Improper Shutdown Occurrence Is Reported in the Event Viewer System Log

ID: Q236949

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 4.0 SP4, 4.0 SP5
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 4.0 SP4, 4.0 SP5
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, make sure you understand how to restore it if a problem occurs. For information about how to do this, view the "Restoring the Registry" Help topic in Regedit.exe or the "Restoring a Registry Key" Help topic in Regedt32.exe.

SYMPTOMS

When you restart a computer running Windows NT after it has been shutdown using a utility (such as Shutdown.exe from the Windows NT resource kit) or method that calls the InitiateSystemShutdown() API (for example, remote shutdown), the following error message may appear in the Windows NT Event Viewer System log file:

Event ID: 6008
Source: Event Log
Description: The previous system shutdown at time on date was unexpected.


CAUSE

A remote shutdown issue using the InitiateSystemShutdown() API call was fixed in Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4. This fix introduced the symptom listed in this article.


RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0 or the individual software update. For information on obtaining the latest service pack, please go to:

For information on obtaining the individual software update, contact Microsoft Product Support Services. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information on support costs, please go to the following address on the World Wide Web:
http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/overview/overview.asp


STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT 4.0. This problem was first corrected in Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 6.


MORE INFORMATION

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys and Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it. If you are running Windows NT, you should also update your Emergency Repair Disk (ERD).

To prevent the improper shutdown event entry from being written to the Event Viewer system log:

  1. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).


  2. Locate the following registry key:


    3. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Reliability\LastAliveStamp
  3. On the Edit menu, click Add Value, and then add the following registry value:


    4. Value name: TimeStampInterval
    Data type: REG_DWORD
    Value: The number, in minutes, between time stamp events written to the log. Setting the value to 0 prevents the "last alive" time stamp from being logged. Only boot and normal shutdown events are then written to the log file.
  4. Quit Registry Editor.


Additional query words: dirty

Keywords : kberrmsg ntsp kbbug4.00 kbfix4.00 NT4SP6Fix
Version : winnt:4.0 SP4,4.0 SP5
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbbug


Last Reviewed: December 8, 1999
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