Performance Problems with Shortcuts After Using the System Preperation Tool

ID: Q243085

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 4.0, 4.0 SP1, 4.0 SP2, 4.0 SP3, 4.0 SP4, 4.0 SP5
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 4.0, 4.0 SP1, 4.0 SP2, 4.0 SP3, 4.0 SP4, 4.0 SP5
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

After you use the System Preparation Tool (SYSPREP) to clone a "master computer" and you double-click the shortcuts on the cloned computer, the associated programs may take a long time to start.


CAUSE

This issue can occur if the shortcut is resolving the path on the master computer and not on the cloned computer.

This issue occurs because shortcuts you create on a computer automatically embed a Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path in the .lnk file. The default shortcut resolution method is to resolve the link to the original location of the file before it looks at another path where the file exists.


RESOLUTION

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).

To resolve this issue, make the following changes in the Windows registry before you run the System Preperation Tool.

  1. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).


  2. Add the Explorer key to the following registry key if it does not exist:


    3. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
  3. Add the following value to the Explorer registry key:


    4. Value Name: LinkResolveIgnoreLinkInfo
    Data Type: REG_DWORD
    Data: 1 (enable)

  4. Click OK.


  5. restart the computer.


For additional information about shortcuts, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q158682 Shortcuts Created Under Windows NT 4.0 Resolve to UNC Paths

Additional query words:

Keywords : kbenv kbnetwork kbtool
Version : winnt:4.0,4.0 SP1,4.0 SP2,4.0 SP3,4.0 SP4,4.0 SP5
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbprb


Last Reviewed: January 20, 2000
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