Windows NT May Hang With DEC Pathworks Installed

CAUSE

This problem occurs because DEC Pathworks for Windows NT acquires and releases spinlocks in reverse order in the NetBIOS over DECNet code. This causes the computer to hang when one CPU tries to acquire a lock still held by another CPU. The following is a simplified description of how this condition occurs:

1. On Processor 0, a DEC Pathworks for Windows NT routine acquires Lock A spinlock, and then, while holding Lock A, tries to acquire Lock B spinlock.
2. On Processor 1, a DEC Pathworks for Windows NT routine acquires Lock B spinlock, and then, while holding Lock B, tries to acquire Lock A spinlock.