Incomplete Directory Listing Returned from Server to Client

ID: Q169362

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0
Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0
Microsoft LAN Manager, version 2.2c
Microsoft Windows for Workgroups version 3.11

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

When a Windows 3.11, Windows for Workgroups, or a MS-DOS client requests a directory listing from a command prompt, the list returned is missing some of the entries from time to time. This situation can occur with 16-bit applications running on a client but getting some of its files from the server. This prevents the application from locating some of its files, even though the files are there.

An example would be an application that goes out to a directory and does a search for all DLLs and then, based on what is found, loads only those DLLs found. But not all the DLL names were returned in the directory search so not all the DLLs load.

CAUSE

If you take a network trace of the activity between the clients and the server, you will see that SMB 81 is used to get a directory search. The file names returned from this SMB will be truncated part of the time, which makes the problem intermittent.

RESOLUTION

To resolve the problem, increase the value in the registry that controls the number of outstanding directory search requests the server can handle at one time.

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. 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.

Run Regedt32.exe and navigate to the following registry key:
```
      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanManServer
      \Parameters\  
```
NOTE: The above registry key is one path; it has been wrapped for readability.

Make the following changes:


      Entry: MaxGlobalOpenSearch
      Type: REG_DWORD
      Default: 2048
      Max: ffffffff
      Min: 1

Additional query words: networking

Keywords : kbnetwork wfwg ntnetserv NTSrvWkst
Version : WINDOWS:3.11; winnt:3.5,3.51,4.0; :2.2c
Platform : WINDOWS winnt
Issue type : kbprb