NTFS bug can cause web pages to crash Windows 7 and 8.1 PCs

    NTFS bug can cause web pages to crash Windows 7 and 8.1 PCs

    NTFS bug can cause web pages to crash Windows 7 and 8.1 PCs


    Posted: 26 May 2017

    ...The new bug, which fortunately doesn't appear to afflict Windows 10, uses another special filename. This time around, the special filename of choice is $MFT. $MFT is the name given to one of the special metadata files that are used by Windows' NTFS filesystem. The file exists in the root directory of each NTFS volume, but the NTFS driver handles it in special ways, and it's hidden from view and inaccessible to most software. Attempts to open the file are normally blocked, but in a move reminiscent of the Windows 9x flaw, if the filename is used as if it were a directory name—for example, trying to open the file c:\$MFT\123—then the NTFS driver takes out a lock on the file and never releases it. Every subsequent operation sits around waiting for the lock to be released.Forever. This blocks any and all other attempts to access the file system, and so every program will start to hang, rendering the machine unusable until it is rebooted...


    Read more: In a throwback to the '90s, NTFS bug lets anyone hang or crash Windows 7, 8.1 | Ars Technica
    Brink's Avatar Posted By: Brink
    26 May 2017


  1. zooburner
    Posts : 353
    Windows 10 Pro
       New #1

    This was interesting from the article.

    As was the case nearly 20 years ago, webpages that use the bad filename in, for example, an image source will provoke the bug and make the machine stop responding. Depending on what the machine is doing concurrently, it will sometimes blue screen. Either way, you're going to need to reboot it to recover. Some browsers will block attempts to access these local resources, but Internet Explorer, for example, will merrily try to access the bad file.

    Good ole Microsoft
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  3. lehnerus2000
    Posts : 1,811
    W7 Ultimate SP1 (64 bit), LM 19.2 MATE (64 bit), W10 Home 1703 (64 bit), W10 Pro 1703 (64 bit) VM
       New #2

    It's very interesting that suddenly all sorts of bugs are being discovered in W7 and the W8 Series.
    It's also very convenient for MS that W10 is apparently immune.

    Reading through the comments, only some people can confirm the existence of this bug on their PCs
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  4. eLPuSHeR
    Posts : 2,935
    Windows 10 Home x64
       New #3

    Who is using IE in 2017?
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  6. Fafhrd
    Posts : 1,983
    Windows 10 x86 14383 Insider Pro and Core 10240
       New #4

    eLPuSHeR said:
    Who is using IE in 2017?
    About 5x the number of users of Edge, or 1/3 the number of users of Chrome. according to https://analytics.usa.gov/
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  7. alphanumeric
    Posts : 15,037
    Windows 10 IoT
       New #5

    eLPuSHeR said:
    Who is using IE in 2017?
    Me.
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  8. cereberus
    Posts : 15,479
    Windows10
       New #6

    This is nonsense really - there are probably all sorts of obscure bugs but they never affect us except in very rare cases. Anyway who cares if an old OS has obscure bugs - do people expect MS to sort every bug that exists - if so, they will be waiting until Trump gets a decent haircut.
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  9. zooburner
    Posts : 353
    Windows 10 Pro
       New #7

    I like internet explorer, the only reason I don't use it is it's track record when it comes to standards or safety, but I do like the look and feel of it.
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