Err Msg: "Temp Directory Not Accessible" After Applying TSE SP4

• Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 SP4, Terminal Server Edition

SYMPTOMS

After you apply Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition Service Pack 4 (SP4), error messages similar to the following may be displayed:

temp directory not accessible

CAUSE

This behavior occurs because Terminal Server SP4 does not reset the permissions or delete existing temporary folders that are orphaned after a dirty shutdown. This behavior change was added in SP4 to improve security by preventing new users from viewing work that may have been abandoned by previous sessions because of a dirty shutdown.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for 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

WORKAROUND

To work around this behavior, please see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article: For additional information, please see the following article(s) in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q186524 Using Terminal Server's FLATTEMP Command

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. This problem was first corrected in Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition, Service Pack 5.

MORE INFORMATION

Normally, Terminal Server session temporary folders are removed by WINLOGON when a user logs off or the session is reset. However, a dirty shutdown orphans the temporary directories for any active or disconnected sessions. A dirty shutdown occurs when the server crashes because of hardware problems, software problems, or power disruption. In addition, a regression introduced in SP4 winlogon may cause a dirty shutdown when a server is restarted without a user logged on to the console.

Note that the hotfix listed in this article does not address the issue of folders not being deleted at logoff; it only ensures that if the folder already exists and a user logging on gets assigned the same temporary folder, that permissions for the existing folder will be set correctly for the new user. EMP folders may still exist.

For more information, please see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

230449 Service Control Handler May Not Receive SERVICE_CONTROL_SHUTDOWN Notification

Additional query words: wts tse terminalsrv

Keywords : kbbug4.00 kbfix4.00
Version : winnt:4.0 SP4
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbbug