>Number: 5108 >Category: os-windows >Synopsis: When run as a Windows "Service," can fail to autostart, >hanging the whole system >Confidential: no >Severity: critical >Priority: medium >Responsible: apache >State: open >Class: sw-bug >Submitter-Id: apache >Arrival-Date: Wed Oct 6 11:50:00 PDT 1999 >Last-Modified: >Originator: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Organization: apache >Release: 1.3.9 >Environment: Windows NT Workstation 4.0sp4 Binary distribution of Apache, from www.apache.org Other services running: Albd Alerter Apache Browser ClipSrv DHCP HCLInetd HCLNFS LanmanServer LanmanWorkstation LmHosts Messenger Mvfs NetBIOS NetBT NetDDE NetDDEdsdm Netlogon ParVdm Parallel ProtectedStorage RPCLOCATOR RasArp RasAuto RasMan RemoteAccess Replicator TimeServ bh nmagent ol_mpjackr >Description: First observed in 1.3.6 (my first Apache ever); confirmed in 1.3.9.
When run as an autostarted service, Apache can fail to start, virtually hanging the system (each mouse-click takes one to three _minutes_ to resolve). Cause: as of SP4, a service needs to specify what other services need to be started before it. As of WinNT/4.0sp4, Windows is no longer reliably getting this right unless you provide the hints. This won't cause trouble for everyone, it might not even cause trouble for you every time, because the new start order is something rather like random, unless you provide the hints . For reference, see the Microsoft web-site (which, in standard Microsoft style, says "SP4 changed things; ask your application vendor to fix their application"): < http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q197/2/86.ASP > >How-To-Repeat: Repeatability is hard: lacking the DependOnService hint, the start order seems to be pretty much random - probably a function of system load, mix of other things starting at the same time, etc. In my experience, anyway, if a given system is susceptible to the problem, then it's 100% repeatable: reboot the system, try to log in, it essentially hangs (each mouse-click takes several _minutes_ to resolve, many minutes after the boot up you begin to get "can't start" complaints from many services; system remains hung indefinitely. In this state, with much patience, it should be possible to get to the Services control panel and disable Apache. You'll still have to reboot to clear the behavior. >Fix: The hints go into the registry entry HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Apache key "DependOnService" The value is of type REG_MULTI_SZ. If you're making the entry by hand, it's easiest to use regedt32 (which includes an editor for this data type). Create the key if it doesn't already exist, and give it the three values (one per line, order not important, case not important): TcpIp, RpcSs, and Afd. (I'm not equally sure of all three of those entries: I'm quite sure Apache needs TcpIp, but I'm also quite sure that's not enough. I got the other two by comparing to other services that also need TcpIp; I kind of doubt that Apache needs Rpc, actually, and I have no clue what Afd is, to tell the truth. But the problem remains with TcpIp only, and goes away with all three, so there you go. The only danger in specifying too many would be if you have some reason not to start one of them, or it fails; then Apache would never even try to start.) If you're doing it by script, put this into some file whose name ends in ".reg", such as "Apach.reg" (leave out the "Begin/End" stuff): >Audit-Trail: >Unformatted: [In order for any reply to be added to the PR database, you need] [to include <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> in the Cc line and make sure the] [subject line starts with the report component and number, with ] [or without any 'Re:' prefixes (such as "general/1098:" or ] ["Re: general/1098:"). If the subject doesn't match this ] [pattern, your message will be misfiled and ignored. The ] ["apbugs" address is not added to the Cc line of messages from ] [the database automatically because of the potential for mail ] [loops. If you do not include this Cc, your reply may be ig- ] [nored unless you are responding to an explicit request from a ] [developer. Reply only with text; DO NOT SEND ATTACHMENTS! ] >>>>>>>>>Begin Apache.reg<<<<<<<<< REGEDIT4 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Apache] "DependOnService"=hex(7):54,63,70,49,70,00,41,66,64,00,52,70,63,53,73,00,00 "DependOnGroup"=hex(7):00 >>>>>>>>>End Apache.reg<<<<<<<<< Double-click that, and the resource will be created.
