Stop 0x0a Error in nt!ExpBoostOwnerThread() on Windows 2000 Server (321613)

SYMPTOMS

A Windows 2000-based computer under heavy stress may stop unexpectedly with the following error message:

STOP : 0x0000000a (0x00000063, 0x0000001c, 0x00000000, 0x80415026)

This problem was initially seen with Terminal Server installations, but it may occur on any Windows 2000 Server-based computer, under stress. The first argument is typically a low address (for example, 0 + 0x63 = 0x63). The fourth argument is always an address in the nt!ExpBoostOwnerThread() function.

The error may occur about one or two times every week for a production Terminal server. In the few minutes before the computer stops unexpectedly, the computer appears to be very slow for the Terminal server users.

CAUSE

The problem occurs in the following scenario:

A redirector thread tries to acquire a file control block (FCB) resource that is owned by another thread. The thread is blocked for a while.
Several Terminal server users may be blocked in this way. The users report that the Terminal server is very slow.
The CPU starvation avoidance mechanism is triggered to give the owner thread an opportunity to free that resource.
The computer tries to increase the priority of the owner thread; however, it stops unexpectedly (0x0a) in the nt!ExpBoostOwnerThread() function because the owner thread has already exited.

RESOLUTION

Service Pack Information

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Microsoft Windows 2000. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

260910 How to Obtain the Latest Windows 2000 Service Pack

Hotfix Information

A supported fix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Apply it only to computers that are experiencing this specific problem. This fix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Windows 2000 service pack that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

NOTE: In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The typical support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

The English version of this fix has the file attributes (or later) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.

  Date         Time    Version        Size     File name 
  ---------------------------------------------------------- 
  05-Nov-2002  14:35   5.0.2195.6114  371,536  Mrxsmb.sys 
  05-Nov-2002  14:35   5.0.2195.6114  132,944  Rdbss.sys

MORE INFORMATION

This problem has also been reported on Windows 2000-based servers (for example, servers that are running Internet Information Services [IIS]) that have Terminal Services turned off. Although this problem does not originate with Terminal Services, it is most likely to occur when Terminal Services is turned on.

For additional information about how to obtain a hotfix for Windows 2000 Datacenter Server, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

265173 The Datacenter Program and Windows 2000 Datacenter Server Product

For additional information about how to install multiple hotfixes with only one reboot, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

296861 How to Install Multiple Windows Updates or Hotfixes with Only One Reboot