Applications May Appear Hung or Unresponsive on Windows NT 4.0

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

SYMPTOMS

An application running on Windows NT 4.0 may appear to be in an unresponsive state, yet no apparent error has occurred.

CAUSE

A multithreaded application may use critical sections for thread synchronization. Failure by the application to release the critical section cleanly, or correctly handle a failed release, may result in it retaining a lock on this section. Windows NT will continue to retain this critical section lock because it has never been properly informed to release by the thread owner.

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

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