"Error-Handler" process shows up periodically in task manager -> what is it, where is it?

"Error-Handler" process shows up periodically in task manager -> what is it, where is it?

This question pertains to a win-NT4 server system, but I'm posting
here because (a) I don't see too many microsoft NT4 news groups, and
(b) I would guess that this issue would have the same answer as
win-2K.

Basically, this is a system running NT4 server.  It runs in a basement
machine room, and can run for weeks without anyone checking on it.

I noticed last night that it was performing periodic heavy disk access
- about 1 minute of continuous disk access every 5 minutes.

During the 1 minute of disk access, I see this process in the task
manager:

Image Name:  Error-Handler
PID: 282, 290, (I guess this is not important)
CPU:  90% +
memory usage: 2 to 6 Mb (seems to fluctuate)

When disk access stops, that process goes away.

When I look at the various logs in the event viewer, I see no entries
related to an error condition.

How can I track down what error or condition is causing this process?

(please post any responses - the e-mail I'm using for this post is
bogus)

Thanks.

date: Sun, 18 May 2008 11:44:57 -0400 author: NT Guy

Re: "Error-Handler" process shows up periodically in task manager -> what is it, where is it?

From the "Run" box
drwtsn32
then in the "Application Errors" box highlight the error and "View" to see 
the log file.


This article may help you.

Interpreting the DrWtsn32.log File to Identify Program Crash Data
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[LN];246084



-- 

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

"NT Guy" wrote:
> This question pertains to a win-NT4 server system, but I'm posting
> here because (a) I don't see too many microsoft NT4 news groups, and
> (b) I would guess that this issue would have the same answer as
> win-2K.
>
> Basically, this is a system running NT4 server.  It runs in a basement
> machine room, and can run for weeks without anyone checking on it.
>
> I noticed last night that it was performing periodic heavy disk access
> - about 1 minute of continuous disk access every 5 minutes.
>
> During the 1 minute of disk access, I see this process in the task
> manager:
>
> Image Name:  Error-Handler
> PID: 282, 290, (I guess this is not important)
> CPU:  90% +
> memory usage: 2 to 6 Mb (seems to fluctuate)
>
> When disk access stops, that process goes away.
>
> When I look at the various logs in the event viewer, I see no entries
> related to an error condition.
>
> How can I track down what error or condition is causing this process?
>
> (please post any responses - the e-mail I'm using for this post is
> bogus)
>
> Thanks.

date: Sun, 18 May 2008 11:32:35 -0600 author: Dave Patrick

Re: "Error-Handler" process shows up periodically in task manager -> what is it, where is it?

Dave Patrick wrote:

> From the "Run" box
> drwtsn32
> then in the "Application Errors" box highlight the error and
> "View" to see the log file.
> 
> This article may help you.

Thanks.

Turns out that the dr-watson log file on the system in question is
about 10k in size and has a date-stamp of 2006.  There appears to be
one error listing contained in that file, and it's occurrance date
matches the date-stamp of the file.

I think what was happening was that the SMTP server software running
on the machine was crunching through a static list of undeliverable
e-mails every 5 minutes, and appending to an error file for each
message each time a retry attempt was made (which was set to 300
seconds, or 5 minutes).

I cleared that list, but haven't checked to see if the behavior
stopped (but I'm betting it has).

date: Sun, 18 May 2008 17:31:52 -0400 author: NT Guy

Re: "Error-Handler" process shows up periodically in task manager -> what is it, where is it?

You're welcome.

-- 

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

"NT Guy" wrote:
> Thanks.
> 
> Turns out that the dr-watson log file on the system in question is
> about 10k in size and has a date-stamp of 2006.  There appears to be
> one error listing contained in that file, and it's occurrance date
> matches the date-stamp of the file.
> 
> I think what was happening was that the SMTP server software running
> on the machine was crunching through a static list of undeliverable
> e-mails every 5 minutes, and appending to an error file for each
> message each time a retry attempt was made (which was set to 300
> seconds, or 5 minutes).
> 
> I cleared that list, but haven't checked to see if the behavior
> stopped (but I'm betting it has).

date: Sun, 18 May 2008 15:42:26 -0600 author: Dave Patrick