Changing Default Permissions Causes STOP 0xC000021A (137400)



The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.5
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.51
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.5
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.51

This article was previously published under Q137400

SYMPTOMS

When you start Microsoft Windows NT the following STOP error message appears:
STOP 0xC000021A {Fatal System Error}
The Windows Logon Process system process terminated
unexpectedly with a status of 0xC0000022 (0x00000000 0x00000000)
The system has been shutdown.

After Windows NT dumps system memory to disk, the computer restarts and the same STOP message reappears.

CAUSE

The file and directory permissions may have been changed on the system root (%SystemRoot%) directory or its subdirectories. Several combinations of permissions may cause this behavior. For example, if you set file permissions to Read/Execute or Read-only in the system root directory and all its subdirectories, the behavior above occurs.

RESOLUTION

To correct this behavior:
  1. Install Windows NT to another directory and start the new version of Windows NT.
  2. Reset the file and directory permissions of the original Windows NT %SystemRoot% directory to the following default permissions:

    NTFS Partition
    --------------

    Change for the Everyone Group
  3. Quit the second installation of Windows NT.
  4. Restart the original version of Windows NT.
  5. Remove the second installation of Windows NT.

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:12/16/2003
Keywords:kbenv KB137400