Handle leaks may occur in the Application Experience Lookup Service on a computer that is running Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 (922757)

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP1, when used with:
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Web Edition
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard x64 Edition
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise x64 Edition
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter x64 Edition

SYMPTOMS

On a computer that is running Microsoft Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 (SP1), handle leaks may occur in the Application Experience Lookup Service (AELookupSvc).

CAUSE

This problem may occur in scenarios where multiple processes are created at the same time. These processes require compatibility checks. The Application Experience Lookup Service performs a compatibility check every time that a process is created. This means that every time that a process is created, the Application Experience Lookup Service creates a work item.

In a scenario where the number of work items in the queue is more than the number of worker threads that process the work items in the queue, the Application Experience Lookup Service creates new worker threads. The new worker threads eventually exit but do not close their handles. Therefore, terminated threads are created. This situation causes handle leaks to occur.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

MORE INFORMATION

The Application Experience Lookup Service is a service that runs in the Svchost.exe process. When a process or program starts, the Application Experience Lookup Service determines whether the program or process requires compatibility updates. If no compatibility updates are required for the executable file, the executable file is cached.

Caching the executable file prevents the Application Experience Lookup Service from performing an unnecessary compatibility check the next time that the program or process starts. However, some executable files, such as Cmd.exe, are never cached. For more information about the Application Experience Lookup Service, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

902196 Description of the Application Experience Lookup Service in Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1

Modification Type:	Major	Last Reviewed:	7/27/2006
Keywords:	kbnofix kbtshoot kbBug kbExpertiseInter KB922757 kbAudITPRO