of dbWeb 1.1. However, with dbWeb 1.1a, the Smss.exe file location in the Setup program's compressed archive was changed because it caused a problem during the digital signing process (necessary for all downloads from the www.microsoft.com Internet address). The setup script, however, does not reflect the change in location, and it expects to find Smss.exe in its old location. During setup, if you choose to install the patch to Windows NT 3.51 SP4, the dbWeb 1.1a Setup program schedules the renaming of the old Smss.exe, but does not copy the new Smss.exe because it cannot find it in its compressed archive.

Upon restart, Windows NT cannot find Smss.exe, which is necessary for startup, so it displays the STOP message, "SESSION3_INITIALIZATION_FAILED."

Keywords          : DbwebInstall kberrmsg
Version           : 1.1
Platform          : WINDOWS
Hardware          : x86
Issue type        : kbprb