Systems Management Server 2003 Software Distribution may run a 16-bit program multiple times on a Windows Server 2003-based client computer (829830)
The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003
SYMPTOMSYou can use the Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS)
2003 Software Distribution feature to run a 16-bit program on a Microsoft
Windows Server 2003-based computer that is configured as an SMS 2003 client.
When you do this, the SMS Software Distribution feature may try to run the
16-bit program multiple times.CAUSEThis problem occurs on SMS 2003 Legacy Clients and on SMS
2003 Advanced Clients that are installed on Windows Server 2003-based
computers. By default, all 16-bit programs run under the same instance of
Virtual DOS Machine (Ntvdm.exe) on Windows Server 2003. If Ntvdm.exe is already
active on the Windows Server 2003-based computer, SMS 2003 cannot monitor the
16-bit program. SMS 2003 treats this error as a non-fatal error and tries to
run this program again after a scheduled time. By default, the scheduled time
is 10 minutes. When SMS 2003 runs the 16-bit program again, multiple instances
of the program appear to be running if the program continues to run for more
than 10 minutes.WORKAROUNDTo work around this problem, run the 16-bit program with the
cmd /c command. For example, right
click a program in an existing package in the SMS Administrator Console, click
Properties, type cmd /c
16-bit program file name.exe
in the Command line input box on the program properties dialog
box, and then click OK.
Note If you use cmd with the /c switch, you force Ntvdm.exe to automatically quit as soon as the
16-bit program quits. Therefore, SMS 2003 can monitor when the program starts
and quits. However, SMS 2003 may not receive the exact exit code of the
program.STATUSMicrosoft
has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed
in the "Applies to" section.MORE INFORMATIONDepending on the operating system, all 16-bit programs may
start in the same instance of Ntvdm.exe. When an instance of Ntvdm.exe is
already active, Microsoft Windows 2000-based computers and Microsoft Windows
XP-based computers create a new instance of Ntvdm.exe for each 16-bit program.
However, Windows Server 2003 runs all 16-bit programs in a single instance of
Ntvdm.exe.
| Modification Type: | Minor | Last Reviewed: | 6/13/2005 |
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| Keywords: | kbnofix kbBug KB829830 kbAudITPRO |
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