Knowledge Base

Systems with 4 GB or More of RAM Cannot Boot Windows NT 4.0

Article ID: 160392

Article Last Modified on 11/1/2006

Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Developer Edition
Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Standard Edition

This article was previously published under Q160392

SYMPTOMS

Systems with 4 GB or more of RAM will fail to boot. The system fails with a stop message 0x0000003f NO_MORE_SYSTEM_PTES.

WORKAROUND

This has been fixed in Ntoskrnl.exe in Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 2 and later.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 4.00. This problem has been corrected in the latest U.S. Service Pack for Windows NT version 4.00. For information on obtaining the Service Pack, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces):

S E R V P A C K

MORE INFORMATION

Windows NT 4.0 may also not install on a computer with 4 GB of RAM installed. A STOP 0x0000003f may occur during installation. To resolve this issue, use the following methods:

Remove 2 GB of the physical RAM, install Windows NT, apply SP3, and then reinstall the physical RAM.

If the STOP 0x0000003f occurs during the GUI-mode portion of Setup, the installation can be halted immediately prior to the GUI mode portion and the /maxmem switch can be used in the Boot.ini file. For additional information about this switch, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
108393 MAXMEM Option in Windows NT BOOT.INI File

Additional query words: prodnt 0x0000003f RAM OUT_OF_PTES

Keywords: kbprb kbsetup KB160392