# ReactOS Reworks Desktop Creation to Address Reference Leaks and Memory Corruption

DevFeed: [ReactOS Reworks Desktop Creation to Address Reference Leaks and Memory Corruption](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/newsletter-93-32959.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://reactos.org/blogs/newsletter-93/>)

Published: 2012-10-19T00:00:00Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [Front Page on ReactOS Website](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/front-page-on-reactos-website.md>)

Topics: [ReactOS](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/reactos.md>), [Windows](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/windows.md>), [Kernel](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/kernel.md>)

Tags: [free](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/free.md>), [kernel](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/kernel.md>), [open-source](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/open-source.md>), [os](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/os.md>), [react](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/react.md>), [reactos](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/reactos.md>), [win32](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/win32.md>), [winapi](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/winapi.md>), [windows](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/windows.md>)

## AI overview

This ReactOS newsletter article explains differences between Windows and ReactOS desktop-window creation. It describes duplicated handles and references, a heap-allocation problem that can cause memory corruption, and a redesign of NtUserCreateDesktop that consolidates desktop threads into one thread.

## Source excerpt

Desktops and Windows In the Windows operating system, the desktop one sees is made up of three things, a kernel mode desktop object, a user mode desktop window, and a desktop thread. While the desktop object can be considered almost mundane, the window and thread are somewhat special. In Windows, desktop windows are created differently from regular windows and all share a single desktop thread. This thread handles messages sent to the desktop window, though users will generally only see the desktop window if the explorer shell is not running.