BLU: Deleted UNC Connection While In Use Causes an In-Page Error (172530)

SYMPTOMS

A computer running Windows NT Server 3.51 or Windows NT Workstation 3.51 may allow a universal naming convention (UNC) connection to be disconnected even though that UNC connection is required for other programs to run.

An application may experience an in-page i/o pop-up error message (0xC0000006) or the application may just quit because of a stack fault after the application attempts to handle the in-page errors.

CAUSE

This problem only occurs if the client requests that the connection be deleted. The redirector insures that there are no open file handles before deleting the connection, but in some cases there are references on file objects themselves and the connection is still deleted.

For example, if a shared copy of PowerPoint is installed on a network server, no other files are opened on the connection, and the user clicks Apply Design Template from the Format menu, PowerPoint will stop responding for a moment, then quit. In this case, Powerpoint requested that the template share be disconnected. That share happens to be the same one that PowerPoint.exe was carried out from.

RESOLUTION

The redirector has been modified to check for references on the file objects and will return an error that the device is in use when an attempt is made to disconnect the UNC connection.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 3.51.

A supported fix is now available, but has not been fully regression tested and should be applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem. Unless you are severely impacted by this specific problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Service Pack that contains this fix. Contact Microsoft Technical Support for more information.