BUG: GP Fault in Comctl32.dll with IE 4.0 Installed

Article ID: Q176349

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Internet Explorer (Programming) version 4.0

SYMPTOMS

You might receive one of the following GP Fault when updating toolbar buttons in any Application:

   The instruction at "70dc2ad4" referenced memory at "0x0000008." The memory
   could not be "read."

-or-

   <Application Name> caused an exception 03H in module KERNEL32.DLL at
   0137:BF767D8.

This typically happens when you remove a button by dragging it off the toolbar.

CAUSE

When dragging a button off the toolbar, you need to delete the button because it will no longer appear. When the button is released, a ButtonUp Message is handled by COMCTL32. You send an EndDrag message and continue processing the Button Up Message. Your EndDrag routine should be where the Delete Button code exists so that when it returns to the ButtonUp Message code you do not have a button object anymore. The NULL button then tries to get de-referenced and this causes the GP Fault.

RESOLUTION

A supported fix that corrects this problem is now available from Microsoft, but it has not been fully regression tested and should be applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem. If you are not severely affected by this specific problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Microsoft Internet Explorer version 4.0 service pack that contains this fix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information on support costs, please go to the following address on the World Wide Web:

   http://support.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/default.asp

The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later:

For Windows NT 4.0:

   Date      Version      Size           File name     
   -------

   11/17/97  4.72.2106.4  462,608 bytes  COMCTL32.DLL

For Windows 95:

   Date      Version      Size           File name     
   -------

   11/17/97  4.72.2106.4  449,296 bytes  COMCTL32.DLL

This hotfix has been posted to the following Internet location as 40COMUPD.EXE:

   ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/softlib/mslfiles/40COMUPD.EXE

Both Comctl32.dll files have been combined in a self-installing archive at this FTP location. Simply download the following file and execute it to install the correct Comctl32.dll automatically on the operating system you are using:

   Date      Version      Size           File name     
   -------

   11/30/97 4.71.0603.0 503,824 bytes  40COMUPD.EXE

NOTE: Service Pack 3 must be applied to Windows NT 4.0 prior to applying this fix.

NOTE: If this product was already installed on your computer when you purchased it from the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and you need this fix, please call the Pay Per Incident number listed on the above Web site. If you contact Microsoft to obtain this fix, a fee may be charged. This fee is refundable if it is determined that you only require the fix you requested. However, this fee is non-refundable if you request additional technical support, if your no-charge technical support period has expired, or if you are not eligible for standard no-charge technical support.

For more information about eligibility for no-charge technical support, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   Q154871 Determining If You Are Eligible for No-Charge Technical Support

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in Internet Explorer version 4.0.

REFERENCES

For additional information, please see the following article(s) in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   Q186176 INFO: Redistribution of COMCTL32.dll

Additional query words:

Keywords          : kberrmsg kbIE400bug 
Version           : WINDOWS:4.0
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix