Dr. Watson Error When Starting Terminal Server Admin Utility (191254)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Terminal Server Edition
This article was previously published under Q191254

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

When you start the Terminal Server Administration utility from the Start/Programs/Administrative Tools menu, a Dr. Watson Access Violation error in Tsadmin.exe is generated.

Example: (text from Drwatson.log file)
Application exception occurred:
App: exe\tsadmin.dbg
When: 8/3/1998 @ 9:35:15.733
Exception number: c0000005 (access violation)

CAUSE

The registry setting for the InstallDate was set to 0 (zero).

RESOLUTION

This problem can be resolved by editing the registry and changing the value for the InstallDate to a valid value.

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.


To correctly configure the InstallDate, use the Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe) to edit the following registry key:

  1. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe) and locate the following registry subkey in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE subtree:

    \SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\InstallDate

  2. Select the InstallDate value and change it to a valid Hex Dword, representing an appropriate date and time, for example:

    • Sunday, January 01, 1995, 12:00:00 AM = 2f0636d0
    • Monday, January 01, 1996, 12:00:00 AM = 30e76a50
  3. Use the registry entry value from another computer.
  4. Write a small C program using ctime to calculate the exact value.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition version 4.0.

MORE INFORMATION

The installation of hotfixes on Terminal Server can also cause the Dr. Watson error because of the missing value of Installed On. Tsadmin.exe enumerates the Hotfix key to get the information regarding hotfixes installed on the system. The absence of the Installed On value can cause Dr. Watson errors, too.

Check the following information in the registry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Hotfix\Q Article Number
Add Value: Installed On
Data Type: REG_DWORD
Data: 0x0

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:6/24/2004
Keywords:kbbug kbpending kbprb KB191254
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