WOW Environment Remains in Memory After Quitting 16-Bit Program

ID: Q181333

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0
Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0
Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition version 4.0
Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server

SUMMARY

When you start a 16-bit program on a computer running Windows NT, the Ntvdm.exe and Wowexec.exe processes start. After you quit the 16-bit program, the Ntvdm.exe and Wowexec.exe processes remain in memory.

MORE INFORMATION

This behavior is a design feature of Windows NT. The Ntvdm.exe and Wowexec.exe processes remain in memory in case you start another 16-bit program. Leaving the Windows-On-Windows (WOW) environment (which consists of the Ntvdm.exe and Wowexec.exe processes) in memory improves performance.

The WOW environment is not loaded when you start Windows NT. It is loaded when you first start a 16-bit program.

Additional query words: subsystem 16bit

Keywords : ntgeneral NTSrvWkst
Version : WINDOWS:2000; winnt:4.0
Platform : WINDOWS winnt
Issue type : kbinfo