An update is available in Windows to turn off directory notification SMB requests (812669)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional
  • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
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

INTRODUCTION

This article describes an update to Microsoft Windows XP and Microsoft Windows 2000 where you can turn off the directory notifications that are used by Windows Explorer (Explorer.exe). Explorer.exe uses directory notifications that post NTNotifyDirectoryChange server message blocks (SMBs) to the server. Directory notifications allow the server to notify the client computer when information changes in files and folders that are located on shared folders on the server.

In certain situations, you may want to turn off Change Notify requests that are used by Explorer.exe on the client computer. For example, you may want to turn off Change Notify requests when you want to reduce traffic on the network.

MORE INFORMATION

Windows XP

Service pack information

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Microsoft Windows XP. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

322389 How to obtain the latest Windows XP service pack

Hotfix information

A supported feature that modifies the product's default behavior is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to modify the behavior that this article describes. Apply it only to systems that specifically require it. This feature may receive additional testing. Therefore, if your system is not severely affected by the lack of this feature, we recommend that you wait for the next Windows XP service pack that contains this feature.

To obtain this feature immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

PrerequisitesThis hotfix requires Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1).Restart requirementYou must restart your computer after you apply this hotfix.Hotfix replacement informationThis hotfix does not replace any other hotfixes.File information The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.

Windows XP 

  Date         Time   Version        Size       File name
  ---------------------------------------------------------
  20-Mar-2003  15:01  6.0.2800.1188  8,240,640  Shell32.dll

Windows XP, 64-bit editions 

  Date         Time   Version        Size        File name     Platform
  ---------------------------------------------------------------------
  20-Mar-2003  15:01  6.0.2800.1188  14,368,256  Shell32.dll   IA-64
  20-Mar-2003  14:22  6.0.2800.1188   8,240,640  Wshell32.dll  x86

Windows 2000

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Only apply it to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next Windows 2000 service pack that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services telephone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

Note In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.PrerequisitesThis hotfix requires Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 or Service Pack 4..Restart requirementYou must restart your computer after you apply this hotfix.Hotfix replacement informationThis hotfix does not replace any other hotfixes.File information The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel. 
   Date         Time   Version            Size    File name
   --------------------------------------------------------------
   05-Mar-2003  20:08  5.0.3700.6680   2,355,984  Shell32.dll      
   03-Mar-2003  18:22  5.0.2195.6672   3,969,536  Sp3res.dll

MORE INFORMATION

After you install the hotfix that is described in this article, add the NoRemoteChangeNotify registry entry to one of the following registry keys (depending on your situation), and then set the value of the registry entry to 1.

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.
  • To apply the setting to the user who is currently logged on, add the NoRemoteChangeNotify registry entry to the following registry key:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

  • To apply the setting to all users who log on to the computer, add the NoRemoteChangeNotify registry entry to the following registry key:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

When you set the value of the NoRemoteChangeNotify registry entry to 1, you turn off remote Change Notify requests for file and folder changes that occur in folders of a mapped network share. To turn on remote Change Notify requests, set the NoRemoteChangeNotify registry entry to 0 (zero).

Turn off Change Notify requests for only the user who is currently logged on

  1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit in the Open box, and then click OK.
  2. Locate, and then click the following registry key:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

  3. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.
  4. Type NoRemoteChangeNotify, and then press ENTER.
  5. On the Edit menu, click Modify.
  6. Type 1 in the Value data box, and then click OK.
  7. Quit Registry Editor.

Turn off Change Notify requests for all users

  1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit in the Open box, and then click OK.
  2. Locate, and then click the following registry key:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

  3. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.
  4. Type NoRemoteChangeNotify, and then press ENTER.
  5. On the Edit menu, click Modify.
  6. Type 1 in the Value data box, and then click OK.
  7. Quit Registry Editor.
For additional information about standard terminology that is used to describe Micrososft software updates, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

824684 Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:10/10/2005
Keywords:kbHotfixServer kbQFE kbWinXPsp2fix kbQFE kbWinXPpreSP2fix kbfix kbbug KB812669 kbAudITPRO
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