Microsoft KB Archive/242996

= Open With Dialog Cannot Contain Registry Keys Exceeding 63 Characters =

Article ID: 242996

Article Last Modified on 9/2/2005

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Site Server 3.0 Commerce Edition

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This article was previously published under Q242996



SYMPTOMS
The "Open With" dialog does not display all associated applications.



CAUSE
The Windows NT "Open With" dialog has a hard-coded 64 byte (63 characters plus NULL terminator) limitation when the associated application list is created. If HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT contains any entries where the registry key name exceeds 63 characters, the application list creation process is ended early, and all of the possible entries are not displayed.



RESOLUTION
A supported fix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Apply it only to computers that are experiencing this specific problem.

To resolve this problem, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS

NOTE: In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later:

  Date      Time                 Size    File name     Platform -  09/29/1999  05:53p           1,279,248 Shell32.dll   x86 09/29/1999 05:52p           1,854,736 Shell32.dll   alpha



WORKAROUND
Remove registry key names that exceed 63 characters.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in Windows NT 4.0.

Keywords: kbbug kbfix KB242996

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