Access Violation in LSASS When Logging on System

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

SYMPTOMS

When logging on to a computer immediately after restarting it, you receive an access violation in Lsass.exe that causes the security subsystem to fail, rendering the computer inoperable until you restart it. The error occurs only if you log on immediately after the CTR+ALT+DEL prompt appears. If you wait a few minutes, the logon attempt will be successful.

CAUSE

A timing issue that prevents Netlogon from reading the cached domain list from the registry causes this error. Netlogon fails to obtain a handle to the registry, and then attempts to use the uninitialized handle to read in a value, causing the access violation.

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.

Additional query words: hang dr. watson

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