16-bit Windows-based Applications Keystroke Causes System Hang

• Microsoft Windows NT operating system version 3.1
• Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1

SUMMARY

Windows NT may occasionally stop responding (hang) when the ALT+F4+F6 keys are pressed simultaneously for a 16-bit Windows-based application. If these keys are pressed while the application is being loaded, a system failure may occur. A failure can also occur when you choose Save As from the File menu and press ALT+F4+F6 when new data has not been saved. Windows-based applications such as Microsoft Word for Windows, version 2.0a, and Microsoft Excel can also produce these failures. This problem is most common on keyboards that have the function keys located on the left side of the keyboard, in which case, the F4 and F6 keys may easily be pressed simultaneously by accident.

CAUSE

WOWEXEC produces a kernel-level failure through the Windows NT 32-bit subsystem.

RESOLUTION

An updated WINSRV.DLL file corrects this problem (on Intel x86 Microsoft Windows NT 3.1 installations). This file is available through Microsoft Electronic Services including CompuServe (WINNT forum Library2: Patches and Updates) and the Internet (GoWinNT.Microsoft.Com: Bussys\winnt\unsup-ed\fixes\WinSrv\*.*). The file available on these services, WINSRV.EXE, is a self-extracting archive.

To replace the WINSRV.DLL file, do the following:

WARNING: If this file becomes corrupt when installed on NTFS, the

         system may fail to start. If possible, test this file on
         a FAT partition of a test system.