MS-DOS Application Using Novell IPX API May Leak Memory in NTVDM

• 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

You have an MS-DOS application running under Windows NT 4.0. The application uses Novell IPX API to talk to its communication partners. When the application runs for a long time, you find that virtual memory consumption of Ntvdm.exe is steadily increasing.

The sample application IPXPNG from the Novell API also shows this behavior, but it leaks very slowly.

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.

MORE INFORMATION

Using a modified IPXPNG application, you see a leak of 6 bytes per execution, calling the functions in a tight loop:

IPXListenForPacket
IPXCancelEvent

Additional query words: novel

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