microsoft / microsoft/terminal

AllocConsole failing with ERROR_GEN_FAILURE as a service in rare cases

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Area-Server Issue-Bug Product-Conhost
Dominant language
C++
Stars
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Forks
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Avg merge
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Merged PRs (30d)
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Description

We have a software package running on thousands of Windows machines from XP onward. In 2 cases we have received a bug report that the users application fails to call AllocConsole with error code ERROR_GEN_FAILURE. This has been seen once on a Windows Server 2008 system and the second on a Windows Server 2012 system. In both cases the error was encountered while running as a Service.
The error message is "A device attached to the system is not functioning. (0x1f)"

Unfortunately we have not been able to reproduce this on any other systems. It happens 100% of the time of the failing system however.

I was able to find any documentation that shows this as a possible error.
Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

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Research direction

Start with the AllocConsole call and the reported ERROR_GEN_FAILURE (0x1f) when running as a service on Windows Server 2008 or 2012. Establish a reproducible failing environment and determine whether the behavior is documented or expected; done would be a confirmed cause and a documented resolution or reproduction gap.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
cpp
Domain
cli, operating-systems
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Needs clarification
Newbie friendliness
15/100

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