Windows NT May Hang With DEC Pathworks Installed

• Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51

SYMPTOMS

Windows NT servers with two or more CPUs and DEC Pathworks for Windows NT, versions 4.1 or 4.1b installed, stop responding (hang). No STOP message appears, and there no hardware or software errors are logged.

CAUSE

This problem occurs because DEC Pathworks for Windows NT acquires and releases spinlocks in reverse order in the NetBIOS over DECNet code. This causes the computer to hang when one CPU tries to acquire a lock still held by another CPU. The following is a simplified description of how this condition occurs:

1. On Processor 0, a DEC Pathworks for Windows NT routine acquires Lock A spinlock, and then, while holding Lock A, tries to acquire Lock B spinlock.



2. On Processor 1, a DEC Pathworks for Windows NT routine acquires Lock B spinlock, and then, while holding Lock B, tries to acquire Lock A spinlock.

STATUS

DEC Pathworks is currently testing a fix for this problem.



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Additional query words: 3.50 3.51 prodnt spin lock

Keywords : kb3rdparty kbnetwork ntnetserv NTSrv
Version : 3.50 3.51
Platform : winnt
Issue type :