You cannot use the command history when you use the Remote Shell utility in Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4 or in Windows XP with Service Pack 2

When you use the Remote Shell utility (Rsh.exe) on a computer that is running Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2) or Microsoft Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4 (SP4), you may experience one of the following symptoms.

Windows XP with SP2

• You cannot use the command history. Additionally, you receive the following error message:
  Terminal read: The handle is invalid.
• You can use the command history under specific conditions. However, if you use the command history, the Remote Shell utility causes an endless loop. Additionally, if you copy a list of commands to the Remote Shell utility, an endless loop occurs.

Windows 2000 with SP4

• If you applied Windows 2000 post-SP4 hotfix version 5.0.2195.6927, you cannot use the command history. Additionally, you receive the following message:
  Terminal read: The handle is invalid.
  For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
  837090  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/837090/ ) Remote Shell (Rsh.exe) stops responding when you press any key on a Windows 2000-based computer
• You can use the command history under specific conditions. However, if you use the command history, the Remote Shell utility causes an endless loop. Additionally, if you copy a list of commands to the Remote Shell utility, an endless loop occurs.

Note When an endless loop occurs, the CPU usage is 100 percent, and the computer is unresponsive.

The problem occurs because the terminal input handler threads for the Remote Shell utility do not determine whether the command input has been redirected. The input handler function assumes that the input always comes from the console. However, the input can be redirected to other input streams.

Windows XP with SP2

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, submit a request to Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

No prerequisites are required.

Restart requirement

You do not have to restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace any other hotfixes.

File information

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.

Windows 2000

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, submit a request to Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

No prerequisites are required.

Restart requirement

You do not have to restart your computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace any other hotfixes.

File information

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

For more information, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: