KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q163401: How to Disable Network Redirector File Caching

Article: Q163401
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): 3.51,4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kberrmsg
Last Modified: 11-JUN-2002

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.51, 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.51, 4.0 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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:

  Q256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS
========

While data is being transferred to a remote server, you may experience one of
the following error messages:

  Event ID 26:
  Application popup: System process-lost delayed write data: the system was
  attempting to transfer file data from buffers to <filename path>. The
  write operation failed and only some of the data may have been written to the
  file.

-or-

  Event ID 26
  Application popup: System process-lost delayed write data: the system was
  attempting to transfer file data from buffers to <network share>. The
  write operation failed and only some of the data may have been written to the
  file.

These popup messages may also be accompanied by one or more of the following
event log messages:

  Event ID: 3013
  Description: The redirector has timed out to <Servername>

-or-

  Event ID: 8007
  Description: NetWare redirector timed out its request to server
  <Servername>


CAUSE
=====

By default, when the Microsoft Windows NT redirector opens a file for read or
read/write access, the redirector utilizes the Windows NT system cache.
Therefore, when data is written to the file, it is written to the cache and not
immediately flushed to the redirector. The cache manager flushes the data at a
later time. If an unrecoverable network error occurs while the data is being
transferred to the remote server, it may cause the write request to fail and the
above application popup to occur.


RESOLUTION
==========

WARNING: This procedure should first be tested in a non-critical environment
before being implemented into a production environment. In general, this change
slows down network I/O.

You can disable Network Redirector File Caching by performing the following
steps:

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.

1. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe) and go to the following subkey:

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Rdr\Parameters

2. Click Add Value on the Edit menu.

3. Enter the following:

  Value Name: UseWriteBehind
  Data Type:  REG_DWORD
  Data:       0

  1-true 0-false (default: 1)

  UseWriteBehind - Enables the write-behind optimization for write Only files.

4. Go to the following subkey:

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services
  \Lanmanworkstation\parameters

5. Click Add Value on the Edit menu.

6. Enter the following:

  Value Name: UtilizeNTCaching
  Data Type:  REG_DWORD
  Data:       0

  1-true 0-false (default: 1)

  UtilizeNTCaching - Indicates whether the redirector uses the cache manager to
  cache the contents of files. Disable this parameter only to guarantee that
  all data is flushed to the server immediately after it is written by the
  application.

7. Shut down and restart your computer.

MORE INFORMATION
================

When implementing this change in the registry, it is possible for the mail flow
to be disrupted between Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft Mail using the
Microsoft Mail Connector if there is an underlying network problem or a slow
link. If the change above is made, the mail error will be manifested in the form
of an NDR stating:

  [005] Mail retry count exceeded Network/Postoffice

Once this registry entry is changed back to the default, mail should flow once
again. However, the events will again begin to be registered in Event Viewer.

Additional query words: 4.00 3.51 prodnt nts

======================================================================
Keywords          : kberrmsg 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT351search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTW351search kbWinNTW351 kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400 kbWinNTS351 kbWinNTS351search
Version           : :3.51,4.0
Issue type        : kbprb

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.