Controlling the Active Directory Search Buffer Size

ID: Q243281

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
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 about how to do this, view the "Restoring the Registry" Help topic in Regedit.exe or the "Restoring a Registry Key" Help topic in Regedt32.exe.

SUMMARY

To improve the query response time when you are searching for Active Directory objects in a Windows 2000-based organization, searches are limited to 10,000 objects by default. However, you may need to increase this limit as your organization grows. This article describes how to control the buffer size that is allocated for storing the number of objects that are returned by a query search.


MORE INFORMATION

To control the buffer size that is allocated for storing the number of objects that are returned by a query search, use either of the following methods:

Modify the Registry

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" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it. If you are running Windows NT, you should also update your Emergency Repair Disk (ERD).

  1. Use Registry Editor to locate the following registry key:


    2. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft
  2. Add a registry key named Windows to the registry key listed above.


  3. Add a registry key named Directory UI to the following key:


    4. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows
  4. Add a REG_DWORD value named QueryLimit to the registry key listed below. Type the appropriate decimal value for the limit you want to set.


    5. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Directory UI

Use a Group Policy

  1. Using the Group Policy Editor snap-in, select the specific group policy in which you to define this policy (for example, the Default Domain policy).


  2. In the User Configuration section of the Group Policy that you selected, look for the the Maximum size of Active Directory searches policy as shown below:


    3. \Administrative Templates\Desktop\Active Directory\Maximum size of Active Directory searches
  3. Double-click the policy. To enable the policy, click Enable and specify in decimal format the number of objects that should be returned. To disable the policy, click Disable.


  4. To set the policy, click Apply, and then click OK.


NOTE: Because this is a user-based policy, it is not enforced until the user has logged off and logged on again.

Additional query words:

Keywords : kbenv
Version : WINDOWS:2000
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbinfo


Last Reviewed: December 29, 1999
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