Error 87 and Dr. Watson

 Last reviewed: October 31, 1997
Article ID: Q162623
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.51 and 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.51 and 4.0

SUMMARY

When you run an application, it aborts, and the Dr. Watson popup appears with the following dialog: 

   Could not attach to the application.
   Windows NT error code = 87

   -or-

   Windows NT Error Code 87
Then Dr. Watson opens and creates a log file. When the user opens the log file there is no special entry in the log file except that : 

   The Error reported is

   Could not Attach to the application
   Windows NT Error Code 87

MORE INFORMATION

This error is the result of an application terminating itself uncleanly and producing an access violation, or it is being terminated by another application that controls it. The error 87 results because this process is experiencing an error worthy of Dr. Watson's attention, but the process is shutting down before Dr. Watson can access it to gather debug information.

Since Dr. Watson does not attach itself to the application no debugging information is available in the log file.

This error is not the result of Windows NT closing down the application.

Additional query words: prodnt fail
Keywords : debugref nt32ap nthowto NTSrvWkst kbusage
Version : 3.51 4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbtshoot

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Last reviewed: October 31, 1997
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