Knowledge Base

FRS Creates Unneeded Folders in DFS Root Alternates

Article ID: 265365

Article Last Modified on 11/8/2006

APPLIES TO

Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Edition

This article was previously published under Q265365

SYMPTOMS

Each time a Distributed File System (DFS) link is added, a morphed folder is created if the File Replication service (FRS) is enabled at the root of a distributed file system. This occurs because DFS creates the folders and FRS determines that the names collide on each of the root alternates. The extraneous folders have a suffix of the form "_NTFRS_xxxxxxxx" added to the end of the folder name.

CAUSE

When DFS on a domain creates a new link at the root of a distributed file system, it creates an empty folder for that link on each DFS alternate. If FRS is enabled at the DFS root, it replicates the creation of the folder. The code to create this folder runs on each DFS alternate. In addition, the code periodically polls the directory service for any configuration changes once per hour. As a part of this action, the code automatically re-creates these link folders by first deleting any existing file or folder with the associated name and then creating a new folder. FRS detects this action and replicates the folder creation to the other alternates, where it finds a pre-existing folder with the same name (created by DFS). FRS handles this conflict by appending a suffix of the form "NTFRS_xxxxxxxx" to the end of one of the folder names and then finishes the replication action.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows 2000. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

260910 How to Obtain the Latest Windows 2000 Service Pack

The following files are available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:

For additional information about how to download Microsoft Support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

119591 How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online Services

Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help to prevent any unauthorized changes to the file. The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later:

   Date        Time    Version        Size    File name
   -----------------------------------------------------
   06/21/2000  04:30p  5.0.2195.2096  74,032  Dfs.sys
   06/21/2000  04:30p  5.0.2195.2096  89,872  Dfssvc.exe

WORKAROUND

This problem does not occur if FRS is not enabled at a distributed file system root.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was first corrected in Windows 2000 Service Pack 2.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information about how to install Windows 2000 and Windows 2000 hotfixes at the same time, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

249149 Installing Microsoft Windows 2000 and Windows 2000 Hotfixes

Additional query words: FRS NTFRS ntfrs

Keywords: kbhotfixserver kbqfe kbbug kbfix kbgraphxlinkcritical kbwin2000presp2fix KB265365

Microsoft KB Archive/265365

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