Err Msg: "The Handle is Invalid" with Console Applications

 Last reviewed: May 15, 1997
Article ID: Q113941

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT operating system version 3.1
  • Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1

SYMPTOMS

Some console applications that spawn processes with handle inheritance do not work correctly. For example, the Mortice and Kerns MKS Toolkit Korn Shell fails when it attempts to pipe commands together with this statement: 

   ls | pg
and dislays the error message: 

   The handle is invalid.

CAUSE

This is a timing problem: the first process terminates before the second process can duplicate its handles.

RESOLUTION

Corrections were made to BASESRV.DLL, CSRSRV.DLL, and WINSRV.DLL to assure that console handles are duplicated properly.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT and Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1. This problem has been corrected in the latest U.S. Service Pack for Windows NT and Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1. For information on obtaining the Service Pack, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces): 

   S E R V P A C K

Additional query words: prodnt
Keywords : kb3rdparty kbbug3.10 nt32ap
Version : 3.1
Platform : WINDOWS

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Last reviewed: May 15, 1997
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