DOCUMENT:Q143166 08-AUG-2001 [winnt] TITLE :Windows NT 3.51 SP4 Allows Extended Characters in 8.3 File Names PRODUCT :Microsoft Windows NT PROD/VER:3.51 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS:kbother ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 3.51 - Microsoft Windows NT Server version 3.51 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY ======= Prior to Windows NT version 3.51 and Service Pack 4, 8.3 convention file names on an NTFS volume were limited to the standard ASCII character set (minus some reserved characters). Extended characters, such as foreign accent characters were not available. With Service Pack 4, a registry setting can be configured so NTFS can use extended characters in the 8.3 short file name. With this feature enabled, the 8.3 short file names have the same behavior as in Windows NT 3.1, before the support for long file names was added. MORE INFORMATION ================ To enable the use of extended characters in the 8.3 convention file names on a NTFS volume: WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious, system- wide problems that may require you to reinstall Windows NT to correct them. Microsoft cannot guarantee that any problems resulting from the use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use this tool at your own risk. 1. Run Registry Editor (REGEDT32.EXE). 2. From the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE subtree, go to the following key: \SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem 3. Add a new value to this key: Value: NtfsAllowExtendedCharacterIn8dot3Name Data Type: REG_DWORD Data Value: 0x1 To enable extended characters, set the data value 0x1. To disable extended characters, set the data value 0x0 or remove the value from the key. STATUS ====== Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 3.51. This problem was corrected in the latest Windows NT 3.51 U.S. Service Pack. For information on obtaining the Service Pack, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces): S E R V P A C K Additional query words: prodnt ====================================================================== Keywords : kbother Technology : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNT351search kbWinNTW351search kbWinNTW351 kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS351 kbWinNTS351search Version : 3.51 ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2001.