Controlling the Active Directory Search Buffer Size

To improve the query response time when you are searching for Active Directory objects in a Windows 2000-based organization, searches are limited to 10,000 objects by default. However, you may need to increase this limit as your organization grows. This article describes how to control the buffer size that is allocated for storing the number of objects that are returned by a query search.

To control the buffer size that is allocated for storing the number of objects that are returned by a query search, use either of the following methods:

Modify the Registry

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

1. Use Registry Editor to locate the following registry key:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft
2. Add a registry key named Windows to the registry key listed above.
3. Add a registry key named Directory UI to the following key:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows
4. Add a REG_DWORD value named QueryLimit to the registry key listed below. Type the appropriate decimal value for the limit you want to set.
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Directory UI

Use a Group Policy

1. Using the Group Policy Editor snap-in, select the specific group policy in which you to define this policy (for example, the Default Domain policy).
2. In the User Configuration section of the Group Policy that you selected, look for the the Maximum size of Active Directory searches policy as shown below:
   \Administrative Templates\Desktop\Active Directory\Maximum size of Active Directory searches
3. Double-click the policy. To enable the policy, click Enable and specify in decimal format the number of objects that should be returned. To disable the policy, click Disable.
4. To set the policy, click Apply, and then click OK.

NOTE: Because this is a user-based policy, it is not enforced until the user has logged off and logged on again. Also, the steps in this article apply only to searches executed from the User Interface. They do not affect programmatic LDAP queries."