Why Does My Simple C Program in Windows 10 Spawn Multiple Threads?

Multiple Threads Emerge in Windows 10 C Programs: Uncovering the Source

In Visual Studio 2015, a simple C program initially contains a single thread. However, when executed on Windows 10, it surprisingly reveals four additional threads. The question arises: who initializes this thread pool?

Identifying the Threadpool Origin

By using the Debug > Windows > Threads window with Microsoft Symbol Server enabled, the thread entrypoint is revealed as TppWorkerThread in ntdll.dll. This leads to the conclusion that Windows 10 is utilizing the thread pool to optimize DLL loading.

A Stack Trace Unveils the Process

A timely breakpoint set on TppWorkerThread captures a stack trace, which indicates that the loader makes use of the thread pool to load DLLs. Notably, the main thread is also active within the loader, demonstrating the system's ability to distribute tasks concurrently.

A Feature, Not a Bug

This behavior in Windows 10 suggests that the system is harnessing available cores to accelerate the process initialization process. Therefore, the appearance of additional threads is not a concern but rather a beneficial enhancement that leverages the system's computational resources more effectively.

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