Disabling System Hard Error Message Dialog Boxes

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Windows NT operating system version 3.1
• Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1
• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51 and 4.0
• Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51 and 4.0

SUMMARY

By default, you cannot configure Windows NT version 3.1 to suppress the display of system hard error messages. Under Windows NT version 3.5 and later, system hard error messages can be controlled using a Registry entry. This feature is available as a hotfix for customers using Windows NT version 3.1.

MORE INFORMATION

To modify the registry entry under Windows NT version 3.5 and later:

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious, system-wide problems that may require you to reinstall Windows NT to correct them. Microsoft cannot guarantee that any problems resulting from the use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use this tool at your own risk.

1. Run Registry Editor (REGEDT32.EXE).

2. From the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE subtree, go to the following key:

         \SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Windows\ErrorMode
   

3. Select the ErrorMode value.

4. From the Edit menu, choose DWORD.

5. Type 0 (zero), 1, or 2, to configure your system to handle system hard error dialog boxes.

   Value   Result
   -----   ----------------------------------------------------------------
     0     Errors are serialized and wait for a response.

     1     If the error does not come from the system, then the system
           continues in normal operating mode. If the error comes from the
           system, then it is written to the system log; no user
           intervention is required and dialog boxes are not displayed.

     2     The error is written to the system log; the dialog box is not
           displayed.

Although the hotfix implements some of this functionality under Windows NT version 3.1, the automatic logging of system hard errors to the system log could not be implemented. If you use this hotfix, hard error dialog boxes will be stopped, but the record of the error condition will not be written to the system log. As a result, you will not be able to tell that an error occurred. For this reason, Microsoft does not recommend installing this hotfix unless it is absolutely necessary.

For more information on what types of errors are controlled by the ErrorMode key, see the Windows NT 3.5 SDK SetErrorMode documentation. The Windows NT 3.5 SDK documentation explains the error types that are classified as hard errors. The ErrorMode registry value controls the same types of dialog boxes as SetErrorMode, and overrides any hard error settings made by applications calling SetErrorMode.

NOTE: Internal components that do not use the internal hard error routines to display dialog boxes are not affected by this key.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 3.1. A fix to this problem is available, but has not been regression-tested and may be destabilizing in production environments. Microsoft does not recommend implementing this fix at this time. Contact Microsoft Product Support Services for more information on the availability of this fix. This problem has been corrected in Windows NT version 3.5.