Maximum Number of ACEs in an ACL

ID: Q166348

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

SYMPTOMS

When you add users or groups to the security permissions of an object share, file, or directory, you may receive the following error message:

You have exceeded the operating system's limit on the number of users and groups that can be in a security information structure. Remove some users or groups and try the operation again.

Or, when using Cacls.exe to perform this function, you may receive the following error message:

The parameter is incorrect.

CAUSE

This error occurs when you reach the maximum number of Access Control Entries (ACE) for an object. The number of access control entries is limited to 1,820. Access control entries are kept in the Access Control List (ACL).

Additional query words: max permission user group unexpected inconsistent unusual ase

Keywords : ntdomain ntsecurity ntnetserv ntfilesys NTSrvWkst
Version : WinNT:3.5,3.51,4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbprb