Windows NT 3.51 SP4 Allows Extended Characters in 8.3 File Names (143166)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.51
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.51
This article was previously published under Q143166

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\FileSyst
  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

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:11/4/2003
Keywords:kbother KB143166
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.