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Q143166: Windows NT 3.51 SP4 Allows Extended Characters in 8.3 File Names

Article: Q143166
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): 3.51
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbother
Last Modified: 08-AUG-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 3.51 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 3.51 
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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

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Keywords          : kbother 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNT351search kbWinNTW351search kbWinNTW351 kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS351 kbWinNTS351search
Version           : 3.51

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