Application Using SetOwner May Hang Windows NT User Interface

• Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0
• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0
• Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0, Terminal Server Edition

SYMPTOMS

An application runs under Windows NT and the computer appears to stop responding (hang). The user interface is frozen and it does not respond to mouse and keyboard input.

The computer can still be accessed from the network, but you are unable to start services that require a new process to be started.

CAUSE

The application used the Win32 API SetOwner and defined window_1 to be owned by window_2, but also window_2 to be owned by window_1. When looking for the top-level window of the hierarchy (the one without an owner), the Win32 subsystem runs into an endless loop.

The ownership relations created by the applications will render the application unusable for the operating system, but must not cause the User Interface to hang.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0 or Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q152734 How to Obtain the Latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. This problem was first corrected in Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition Service Pack 4.

Keywords : NT4SP4Fix kbbug4.00 kbfix4.00.sp4 nt32ap NTSrvWkst
Version : WinNT:4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbbug