Process killed with `0x40010004` on Windows

[dustinbyrne]

Typically some time after startup, the RPC server is killed with a 0x40010004 exit code on Windows.

It will be restarted by the process watcher and subsequently be killed with a 0xC0000142 error code until the process is aborted entirely.

Both error codes are listed here, but it's not clear whether or not they're related: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/openspecs/windows_protocols/ms-erref/596a1078-e883-4972-9bbc-49e60bebca55

For example, 0xC0000142 is mapped to STATUS_DLL_INIT_FAILED:

{DLL Initialization Failed} Initialization of the dynamic link library %hs failed. The process is terminating abnormally.

However, dumpbin reports only standard Windows imports.

dbghelp.dll
WS2_32.dll
IPHLPAPI.DLL
PSAPI.DLL
USERENV.dll
ADVAPI32.dll
USER32.dll
CRYPT32.dll
bcrypt.dll
KERNEL32.dll
WINMM.dll

[github-actions[bot]]

Title

Resolve Windows-specific Exit Code Errors in RPC Server

Problem

The RPC server is unexpectedly terminated with a 0x40010004 exit code on Windows, leading to automatic restarts by a process watcher. After each restart, the server faces termination with a 0xC0000142 error code. This cycle repeats until the process eventually fails completely. The error 0xC0000142 is specifically linked to a failure in initializing a DLL, implying potential issues with dynamic link libraries.

Analysis

The 0x40010004 exit code is typically associated with Windows applications and indicates an issue during shutdown sequences or an abnormal termination. The subsequent 0xC0000142 error is more descriptive, indicating that there is a DLL initialization failure. This suggests that the process is struggling to correctly load or initialize a DLL required for its operation.

The imported DLLs listed are standard Windows libraries, and failure points may involve:

• Version mismatches between the DLLs and the operating system/environment.
• Missing dependencies or conflicts during any initialization sequence within the libraries.
• Corrupt installations or damaged DLL files.

Potential root causes could include improper environment configurations, misaligned dependencies, or threading errors in handling resources shared across DLLs.

Proposed Changes

1. Investigate the initialization sequence of the RPC server:

   • Review the startup process and the sequence in which libraries/resources are loaded, ensuring they match expectations for a Windows execution environment.
   • Make use of logging to capture when the process reaches the point of failure, allowing you to identify which aspect of the initialization potentially triggers the error.

2. Verify DLL Versions and Integrity:

   • Cross-check the versions of the DLLs in use with those expected by the operating system. Ensure no inconsistencies exist which might lead to the STATUS_DLL_INIT_FAILED error.
   • Use tools to verify the integrity of key DLL files (e.g., bcrypt.dll, KERNEL32.dll) to ascertain they have not been corrupted.

3. Review the RPCServer Start Method:

   • The start method in rpcServer.ts initializes the RPC server. Ensure error-handling around this initiation sequence is robust, especially around the Server instance creation and event listener configurations.
   • Analyze the interplay with any thread-based operations, which might cause shared state conflicts leading to termination.

4. Re-evaluate Any Asynchronous or Threaded Operations:

   • Check for asynchronous code or multithreading issues that might accidentally access uninitialized shared resources. This could be within the node process or associated modules like in the handlerMiddleware or rpcMethods initialization.
   • Implement protective measures to synchronize accesses to shared states within the server start-up sequence.

By focusing on these areas, you aim to diagnose and amend the root causes of the termination cycle, bolstering the RPC server’s launch sequence and stability under the Windows operating system.