Change in Default Behavior for SIS Groveler (324447)



The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP3
  • Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003, Premium Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003, Standard Edition

This article was previously published under Q324447
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SUMMARY

When you install Remote Installation Service (RIS), the Single Instance Storage (SIS) service and the Single Instance Storage Groveler service are installed. By default, in versions of Windows earlier than Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 (SP3), SIS manages and grovels the whole volume where you locate the RemoteInstall folder. In Windows 2000 SP3 and later versions of Windows Server, this behavior has changed. This article discusses these changes.

MORE INFORMATION

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

After you install Windows 2000 SP3 or a later version of Windows Server, the Single Instance Storage Groveler service only grovels the path identified in the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tftpd\Parameters\

Name: Directory
Type: REG_SZ
Value: X:\remoteinstall, where X is the drive that you specified to locate the images during the installation of RIS.

After you install Windows 2000 SP3 or a later version of Windows Server, only new files in the folder that is specified earlier (for example the RemoteInstall folder) are groveled for duplicates. Files that exist and that have been groveled on the drive remain groveled and managed by SIS.

If you install RIS after you apply Windows 2000 SP3 or install a later version of Windows Server, only the folder that is specified earlier (for example the RemoteInstall folder) is groveled by default.

You can use the following registry key to change this behavior:

HKey_Local_Machine\Software\Microsoft\Windows nt\Currentversion\Groveler\Parameters

Name: GrovelAllPaths
Type: REG_SZ
Values:
  • 0 (or not defined): only grovel Remote Installation Service (RIS) defined path on RIS defined volume.
  • 1: Grovel all paths on all volumes configured for SIS.
NOTE: Microsoft recommends that you only grovel the RemoteInstall folder. Microsoft does not recommend that you grovel paths that contain user data such as profiles, programs, or other data.

Additionally, after you install Windows 2000 SP3 or a later version of Windows Server, the SIS filter driver no longer deletes SIS reparse information in the SIS link file when the SIS common store file cannot be found. The SIS link file is the 4-kilobyte (KB) file that points to the SIS common store file, which is the actual file that resides in the SIS common store folder.

For additional information about how to troubleshoot RIS and the Groveler service, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

299726 A Description of the Functions of the Single Instance Storage Filter and the Groveler Service

299873 HOW TO: Uninstall Remote Installation Services and Single Instance Storage

272149 How to Exclude Directories from the Single Instance Store Groveler

263027 HOW TO: Restore a Volume That Is Managed by Single Instance Storage


Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:10/9/2003
Keywords:kbenv kbinfo KB324447