Category Archives: Windows Vista

[RESOLVED] Your computer may stop responding when you run an application, Software Firewall or anti-virus package that uses the Windows Filtering Platform API

Your computer may stop responding when you run an application, Software Firewall or anti-virus package that uses the Windows Filtering Platform API

This issue affects the following operating systems:

  • Windows 7 – Service Pack 1
  • Windows Small Business Server 2011 – Service Pack 1
  • Windows SBS 2011 – Service Pack 1
  • Windows Server 2008 R2 – Service Pack 1
  • Windows Small Business Server 2008 – Service Pack 2
  • Windows SBS 2008 – Service Pack 2
  • Windows Server 2008 – Service Pack 2
  • Windows Vista – Service Pack 2

In this situation, the computer may perform slowly or stop responding and network activity may be affected.  You find that a system restart may resolve this issue in some instances.

This issue occurs because the FwpsStreamInjectAsync0 function causes the interrupt request level (IRQL) to leak.  You can resolve the issue by updating to the latest Netio.sys driver.  The download link can be found within Microsoft KB 2664888 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2664888

 

Windows Filtering Platform (WFP) General Description

Windows Filtering Platform (WFP) is a set of API and system services that provide a platform for creating network filtering applications. The WFP API allows developers to write code that interacts with the packet processing that takes place at several layers in the networking stack of the operating system. Network data can be filtered and also modified before it reaches its destination.

By providing a simpler development platform, WFP is designed to replace  previous packet filtering technologies such as Transport Driver Interface (TDI)  filters, Network Driver Interface Specification (NDIS) filters, and Winsock Layered Service Providers (LSP). Starting in Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista, the firewall hook and the filter hook drivers  are not available; applications that were using these drivers should use WFP instead.

With the WFP API, developers can implement firewalls, intrusion detection systems, antivirus programs, network monitoring tools, and parental controls. WFP integrates with and provides support for firewall features such as authenticated communication and dynamic firewall configuration based on applications’ use of sockets API (application-based policy). WFP also provides infrastructure for  IPsec policy management, change notifications, network diagnostics, and stateful filtering.

More info can be found here http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa366510(v=vs.85).aspx

 

HTTP and HTTPS requests or traffic to a Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, SBS 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2 or SBS 2011 machine may exhibit increased latency if the connection is through a network load balancer

If you utilise Microsoft Internet Information Services IIS or an application that uses the System.Net.HttpListener class is installed or running on one the operating systems below, and you have a Network Load Balancer then you may find that Increased latency occurs on HTTP and HTTPS requests and traffic.

This issue occurs because the HTTP and HTTPS requests from clients can include zero length data in the SSL records, certain server-side variables do not update correctly in this instance and Http.sys leaves the connection in the CLOSE_WAIT state.  This intern exhausts the open connection limit can introduce latency, timeouts and connection problems.

Affected Operating Systems:

Microsoft Windows Vista

Microsoft Windows 7

Microsoft Windows Server 2008

Microsoft Small Business Server 2008 – SBS 2008

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2

Microsoft Small Business Server 2011 – SBS 2011

The Microsoft Knowledge Base Article KB 2634328 includes further information on this issue and provides an updated version of Http.sys that corrects the issue http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2634328

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 and Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 DNS Server may stop responding to DNS queries and requests from client computers

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 and Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 DNS Server may stop responding to DNS queries and requests from client computers, this issue may occur randomly and when it is occuring the DNS Server stops responding.

This issue occurs because the DNS Server goes into an infinite loop, more information about this issue and a hotfix to address the issue is provided in Microsoft KB 2655960 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2655960

ATI / AMD Catalyst 12.2 Preview Driver

ATI / AMD have released the Catalyst 12.2 preview driver you can obtain the driver from here http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/Catalyst122Previewdriver.aspx

The AMD Catalyst™ 12.2 Preview includes all of the features found in AMD Catalyst™ 12.1, plus additional fixes that are not included in the AMD Catalyst 12.1 release.

Highlights of the AMD Catalyst™ 12.2 Preview Windows® release includes:

IMPROVEMENTS

  • AMD Eyefinity 2.1 technology enhancements
  • Additional resolution support:   Users can now choose from a larger set of resolutions when running AMD Eyefinity
  • Dynamic Configuration Changes:  Switching between different display configurations will occur automatically when physically plugging/un-plugging displays
  • HydraVision™ enhancements:  The Windows® Task bar can now be moved and resized based on users preference
  • Profile Manager improvements:  Increased support for Display Groups (including 5×1) and Extended configurations within the Profile Manager

RESOLVED ISSUES

Resolved Issues for the Windows® 7 Operating System

This section provides information on resolved known issues in this release of the AMD Catalyst™ 12.2 Preview software suite for Windows® 7. These include:

  • Call of Duty IV no longer displays random corruption when in DirectX® 9 more and the Edge Detect filter is enabled
  • A black screen is no longer occasionally displayed when running Portal 2 in 3D mode
  • All 3d Anti Aliasing settings are now correctly listed in the Vision Control Center
  • Morphological filtering settings are now correctly listed in the Vision Control Center
  • Civilization V no longer experiences random crashes when run in DirectX® 10 and DirectX® 11 modes
  • Enabling the ‘Edge Detect’ filter in Resident Evil 5 or Just Cause 2 no longer generates a random application crash
  • Battlefield 3 no longer hangs when MSAA is enabled
  • Saints Row III no longer experiences random hangs
  • Rage no longer experiences intermittent hangs when Crossfire is enabled
  • Dragon Age 2 textures no longer flicker when run in DirectX® 9 mode in Crossfire configurations with vsync enabled
  • Crysis Warhead and Battlefield Bad Company 2 no longer experience random crashes when Crossfire is enabled
  • Texture flickering is no longer experienced when playing Battlefield Bad Company 2 in DirectX® 11 mode

KNOWN ISSUES

Known issues under the Windows® 7 operating system

The following section provides a summary of open issues that may be experienced under the Windows® 7 operating system in the latest version of AMD Catalyst™. These include:

  • Vsync may be disabled after task switching when playing Rage
  • Skipping in game cinematics while playing Dragon Age 2 in DirectX® 11 mode may cause stuttering
  • Dirt 3 may experience flickering with Crossfire enabled and run in 3D stereo mode
  • Battlefield – Bad Company 2 may experience random flickering when run in DirectX® 11 mode

Known Issues under the Windows® Vista Operating System

The following section provides a summary of open issues that may be experienced under the Windows® Vista operating system in the latest version of AMD Catalyst™. These include:

  • Windows® Aero options may be missing after installing the latest driver