BUG: VKD_API_Force_Key Can Cause Windows Crash

• Microsoft Windows Device Development Kit (DDK) for Windows version 3.0

SYMPTOMS

When a Windows-based application calls the virtual keyboard device (VKD) service VKD_API_Force_Key to simulate keystrokes into a virtual 8086-mode MS-DOS session without requesting a simulated change in shift state, Windows crashes.

RESOLUTION

This problem may be avoided by either of two methods:

• Request a change in shift state each time this service is used

  -or-

• Modify the VKD to eliminate the problem.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows version 3.0. We are researching this problem and will post new information here as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

The remainder of this article describes the required changes to the VKD source code to enable this service to work correctly without requesting a change in the shift state.

If VKD_API_Force_Key is called with DX set to -1 (which indicates that this API should not make a simulated change in shift state), the logic flow is such that the scan code (AL register) and the repeat count (ECX register) will not get initialized. This causes a keyboard hardware buffer overflow and a system crash.

To correct this situation, make the following three changes to the VKD source module VKD.ASM, which is included with the Windows Device Development Kit (DDK) in the \VXD\VKD directory:

1. Move the label at line 2293 (afk_no_ss:) up to line 2289, to include the lines that set the register values for the AL and ECX registers.

2. Insert a new label name (such as afk_put_keys:) at line 2293.

3. Change line 2302 to loop to the new label. This might read:

         loop    afk_put_keys
   
   

1. Build the VKD virtual driver (this will create a VKD.386 file).

2. Copy VKD.386 to the Windows system directory (by default this is the \WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory).

3. Modify the SYSTEM.INI file to change the "keyboard=*vkd" under the [386enh] section to read:

         keyboard=VKD.386
   

4. Exit Windows and restart. The corrected VKD will be loaded.