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Method for preventing users from compressing files

Article ID: 328597 - View products that this article applies to.

This article was previously published under Q328597

SYMPTOMS

You might want to prevent users from putting compressed files on a file server. You might want to do this because of the CPU power that is used to compress and uncompress the files, or to help predict the backup space that you will need.

You cannot completely prevent users from putting compressed files on a file server by disabling compression on the file server. For example, Microsoft Windows XP and Microsoft Windows Server 2003 do not have a file system setting to disable compression. The setting that is described in this hotfix article can cause problems with programs that expect compression to be available on a volume that uses the NTFS file system.

The hotfix that is described in this article provides a method to disable compression on a per-program basis on a client computer. The support for this method is built into the Application Compatibility layer. One way to deploy this method is by using computer Group Policy objects (GPOs).

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RESOLUTION

Service pack information

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

322389

(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322389/ )

How to obtain the latest Windows XP service pack

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

(http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support)

Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language. The English version of this fix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time item in Control Panel.

   Date         Time   Version        Size       File name      Platform  SP
   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
   31-Dec-2002  00:28  5.1.2600.108   1,801,728  Acgenral.dll   x86       none
   20-Dec-2002  19:11                 1,055,610  Sysmain.sdb    x86       none
   31-Dec-2002  01:16  5.1.2600.1152  1,821,696  Acgenral.dll   x86       1
   19-Dec-2002  22:42                 1,086,000  Sysmain.sdb    x86       1
   16-Dec-2002  22:58  5.1.2600.108   1,801,728  Wacgenral.dll  IA64      none
   20-Dec-2002  19:11                 1,055,610  Wsysmain.sdb   IA64      none
   18-Dec-2002  19:28  5.1.2600.1152  1,821,696  Wacgenral.dll  IA64      1
   19-Dec-2002  22:42                 1,086,000  Wsysmain.sdb   IA64      1

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STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a bug in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section. This problem was first corrected in Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2.

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MORE INFORMATION

Note You must configure this hotfix on a per-program basis. Explorer.exe is only an example.

Programs such as Explorer.exe call the GetVolumeInformation function to retrieve information about a volume's capabilities. With this hotfix installed, the Application Compatibility layer can hide some of these options, such as FS_FILE_COMPRESSION or FILE_SUPPORTS_ENCRYPTION.

After you install this hotfix, you can apply Security Database (SDB) files that contain instructions about how to use the layer. Note that the Compatibility Administrator tool is included with the Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit. To download the Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=24DA89E9-B581-47B0-B45E-492DD6DA2971&displaylang=en

(http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=24DA89E9-B581-47B0-B45E-492DD6DA2971&displaylang=en)

To create an SDB file to prevent compression in Explorer.exe by using Compatibility Administrator, follow these steps:

Install Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), or download and install the hotfix that is included in the "Resolution" section on the computer that is running Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1).
Download and install the Microsoft .NET Framework Version 1.1 Redistributable Package from the following Microsoft Web site:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=262d25e3-f589-4842-8157-034d1e7cf3a3&DisplayLang=en
(http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=262d25e3-f589-4842-8157-034d1e7cf3a3&DisplayLang=en)
Start the Compatibility Administrator tool. To do this, click Start, point to All Programs, point to Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit 4.0, point to Tools, and then click Compatibility Administrator.
In the Compatibility Administrator console, click Fix, type Explorer.exe in the Name of the program to be fixed box, type Microsoft Corp. in the Name of the vendor for this program box, and then click Browse.
Click the Explorer.exe file that is located in the c:\Windows folder, click Open, and then click Next.
In the Operating System Modes list, click None, and then click Next.
If the Clear All button is available, click Clear All to clear all other compatibility fixes, click to select the GetVolumeInformationLie check box in the Compatibility Fixes list, and then click Parameters.
In the Command line box, type 16 to disable compression, type 131072 to disable encryption, or type 131088 to disable both compression and encryption.
In the Module name box, type Explorer.exe, click Include, click Add, click OK, and then click Next.
In the Matching Information dialog box, click Finish, click Save on the File menu, type Explorer.exe in the Database Name box, and then click OK.
In the Save Database dialog box, type Explorer.sdb in the File name box, click to select the C:\Windows\AppPatch folder, and then click Save.

You can repeat these steps for all the programs that use compression or for programs that use common file dialog boxes, such as Open or Save As, because users can access file properties from these dialog boxes.

To deploy SDB files, follow these steps:

SDB files that you create in the C:\Windows\AppPatch folder must be distributed to all computers that need the setting. Copy the SDB files to the C:Windows\AppPatch folder on the destination computer.
Run the sdbinst Windows\apppatch\explorer.sdb command to install the setting. Repeat for each SDB file.

To create an SDB file to enable compression in Explorer.exe by using Compatibility Administrator, follow these steps:

Install Windows XP SP2, or download and install the hotfix that is included in the "Resolution" section on the computer that is running Windows XP SP1.
Download and install the Microsoft .NET Framework Version 1.1 Redistributable Package from the following Microsoft Web site:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=262d25e3-f589-4842-8157-034d1e7cf3a3&DisplayLang=en
(http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=262d25e3-f589-4842-8157-034d1e7cf3a3&DisplayLang=en)
Start the Compatibility Administrator tool. To do this, click Start, point to All Programs, point to Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit 4.0, point to Tools, and then click Compatibility Administrator.
In the Compatibility Administrator console, click Fix, type Explorer.exe in the Name of the program to be fixed box, type Microsoft Corp. in the Name of the vendor for this program box, and then click Browse.
Click the Explorer.exe file that is located in the c:\Windows folder, click Open, and then click Next.
In the Operating System Modes list, click None, and then click Next.
If the Clear All button is available, click Clear All to clear all other compatibility fixes, click to select the GetVolumeInformationLie check box in the Compatibility Fixes list, click Next, and then click Finish in the Matching Information dialog box.
Click Save on the File menu, type Explorer.exe in the Database Name box, and then click OK.
In the Save Database dialog box, type Explorer.sdb in the File name box, click to select the C:\Windows\AppPatch folder, and then click Save.

Note Click Yes if you receive a message to replace the existing file.
Apply this file to the computers where you want to enable compression again by using the steps in the "To deploy SDB files:" section earlier in this article.