Windows 7 development has proceeded smoothly for the most part, but software enthusiast Ryan Price on Monday sounded the alarm over a critical "showstopper" bug in the release to manufacturing version of Windows 7.
In a Monday blog post, Price outlined the following steps for reproducing the issue:
1. Run an elevated CMD prompt
2. Run CHKDSK /r
Price said users with Windows 7 Task Manager open will subsequently see memory being quickly consumed by the chkdsk.exe process, until it either stops at 90 percent or maxes out and crashes the PC. Price noted that this only happens with PCs that have additional hard drives connected.
On Tuesday, Price told Channelweb that Microsoft told him this is actually part of the Windows 7 design. Microsoft says it has engineered Windows 7 to use more memory in order to speed up CHKDSK, Price said in an e-mail.
Microsoft is aware of the issue but has no additional details to share, a Microsoft spokesperson said in an e-mail. However, one commenter on Price's blog who claims to have been in contact with Steven Sinofsky, president of the Windows division, said the issue lies with a chipset controller and can be addressed by updating chipset drivers from the PC motherboard manufacturer.
Michael Cocanower, president of Phoenix-based Microsoft solution provider ITSynergy, said his development team was unable to reproduce the bug. Given the large number of possible factors that could trigger a blue screen, he likens Price's blog post to shouting "fire" in a crowded movie theater.
"It doesn't even appear that any type of crash-dump analysis was done," Cocanower said.
Microsoft is preparing to offer the Windows RTM to Microsoft Connect and MSDN subscribers on Aug. 6. Microsoft Gold and Certified partners will be able to download it on Aug. 16.
Here is the blog report
Critical ShowStopper Bug in Windows 7 RTM
As most of you know, Windows 7 is expected to hit technet and MSDN by August 6th to a much anticipated welcome. However, this particlar issue looks strangely out of place and makes you wonder how exactly this passed through validation:
To Reproduce:
Run an elevated CMD prompt
Run CHKDSK <drive letter:> /r
With task manager open, you should see your memory quickly gobbled away in the chkdsk.exe process until it either stops at or around 90% or it maxes completely out and crashes the computer.
**Update**
I was told that this is by design in Windows 7 because the OS is capable and uses more memory. According to my source, because they intended to speed up chkdsk , they did so through using more memory. However, it could be a bug somewhere in OS or a driver bug but seeing as it happens across a wide range of setups, it doesn’t seem to be 3rd party related. This is the information I have been told by my MS contact. I can also verify this issue goes all the way back to Build 7201.
Without further adieu, Exhibit A:
