The Group Policy Client service crashes on a terminal server that is running Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2 when multiple users connect to the server at the same time

Applies To
Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Windows Server 2008 Standard Windows Server 2008 Datacenter Windows Server 2008 Datacenter without Hyper-V Windows Server 2008 Enterprise without Hyper-V Windows Server 2008 Foundation Windows Server 2008 Standard without Hyper-V Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-Based Systems Windows Server 2008 R2 Foundation Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard Windows Server 2008 R2 Web Edition

Symptoms

Consider the following scenario:

  • You install the Terminal Services role on a computer that is running Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2.
  • You join the terminal server to a domain.
  • Some Group Policy preference settings are configured in the domain and will be applied to the Terminal server.
  • Multiple users create Terminal Services sessions with the terminal server at the same time.

In this scenario, the Group Policy Client service crashes on the terminal server. When this occurs, users cannot log on to the terminal server.

Cause

This issue occurs because of a thread synchronization issue in the Group Policy Client service. Specifically, this issue is triggered when multiple threads try to access a static object at the same time.

Resolution

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing the problem described in this article. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.

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, contact 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 website:

http:⁠//support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support 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

To apply this hotfix, your computer must be running Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 (SP2) or Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1).

For more information about how to obtain a Windows Server 2008 service pack, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

968849 How to obtain the latest service pack for Windows Server 2008

For more information about how to obtain a Windows Server 2008 R2 service pack, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

976932 Information about Service Pack 1 for Windows 7 and for Windows Server 2008 R2

Registry information

To use the hotfix in this package, you do not have to make any changes to the registry.

Restart requirement

You must restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace a previously released hotfix.

File information

The global version of this hotfix installs files that have the attributes that are listed in the following tables. The dates and the times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The dates and the times for these files on your local computer are displayed in your local time together with your current daylight saving time (DST) bias. Additionally, the dates and the times may change when you perform certain operations on the files.

Windows Server 2008 file information notes

Important Windows Vista hotfixes and Windows Server 2008 hotfixes are included in the same packages. However, only "Windows Vista" is listed on the Hotfix Request page. To request the hotfix package that applies to one or both operating systems, select the hotfix that is listed under "Windows Vista" on the page. Always refer to the "Applies To" section in articles to determine the actual operating system that each hotfix applies to.

  • The files that apply to a specific product, SR_Level (RTM, SPn), and service branch (LDR, GDR) can be identified by examining the file version numbers as shown in the following table.

    Version Product SR_Level Service branch
    6.0.600
    2.
    22xxx
    Windows Server 2008 SP2 LDR
  • The MANIFEST files (.manifest) and the MUM files (.mum) that are installed for each environment are listed separately in the "Additional file information for Windows Server 2008 and for Windows Vista" section. MUM files and MANIFEST files, and the associated security catalog (.cat) files, are extremely important to maintaining the state of the updated component. The security catalog files, for which the attributes are not listed, are signed with a Microsoft digital signature.

For all supported x86-based versions of Windows Server 2008

File name File version File size Date Time Platform
Gpprefcl.dll 6.0.6002.22746 647,680 24-Nov-2011 15:33 x86

For all supported x64-based versions of Windows Server 2008

File name File version File size Date Time Platform
Gpprefcl.dll 6.0.6002.22746 846,848 24-Nov-2011 15:25 x64
Gpprefcl.dll 6.0.6002.22746 647,680 24-Nov-2011 15:33 x86

Windows Server 2008 R2 file information notes

Important Windows 7 hotfixes and Windows Server 2008 R2 hotfixes are included in the same packages. However, hotfixes on the Hotfix Request page are listed under both operating systems. To request the hotfix package that applies to one or both operating systems, select the hotfix that is listed under "Windows 7/Windows Server 2008 R2" on the page. Always refer to the "Applies To" section in articles to determine the actual operating system that each hotfix applies to.

  • The files that apply to a specific product, milestone (RTM, SPn), and service branch (LDR, GDR) can be identified by examining the file version numbers as shown in the following table:

    Version Product Milestone Service branch
    6.1.760
    1.21xxx
    Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 LDR
  • The MANIFEST files (.manifest) that are installed for each environment are listed separately in the "Additional file information for Windows Server 2008 R2" section. MANIFEST files and the associated security catalog (.cat) files, are extremely important to maintain the state of the updated components. The security catalog files, for which the attributes are not listed, are signed with a Microsoft digital signature.

For all supported x64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 R2

File name File version File size Date Time Platform
Gpprefcl.dll 6.1.7601.21864 788,480 22-Nov-2011 06:24 x64
Gpprefcl.dll 6.1.7601.21864 588,800 22-Nov-2011 05:25 x86
Gpprefcl.dll 6.1.7601.21864 588,800 22-Nov-2011 05:25 x86

Status

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

More Information

For more information about software update terminology, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

824684 Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates

Additional file information

Additional file information for Windows Server 2008

Additional files for all supported x86-based versions of Windows Server 2008

File name Update.mum
File version Not applicable
File size 2,241
Date (UTC) 24-Nov-2011
Time (UTC) 18:25
Platform Not applicable
File name X86_b6e5085ebcde2779aa2dcc618461b849_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22746_none_032bff16b4fe65c4.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 711
Date (UTC) 24-Nov-2011
Time (UTC) 18:25
Platform Not applicable
File name X86_microsoft-windows-g..ppolicy-policymaker_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22746_none_399416c85f5ad6fd.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 106,474
Date (UTC) 24-Nov-2011
Time (UTC) 15:55
Platform Not applicable

Additional files for all supported x64-based versions of Windows Server 2008

File name Amd64_43262b45eb4d433d1d09ac91c7090a09_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22746_none_9020220b9588f7a8.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 1,072
Date (UTC) 24-Nov-2011
Time (UTC) 18:25
Platform Not applicable
File name Amd64_microsoft-windows-g..ppolicy-policymaker_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22746_none_95b2b24c17b84833.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 106,510
Date (UTC) 24-Nov-2011
Time (UTC) 15:46
Platform Not applicable
File name Update.mum
File version Not applicable
File size 2,257
Date (UTC) 24-Nov-2011
Time (UTC) 18:25
Platform Not applicable
File name Wow64_microsoft-windows-g..ppolicy-policymaker_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22746_none_a0075c9e4c190a2e.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 66,987
Date (UTC) 24-Nov-2011
Time (UTC) 15:42
Platform Not applicable

Additional file information for Windows Server 2008 R2

Additional files for all supported x64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 R2

File name Amd64_0f51d537a34ebe2a9d84d9313faee93f_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.21864_none_35155724f6a80bef.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 713
Date (UTC) 22-Nov-2011
Time (UTC) 16:33
Platform Not applicable
File name Amd64_67faa635c567c585769ea82ab8b5c288_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.21864_none_ac83b653796334d1.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 715
Date (UTC) 22-Nov-2011
Time (UTC) 16:33
Platform Not applicable
File name Amd64_6b4fd24c4eb4209eee1b36cb466e39c2_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.21864_none_37b5290cc845fe0c.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 1,070
Date (UTC) 22-Nov-2011
Time (UTC) 16:33
Platform Not applicable
File name Amd64_ba6078b9b5342b3d5ed9da9d87c7a564_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.21864_none_adbfa86186278a1f.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 715
Date (UTC) 22-Nov-2011
Time (UTC) 16:33
Platform Not applicable
File name Amd64_microsoft-windows-g..ppolicy-policymaker_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.21864_none_95c2cb5d78e1a3f0.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 53,972
Date (UTC) 22-Nov-2011
Time (UTC) 06:57
Platform Not applicable
File name Update.mum
File version Not applicable
File size 2,290
Date (UTC) 22-Nov-2011
Time (UTC) 16:33
Platform Not applicable
File name Wow64_microsoft-windows-g..ppolicy-policymaker_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.21864_none_a01775afad4265eb.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 34,836
Date (UTC) 22-Nov-2011
Time (UTC) 06:00
Platform Not applicable
File name X86_microsoft-windows-g..ppolicy-policymaker_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.21864_none_39a42fd9c08432ba.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 53,968
Date (UTC) 22-Nov-2011
Time (UTC) 06:11
Platform Not applicable