https://github.com/xpack-dev-tools/ms-spawn-issue

Attempt to diagnose the Microsoft spawn() issue
https://github.com/xpack-dev-tools/ms-spawn-issue
Last synced: about 1 year ago
JSON representation
Attempt to diagnose the Microsoft spawn() issue
Host: GitHub
URL: https://github.com/xpack-dev-tools/ms-spawn-issue
Owner: xpack-dev-tools
License: mit
Created: 2021-10-30T13:01:37.000Z (over 4 years ago)
Default Branch: master
Last Pushed: 2021-11-01T12:48:04.000Z (over 4 years ago)
Last Synced: 2025-05-17T13:09:23.690Z (about 1 year ago)
Language: C
Size: 499 KB
Stars: 0
Watchers: 2
Forks: 0
Open Issues: 2
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE
Awesome Lists containing this project

README

          # Microsoft `spawnve()` issue

## The problem

It seems that the implementation of `spawnve()` in the modern Microsoft

UCRT API has a problem, and in certain conditions, calling the `spawn*e()`

functions with a non-NULL environment, crashes with _Error -1073741819_

which is 0xC0000005, or ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED.

These conditions are met by **GNU make**, and some programs invoked

by `make.exe` that try to create sub-processes with `spawn*e()`, fail.

Since `spawnve()` is also called by BusyBox in its `sh.exe` implementation,

this is a major issue, because it affects most common build tools.

## History

The problem was detected when attempting to rebuild the

[xPack Windows Build Tools](https://github.com/xpack-dev-tools/windows-build-tools-xpack)

package with a new build environment (xPack Build Box - XBB v3.3), which

upgraded the mingw-gcc compiler to use the UCRT API

([#19](https://github.com/xpack-dev-tools/windows-build-tools-xpack/issues/19)).

UCRT is the Microsoft

[Universal C Runtime](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=48234),

and is available since Windows 7 SP1 from 2011.

The problem did not occur in the past, because `sh.exe` was built

to use the legacy MSVCRT API, which is not affected.

## Project overview

This open source project provides several test programs to diagnose

this problem. It is available from GitHub as

[xpack-dev-tools/ms-spawn-issue](https://github.com/xpack-dev-tools/ms-spawn-issue).

Some programs are avalable in binary form (`make.exe` and `ninja.exe`),

and some both as source code and in binary form, compiled with Microsoft

Visual Studio.

The `spawn-*.exe` binaries behave like a very simple shell used to

start a child process `dump-env.exe`.

- `spawn-env.exe` creates a new sub-process and passes the unmodified

environment, as received by `main()`.

- `spawn-null.exe` is identical to `spawn-env.exe`, except that it passes

a NULL pointer for the environment, which is a shortcut for inheriting

the full environment from the parent process.

The tests show the environment before the `spawn()` call

and in the child process.

## How to test

### Prerequisites

- a Windows 10 system or later.

- when using the Git repository, a Git client is needed, for example

[Git for Windows](https://git-scm.com/download/win).

### Download/clone the project

The tests can be downloaded either as a ZIP archive or as a full Git repository.

#### Download the ZIP archive

The latest version of this project can be downloaded as a ZIP archive from:

- 

It can be unpacked in any folder, for example in `tmp\ms-spawn-issue`.

#### Clone the full Git repository

The full Git repository can be cloned with:

```doscmd

C:\Users\ilg>mkdir tmp

C:\Users\ilg>cd tmp

C:\Users\ilg\tmp>git clone https://github.com/xpack-dev-tools/ms-spawn-issue.git

Cloning into 'ms-spawn-issue'...

remote: Enumerating objects: 114, done.

remote: Counting objects: 100% (114/114), done.

remote: Compressing objects: 100% (74/74), done.

Receiving objects:  85% (97/114)used 92 (delta 36), pack-reused 0R

Receiving objects: 100% (114/114), 468.93 KiB | 3.47 MiB/s, done.

Resolving deltas: 100% (54/54), done.

C:\Users\ilg\tmp>

```

### PowerShell

The following tests were executed in a `cmd.exe` terminal, but behave

the same in a PowerShell terminal. The only difference is that the

tests should be started with a relative path, like `.\make`.

### Run the `make` test

Change to the `ms-spawn-issue\tests` folder and run the tests:

```doscmd

C:\Users\ilg\tmp>cd ms-spawn-issue\tests

C:\Users\ilg\tmp\ms-spawn-issue\tests>make

spawn-env -c "dump-env one two"

Spawn test:

spawn env[0]='ALLUSERSPROFILE=C:\ProgramData'

spawn env[1]='APPDATA=C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Roaming'

spawn env[2]='CommonProgramFiles(x86)=C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files'

spawn env[3]='CommonProgramFiles=C:\Program Files\Common Files'

spawn env[4]='CommonProgramW6432=C:\Program Files\Common Files'

spawn env[5]='COMPUTERNAME=ILG-W11-TEST'

spawn env[6]='ComSpec=C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe'

spawn env[7]='DriverData=C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\DriverData'

spawn env[8]='HOMEDRIVE=C:'

spawn env[9]='HOMEPATH=\Users\ilg'

spawn env[10]='LOCALAPPDATA=C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Local'

spawn env[11]='LOGONSERVER=\\ILG-W11-TEST'

spawn env[12]='MAKE_TERMERR=true'

spawn env[13]='MAKE_TERMOUT=true'

spawn env[14]='MAKEFLAGS='

spawn env[15]='MAKELEVEL=1'

spawn env[16]='MFLAGS='

spawn env[17]='NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS=4'

spawn env[18]='OS=Windows_NT'

spawn env[19]='PATH=C:\Program Files (x86)\Parallels\Parallels Tools\Applications;C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Windows\System32\OpenSSH\;C:\Program Files\nodejs\;C:\Program Files\Git\cmd;C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps;C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Roaming\npm;C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code\bin'

spawn env[20]='PATHEXT=.COM;.EXE;.BAT;.CMD;.VBS;.VBE;.JS;.JSE;.WSF;.WSH;.MSC'

spawn env[21]='PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE=AMD64'

spawn env[22]='PROCESSOR_IDENTIFIER=Intel64 Family 6 Model 158 Stepping 10, GenuineIntel'

spawn env[23]='PROCESSOR_LEVEL=6'

spawn env[24]='PROCESSOR_REVISION=9e0a'

spawn env[25]='ProgramData=C:\ProgramData'

spawn env[26]='ProgramFiles(x86)=C:\Program Files (x86)'

spawn env[27]='ProgramFiles=C:\Program Files'

spawn env[28]='ProgramW6432=C:\Program Files'

spawn env[29]='PROMPT=$P$G'

spawn env[30]='PSModulePath=C:\Program Files\WindowsPowerShell\Modules;C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules'

spawn env[31]='PUBLIC=C:\Users\Public'

spawn env[32]='SESSIONNAME=Console'

spawn env[33]='SystemDrive=C:'

spawn env[34]='SystemRoot=C:\Windows'

spawn env[35]='TEMP=C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Local\Temp'

spawn env[36]='TMP=C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Local\Temp'

spawn env[37]='USERDOMAIN_ROAMINGPROFILE=ILG-W11-TEST'

spawn env[38]='USERDOMAIN=ILG-W11-TEST'

spawn env[39]='USERNAME=ilg'

spawn env[40]='USERPROFILE=C:\Users\ilg'

spawn env[41]='windir=C:\Windows'

spawn argv[0]='spawn-env'

spawn argv[1]='-c'

spawn argv[2]='dump-env one two'

spawn command 'dump-env.exe'...

make: *** [makefile:3: all] Error -1073741819

C:\Users\ilg\tmp\ms-spawn-issue\tests>

```

This test, which passes the environment received by `main()` fails

exactly inside the `_spawnvpe()` call.

```doscon

C:\Users\ilg\tmp\ms-spawn-issue\tests>make null

spawn-null -c "dump-env three four"

Spawn test:

spawn env[0]='ALLUSERSPROFILE=C:\ProgramData'

spawn env[1]='APPDATA=C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Roaming'

spawn env[2]='CommonProgramFiles(x86)=C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files'

spawn env[3]='CommonProgramFiles=C:\Program Files\Common Files'

spawn env[4]='CommonProgramW6432=C:\Program Files\Common Files'

spawn env[5]='COMPUTERNAME=ILG-W11-TEST'

spawn env[6]='ComSpec=C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe'

spawn env[7]='DriverData=C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\DriverData'

spawn env[8]='HOMEDRIVE=C:'

spawn env[9]='HOMEPATH=\Users\ilg'

spawn env[10]='LOCALAPPDATA=C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Local'

spawn env[11]='LOGONSERVER=\\ILG-W11-TEST'

spawn env[12]='MAKE_TERMERR=true'

spawn env[13]='MAKE_TERMOUT=true'

spawn env[14]='MAKEFLAGS='

spawn env[15]='MAKELEVEL=1'

spawn env[16]='MFLAGS='

spawn env[17]='NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS=4'

spawn env[18]='OS=Windows_NT'

spawn env[19]='PATH=C:\Program Files (x86)\Parallels\Parallels Tools\Applications;C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Windows\System32\OpenSSH\;C:\Program Files\nodejs\;C:\Program Files\Git\cmd;C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps;C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Roaming\npm;C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code\bin'

spawn env[20]='PATHEXT=.COM;.EXE;.BAT;.CMD;.VBS;.VBE;.JS;.JSE;.WSF;.WSH;.MSC'

spawn env[21]='PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE=AMD64'

spawn env[22]='PROCESSOR_IDENTIFIER=Intel64 Family 6 Model 158 Stepping 10, GenuineIntel'

spawn env[23]='PROCESSOR_LEVEL=6'

spawn env[24]='PROCESSOR_REVISION=9e0a'

spawn env[25]='ProgramData=C:\ProgramData'

spawn env[26]='ProgramFiles(x86)=C:\Program Files (x86)'

spawn env[27]='ProgramFiles=C:\Program Files'

spawn env[28]='ProgramW6432=C:\Program Files'

spawn env[29]='PROMPT=$P$G'

spawn env[30]='PSModulePath=C:\Program Files\WindowsPowerShell\Modules;C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules'

spawn env[31]='PUBLIC=C:\Users\Public'

spawn env[32]='SESSIONNAME=Console'

spawn env[33]='SystemDrive=C:'

spawn env[34]='SystemRoot=C:\Windows'

spawn env[35]='TEMP=C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Local\Temp'

spawn env[36]='TMP=C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Local\Temp'

spawn env[37]='USERDOMAIN_ROAMINGPROFILE=ILG-W11-TEST'

spawn env[38]='USERDOMAIN=ILG-W11-TEST'

spawn env[39]='USERNAME=ilg'

spawn env[40]='USERPROFILE=C:\Users\ilg'

spawn env[41]='windir=C:\Windows'

spawn argv[0]='spawn-null'

spawn argv[1]='-c'

spawn argv[2]='dump-env three four'

spawn command 'dump-env.exe'...

Dump process environment:

envp[0]='ALLUSERSPROFILE=C:\ProgramData'

envp[1]='APPDATA=C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Roaming'

envp[2]='CommonProgramFiles(x86)=C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files'

envp[3]='CommonProgramFiles=C:\Program Files\Common Files'

envp[4]='CommonProgramW6432=C:\Program Files\Common Files'

envp[5]='COMPUTERNAME=ILG-W11-TEST'

envp[6]='ComSpec=C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe'

envp[7]='DriverData=C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\DriverData'

envp[8]='HOMEDRIVE=C:'

envp[9]='HOMEPATH=\Users\ilg'

envp[10]='LOCALAPPDATA=C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Local'

envp[11]='LOGONSERVER=\\ILG-W11-TEST'

envp[12]='MAKE_TERMERR=true'

envp[13]='MAKE_TERMOUT=true'

envp[14]='MAKEFLAGS='

envp[15]='MAKELEVEL=1'

envp[16]='MFLAGS='

envp[17]='NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS=4'

envp[18]='OS=Windows_NT'

envp[19]='PATH=C:\Program Files (x86)\Parallels\Parallels Tools\Applications;C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Windows\System32\OpenSSH\;C:\Program Files\nodejs\;C:\Program Files\Git\cmd;C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps;C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Roaming\npm;C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code\bin'

envp[20]='PATHEXT=.COM;.EXE;.BAT;.CMD;.VBS;.VBE;.JS;.JSE;.WSF;.WSH;.MSC'

envp[21]='PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE=AMD64'

envp[22]='PROCESSOR_IDENTIFIER=Intel64 Family 6 Model 158 Stepping 10, GenuineIntel'

envp[23]='PROCESSOR_LEVEL=6'

envp[24]='PROCESSOR_REVISION=9e0a'

envp[25]='ProgramData=C:\ProgramData'

envp[26]='ProgramFiles(x86)=C:\Program Files (x86)'

envp[27]='ProgramFiles=C:\Program Files'

envp[28]='ProgramW6432=C:\Program Files'

envp[29]='PROMPT=$P$G'

envp[30]='PSModulePath=C:\Program Files\WindowsPowerShell\Modules;C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules'

envp[31]='PUBLIC=C:\Users\Public'

envp[32]='SESSIONNAME=Console'

envp[33]='SystemDrive=C:'

envp[34]='SystemRoot=C:\Windows'

envp[35]='TEMP=C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Local\Temp'

envp[36]='TMP=C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Local\Temp'

envp[37]='USERDOMAIN_ROAMINGPROFILE=ILG-W11-TEST'

envp[38]='USERDOMAIN=ILG-W11-TEST'

envp[39]='USERNAME=ilg'

envp[40]='USERPROFILE=C:\Users\ilg'

envp[41]='windir=C:\Windows'

argv[0]='dump-env'

argv[1]='three'

argv[2]='four'

spawn ret=0 errno=0

C:\Users\ilg\tmp\ms-spawn-issue\tests>

```

This test, which passes a NULL pointer as environment, passes.

Starting exactly the same command that failed when invoked from make,

but this time from a terminal, works as expected:

```doscmd

C:\Users\ilg\tmp\ms-spawn-issue\tests>spawn-env -c "dump-env one two"

Spawn test:

spawn env[0]='ALLUSERSPROFILE=C:\ProgramData'

spawn env[1]='APPDATA=C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Roaming'

spawn env[2]='CommonProgramFiles=C:\Program Files\Common Files'

spawn env[3]='CommonProgramFiles(x86)=C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files'

spawn env[4]='CommonProgramW6432=C:\Program Files\Common Files'

spawn env[5]='COMPUTERNAME=ILG-W11-TEST'

spawn env[6]='ComSpec=C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe'

spawn env[7]='DriverData=C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\DriverData'

spawn env[8]='HOMEDRIVE=C:'

spawn env[9]='HOMEPATH=\Users\ilg'

spawn env[10]='LOCALAPPDATA=C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Local'

spawn env[11]='LOGONSERVER=\\ILG-W11-TEST'

spawn env[12]='NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS=4'

spawn env[13]='OS=Windows_NT'

spawn env[14]='Path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Parallels\Parallels Tools\Applications;C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Windows\System32\OpenSSH\;C:\Program Files\nodejs\;C:\Program Files\Git\cmd;C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps;C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Roaming\npm;C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code\bin'

spawn env[15]='PATHEXT=.COM;.EXE;.BAT;.CMD;.VBS;.VBE;.JS;.JSE;.WSF;.WSH;.MSC'

spawn env[16]='PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE=AMD64'

spawn env[17]='PROCESSOR_IDENTIFIER=Intel64 Family 6 Model 158 Stepping 10, GenuineIntel'

spawn env[18]='PROCESSOR_LEVEL=6'

spawn env[19]='PROCESSOR_REVISION=9e0a'

spawn env[20]='ProgramData=C:\ProgramData'

spawn env[21]='ProgramFiles=C:\Program Files'

spawn env[22]='ProgramFiles(x86)=C:\Program Files (x86)'

spawn env[23]='ProgramW6432=C:\Program Files'

spawn env[24]='PROMPT=$P$G'

spawn env[25]='PSModulePath=C:\Program Files\WindowsPowerShell\Modules;C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules'

spawn env[26]='PUBLIC=C:\Users\Public'

spawn env[27]='SESSIONNAME=Console'

spawn env[28]='SystemDrive=C:'

spawn env[29]='SystemRoot=C:\Windows'

spawn env[30]='TEMP=C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Local\Temp'

spawn env[31]='TMP=C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Local\Temp'

spawn env[32]='USERDOMAIN=ILG-W11-TEST'

spawn env[33]='USERDOMAIN_ROAMINGPROFILE=ILG-W11-TEST'

spawn env[34]='USERNAME=ilg'

spawn env[35]='USERPROFILE=C:\Users\ilg'

spawn env[36]='windir=C:\Windows'

spawn argv[0]='spawn-env'

spawn argv[1]='-c'

spawn argv[2]='dump-env one two'

spawn command 'dump-env.exe'...

Dump process environment:

envp[0]='ALLUSERSPROFILE=C:\ProgramData'

envp[1]='APPDATA=C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Roaming'

envp[2]='CommonProgramFiles=C:\Program Files\Common Files'

envp[3]='CommonProgramFiles(x86)=C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files'

envp[4]='CommonProgramW6432=C:\Program Files\Common Files'

envp[5]='COMPUTERNAME=ILG-W11-TEST'

envp[6]='ComSpec=C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe'

envp[7]='DriverData=C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\DriverData'

envp[8]='HOMEDRIVE=C:'

envp[9]='HOMEPATH=\Users\ilg'

envp[10]='LOCALAPPDATA=C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Local'

envp[11]='LOGONSERVER=\\ILG-W11-TEST'

envp[12]='NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS=4'

envp[13]='OS=Windows_NT'

envp[14]='Path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Parallels\Parallels Tools\Applications;C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Windows\System32\OpenSSH\;C:\Program Files\nodejs\;C:\Program Files\Git\cmd;C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps;C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Roaming\npm;C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code\bin'

envp[15]='PATHEXT=.COM;.EXE;.BAT;.CMD;.VBS;.VBE;.JS;.JSE;.WSF;.WSH;.MSC'

envp[16]='PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE=AMD64'

envp[17]='PROCESSOR_IDENTIFIER=Intel64 Family 6 Model 158 Stepping 10, GenuineIntel'

envp[18]='PROCESSOR_LEVEL=6'

envp[19]='PROCESSOR_REVISION=9e0a'

envp[20]='ProgramData=C:\ProgramData'

envp[21]='ProgramFiles=C:\Program Files'

envp[22]='ProgramFiles(x86)=C:\Program Files (x86)'

envp[23]='ProgramW6432=C:\Program Files'

envp[24]='PROMPT=$P$G'

envp[25]='PSModulePath=C:\Program Files\WindowsPowerShell\Modules;C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules'

envp[26]='PUBLIC=C:\Users\Public'

envp[27]='SESSIONNAME=Console'

envp[28]='SystemDrive=C:'

envp[29]='SystemRoot=C:\Windows'

envp[30]='TEMP=C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Local\Temp'

envp[31]='TMP=C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Local\Temp'

envp[32]='USERDOMAIN=ILG-W11-TEST'

envp[33]='USERDOMAIN_ROAMINGPROFILE=ILG-W11-TEST'

envp[34]='USERNAME=ilg'

envp[35]='USERPROFILE=C:\Users\ilg'

envp[36]='windir=C:\Windows'

argv[0]='dump-env'

argv[1]='one'

argv[2]='two'

spawn ret=0 errno=0

C:\Users\ilg\tmp\ms-spawn-issue\tests>

```

### Run the `ninja` test

A similar test can be performed with the Ninja Build system instead of

GNU make.

The commands are similar:

```doscmd

C:\Users\ilg\tmp\ms-spawn-issue\tests>ninja

[1/1] spawn-env -c "dump-env one two"

Dump process environment:

envp[0]='ALLUSERSPROFILE=C:\ProgramData'

envp[1]='APPDATA=C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Roaming'

...

envp[35]='USERPROFILE=C:\Users\ilg'

envp[36]='windir=C:\Windows'

argv[0]='dump-env'

argv[1]='one'

argv[2]='two'

Spawn test:

spawn env[0]='ALLUSERSPROFILE=C:\ProgramData'

spawn env[1]='APPDATA=C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Roaming'

...

spawn env[35]='USERPROFILE=C:\Users\ilg'

spawn env[36]='windir=C:\Windows'

spawn argv[0]='spawn-env'

spawn argv[1]='-c'

spawn argv[2]='dump-env one two'

spawn command 'dump-env.exe'...

spawn ret=0 errno=0

C:\Users\ilg\tmp\ms-spawn-issue\tests>ninja null

[1/1] spawn-null -c "dump-env three four"

Dump process environment:

envp[0]='ALLUSERSPROFILE=C:\ProgramData'

envp[1]='APPDATA=C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Roaming'

...

envp[35]='USERPROFILE=C:\Users\ilg'

envp[36]='windir=C:\Windows'

argv[0]='dump-env'

argv[1]='three'

argv[2]='four'

Spawn test:

spawn env[0]='ALLUSERSPROFILE=C:\ProgramData'

spawn env[1]='APPDATA=C:\Users\ilg\AppData\Roaming'

...

spawn env[35]='USERPROFILE=C:\Users\ilg'

spawn env[36]='windir=C:\Windows'

spawn argv[0]='spawn-null'

spawn argv[1]='-c'

spawn argv[2]='dump-env three four'

spawn command 'dump-env.exe'...

spawn ret=0 errno=0

C:\Users\ilg\tmp\ms-spawn-issue\tests>

```

As it can be seen, both tests pass, so the problem is specific to `make.exe`;

the method used by Ninja to

create sub-processes is probably different and does not trigger the bug,

so projects using `ninja.exe` are not affected.

Note: At first sight, the output seems out of order, but in fact it

is even more ordered than for `make.exe`, since it shows the output

in dependency order, after each command completes.

## Source files

Both tests are based on the same source code (`sources/spawn/spawn.c`),

the first compiled to

forward the environment to the child process, then compiled to pass a NULL

pointer as environment, which is a shortcut to inherit the entire environment.

The `spawn-env.exe` and `spawn-null.exe` binaries were compiled with

Visual Studio 2022 on a Windows 11 machine, but with Platform Tools v142 and

the Windows 10 SDK, so the build should also be possible with Visual

Studio 2019 on Windows 10.

The VS solution (`sources/projects.sln`) and the project files are included.

## Conclusion

The current theory is that when Microsoft migrated from MSVCRT to UCRT

they changed the implementation and introduced a subtle bug that does not

show in the common use case.

However, `make.exe` uses an elaborate mechanism to create sub-processes, and

the context of the process running the `spawn-*.exe` is somehow different; this

difference triggers the bug when this process tries to spawn a new process

with an explicit environment.

## Suggestions

The issue is quite tricky, and it involves three parties, GNU make,

BusyBox and Microsoft. At any point, each party may try to shift the

blame to the other, but in fact all three should improve their code:

- **GNU make** should rewrite the code which creates sub-processes to run

  with the current Windows and BusyBox; Ninja Build can be a source of

  inspiration, since their code seems ok

- **BusyBox** should not rely on the unreliable `spawnve()` available in

  the new Windows releases, and reimplement it with a code that is

  functional with the current make and Windows

- **Microsoft** should fix their `spawnve()` code and prevent it from

  crashing when BusyBox is invoked from `make`

## Bug reports

The following tickets were opened:

- 

- 

## Contributions

All contributions to clarify this issue will be highly appreciated.

Please use the GitHub

[Issues](https://github.com/xpack-dev-tools/ms-spawn-issue/issues)

to post your findings.

Thank you,

Liviu
ecosyste.ms

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https://github.com/xpack-dev-tools/ms-spawn-issue

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