Running PKZIP Hangs WFW or Windows NT MS-DOS Command Prompt

• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 3.5
• Microsoft Windows NT Server version 3.5
• Microsoft Windows for Workgroups version 3.11

SYMPTOMS

When you run MS-DOS Command Prompt on a computer running Windows for Workgroups or Windows NT, and then run PKZIP.EXE from a Windows NT read- only network drive to compress a large file (ten megabytes or larger), your MS-DOS Command Prompt may stop responding (hang).

CAUSE

PKZIP is attempting to create a temporary file. When the MS-DOS create unique file API is executed at a network drive with read-only privileges, the Windows NT server service returns SMB access denied. This problem occurs under Windows for Workgroups because the Windows NT workstation service does not handle the SMB access denied. This problem occurs under Windows NT because the Windows NT redirector does not correctly handle the SMB access denied. Because of these problems, the application does not terminate, and the API call repeatedly attempts to recreate random file names. This loop sends request to the server infinitely.

This problem occurs only when your read-only network drive is on a computer running Windows NT. For example, if the read-only drive is on a computer running Windows for workgroups, the server responds in a fashion which allows the application to return access denied to the user and the application halts. The Windows for Workgroups server returns SMB access denied: 2,4.

RESOLUTION

To work around this problem, run PKZIP from a local or network drive that provides both read and write privileges for the temporary files. To correct this problem under Windows for Workgroups, install the latest US Service Pack for Windows NT on the computer running Windows NT. To correct this problem, install the latest US Service Pack for Windows NT.

NOTE: SRV.SYS and RDR.SYS were changed to handle the SMB access denied return codes properly.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 3.5. This problem was corrected in the latest US Service Pack for Windows NT. For information on obtaining this update, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces):

   S E R V P A C K

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