Windows 2000-based COM server stops responding after you install MS04-012 (842070)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server

SYMPTOMS

After you install the MS04-012 cumulative update for Microsoft remote procedure call (RPC) and for DCOM, your Microsoft Windows 2000-based Component Object Model (COM) server becomes unresponsive. CPU usage increases to 100 percent and remains there. Client programs that use DCOM cannot make calls to the server.

CAUSE

This problem occurs if the LRPC_ASSOCIATION object sequence number and the dictionary location combine to form a local procedure call (LPC) port context that is equal to zero. The LPC port context is defined by the LPC PortContext parameter. An LPC port context is set to zero when both the sequence number and the location in the dictionary are equal to zero.

When the port context is equal to zero, LPC supplies its own port context. In this case, the server cannot find the associated LRPC_ASSOCIATION object when the server receives a reply to an RPC message. Therefore, the response to the client is discarded. Because the client never receives the response, the RPC call is not completed, and the DCOM call is unsuccessful. In this scenario, the number of threads builds up until the computer runs out of virtual memory.

RESOLUTION

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that this article describes. Apply it only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem.

To resolve this problem, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services telephone 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 usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

Prerequisites

This hotfix requires Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 or later.

Restart requirement

You must restart your computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace any other hotfixes.

File information

The English version of this hotfix 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
   ---------------------------------------------------------
   11-Mar-2004  21:29  5.0.2195.6906     954,640  Ole32.dll        
   12-May-2004  22:05  5.0.2195.6922     435,984  Rpcrt4.dll       
   11-Mar-2004  21:29  5.0.2195.6906     211,728  Rpcss.dll

STATUS

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

MORE INFORMATION

The RPC store sends and receives LPC messages to perform RPC calls. When the RPC store receives an LPC message, it must have a method to uniquely identify the source of the message. Each open LPC port has a PortContext parameter that is associated with it. The PortContext parameter is a 32-bit number that uniquely identifies the LPC port. This provides a trace to the program that opens the LPC port.

The RPC stores the state that is associated with an LPC port in a LRPC_ASSOCIATION object. When the RPC store receives an LPC message, it uses the upper 16 bits of the message to find the corresponding LRPC_ASSOCIATION object in the internal store. The internal store is also referred to as a dictionary because it is a mapping between keys and objects. The lower half of the port context is the sequence number of the association. For additional information about the MS04-012 cumulative update, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

828741 MS04-012: Cumulative update for Microsoft RPC/DCOM

For additional information about how hotfix packages are named, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

816915 New naming schema for Microsoft Windows hotfix packages

824684 Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:6/1/2006
Keywords:kbQFE kbHotfixServer kbBug kbfix kbWin2000preSP5fix KB842070 kbAudITPRO
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