You cannot add paths to the "Exclude directories in roaming profiles" policy (888095)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition
  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP2

SYMPTOMS

You try to reduce the size of user roaming profiles by excluding additional folders from the profiles. However, when you try to add one or more paths to the "Exclude directories in roaming profiles" policy, you cannot type any additional characters in Policy Editor.

CAUSE

This problem occurs because the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Policy administrative template files (.adm) have a limit of 260 characters for the ExcludeProfileDirs policy.

WORKAROUND

Important You cannot use the following workaround unless the fix that is described in Microsoft Knowledge Base article 827878 is installed on your computer. For additional information about the fix in Knowledge Base article 827878, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

827878 The "Exclude directories in roaming profiles" policy stops working when you add paths

To work around this problem, follow these steps:
  1. Locate the folder where your .adm files are loaded from. For additional information about how to do this, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    228460 Location of ADM (Administrative Template) Files in Windows

  2. In the folder that you located in step 1, open the System.adm file by using a text editor such as Notepad.
  3. Locate this section in the file:

    PART !!ExcludeMessage EDITTEXT
    VALUENAME "ExcludeProfileDirs"
    MAXLEN 260
    END PART

  4. Change the "MAXLEN 260" line to "MAXLEN 4096", and then save the change that you made to the System.adm file.
  5. Distribute the file to all the policies that require this change.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a bug in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

MORE INFORMATION

The procedure that is described in this article applies to the default method of handling policy .adm files. For additional information about how to change Group Policy template behavior, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

316977 Group Policy template behavior in Windows Server 2003

In the scenarios that are described in Knowledge Base article 316977, you have to use local folders to find the .adm file and distribute it to other administrative stations.

If you are using the settings that are described in Knowledge Base article 813338, you must distribute the new .adm file to the following locations:
  • All the policies
  • All domain controllers where policies are edited
  • All Administrative stations
For additional information about how to minimize SYSVOL size, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

813338 How to minimize SYSVOL size by removing administrative templates (.adm files)

Although Windows can handle more than 260 characters in ExcludeProfileDirs, the Windows Server 2003 Policy .adm files have a limit of 260 characters in the ExcludeProfileDirs policy.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:12/27/2004
Keywords:kbnofix kbbug KB888095 kbAudDeveloper
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