Terminal Server User Profiles Do Not Unload Resulting in Loss of Settings

ID: Q234606

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 SP4, Terminal Server Edition

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.

SYMPTOMS

Terminal Server clients often discover that they have lost configuration settings (such as Outlook settings, icons on the desktop, and so forth) when they log on to a computer running Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition.

CAUSE

This problem occurs because the registry key containing the user's SID is not unloaded when the user logs off and is therefore not being updated correctly. A process (Csrss.exe) has a handle to the key open, thereby preventing WINLOGON from unloading the key.

RESOLUTION

A supported fix that corrects this problem is now available from Microsoft, but it 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 Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition 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://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/overview/overview.asp

The English language version of this software update should have the following file attributes or later:


   Date       Time     Size       File name      Platform
   ------------------------------------------------------
   06/09/99   04:44p    134,928   Termsrv.exe    x86
   06/09/99   04:43p    106,768   Winspool.drv   x86
   06/09/99   04:44p    195,344   Winsrv.dll     x86
   07/26/99   01:51p    992,448   Ntkrnlmp.exe   x86
   07/26/99   01:51p    971,648   Ntoskrnl.exe   x86

   06/09/99   04:48p    242,448   Termsrv.exe    Alpha
   06/09/99   04:47p    179,984   Winspool.drv   Alpha
   06/09/99   04:48p    330,512   Winsrv.dll     Alpha
   07/22/99   01:56p  1,461,568   Ntkrnlmp.exe   Alpha
   07/22/99   01:56p  1,432,320   Ntoskrnl.exe   Alpha

NOTE: This software update affects the Windows NT Kernel. The kernel file has two different versions; single processor and multiprocessor. The installation files are named Ntoskrnl.exe and Ntkrnlmp.exe respectively. However, the file must be named Ntoskrnl.exe before being installed. Therefore, when you install a new kernel on a multiprocessor system, you must rename Ntkrnlmp.exe to Ntoskrnl.exe in the %SystemRoot%\System32 folder.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition.

MORE INFORMATION

The logged-on user's profile is held in the user's SID key under the HKEY_USER registry hive. This registry key is not unloaded when the user logs off. The user profile is not being updated correctly because of this.

The following change can also be made to correct the problem:

When a user logs off, CSRSS (Winsrv.dll) issues a shutdown notification to all the processes running for this user. A change was made such that CSRSS waits 10 seconds for all the processes to close before allowing WINLOGON to unload the User profile from the registry. This wait interval can be configured using the following the new registry key. To modify this interval:

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).

Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).

Go to the following key in the registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control

On the Edit menu, click Add Value, and add the following registry value:
Value Name: ProcessTerminateTimeout:
Data Type: REG_SZ
Value: milliseconds (Default: 10000, 10 Sec) (Infinite: -1) (None: 0)

Quit Registry Editor.

Restart the server to cause the change to take effect.

Microsoft does not recommend modifying this value, except in very rare circumstances where it may need to be tuned.

Additional query words: tse wts citrix metaframe ica clients

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