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Q173385: System Policy Editor Will Not Allow More Than 255 Characters

Article: Q173385
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): WINDOWS:95; winnt:4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbWinNT400sp4fix win95 win98
Last Modified: 20-MAY-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0, Terminal Server Edition 
- Microsoft Windows 98 
- Microsoft Windows 95 
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IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry.
Before you edit the registry, make sure you understand how to restore it if
a problem occurs. For information on how to do this, view the "Restoring
the Registry" online Help topic in Regedit.exe or the "Restoring a Registry
Key" online Help topic in Regedt32.exe.

SYMPTOMS
========

System Policy Editor (Poledit.exe) does not allow a Logon Banner Text field of
greater than 255 characters.

Directly modifying the registry key, however, will allow a Banner of greater than
255 characters.

RESOLUTION
==========

To resolve this problem, perform the following steps:

1. To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0 or
  Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. For additional information,
  please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q152734 How to Obtain the Latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack


  If a logon banner of greater than 1024 characters is required, a supported fix
  is now available from Microsoft that will allow the administrator to create a
  logon banner of up to 2048 characters. This fix has not been fully
  regression-tested and should be applied only to systems experiencing this
  specific problem. If you are not severely affected by this specific problem,
  Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Windows NT service pack that
  contains this fix.

  To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support
  Services to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support
  Services phone numbers and information on support costs, please go to the
  following address on the World Wide Web:

  http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS

  The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or
  later:

  +------------------------------------------------------+
  | Date     | Time   | Size    | File Name   | Platform | 
  +------------------------------------------------------+
  | 10/26/98 | 01:21p | 123,152 | poledit.exe | i386     | 
  +------------------------------------------------------+
  | 10/26/98 | 01:21p | 156,788 | poledit.dbg | i386     | 
  +------------------------------------------------------+
  | 10/26/98 | 01:23p | 196,880 | poledit.exe | alpha    | 
  +------------------------------------------------------+
  | 10/26/98 | 01:23p | 96,700  | poledit.dbg | alpha    | 
  +------------------------------------------------------+


  For more information on this hotfix, please see the following article in the
  Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  ARTICLE-ID: Q179553
  TITLE : Access Violation in PolEdit When Defining Allowed Windows Apps

2. Use a text editor, such as Notepad, to change the following in the Winnt.adm
  file:

  for Windows NT:

  from:

        CATEGORY !!Login_Policies
           POLICY !!LogonBanner
           KEYNAME "Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon"

              PART !!LogonBanner_Text                 EDITTEXT
              VALUENAME "LegalNoticeText"
              MAXLEN 255
              DEFAULT !!LogonBanner_DefText
              END PART

  to:

        CATEGORY !!Login_Policies
           POLICY !!LogonBanner
           KEYNAME "Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon"

              PART !!LogonBanner_Text                 EDITTEXT
              VALUENAME "LegalNoticeText"
              MAXLEN 1024
              DEFAULT !!LogonBanner_DefText
              END PART

  NOTE: Replace 1024 with 2048 for the hotfix.

  for Windows 95:

  from:

        VALUENAME "LegalNoticeText"
        MAXLEN 255
        DEFAULT !!LogonBanner_DefText

  to:

        VALUENAME "LegalNoticeText"
        MAXLEN 1000
        DEFAULT !!LogonBanner_DefText

  NOTE: Replace 1000 with 2048 for the hotfix.

3. Save file and quit the text editor.

To work around this problem, perform the following steps:

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may
require you to reinstall Windows. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems
resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry
Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys And
Values" online Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and
Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" online Help topics
in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it.

Modify the following registry key directly for this value and do not use a System
Policy that will affect this registry key.

1. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).

2. Locate the LegalNoticeText:REG_SZ: value under the following key in the
  registry:

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
  \Winlogon

  NOTE: The above registry key is one path; it has been wrapped for readability.

3. Click String on the Edit menu, type the new value, and then click OK.

4. Quit Registry Editor.

5. Do not use a system policy that affects this registry key.


STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT 4.0 and Windows NT
Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. This problem was first corrected in Windows
NT 4.0 Service Pack 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition
Service Pack 4.


Additional query words: Poledit LogonPolicy spe

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbWinNT400sp4fix win95 win98 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400 kbNTTermServ400 kbNTTermServSearch kbWin95search kbWin98search kbZNotKeyword3 kbWin98
Version           : WINDOWS:95; winnt:4.0
Hardware          : ALPHA x86
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

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

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