Article ID: 322864 - Last Review: October 31, 2006 - Revision: 4.1

Deleted files are not immediately removed and cannot be overwritten

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This article was previously published under Q322864
Important This article contains information about how to modify the registry. Make sure to back up the registry before you modify it. Make sure that you know how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and modify the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
256986  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/256986/ ) Description of the Microsoft Windows registry

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SYMPTOMS

After you delete files from a location that is shared by Server For NFS, the files do not immediately go away. Although the file or files seem to remain, you cannot use the file or files. This problem can also cause a message that states that the file is in use when you try to save the file from a program on the server or from a SMB client computer. Both symptoms last for approximately 30 seconds. After 30 seconds, the file will disappear from the Explorer window, and you can save new versions of the file.
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CAUSE

NFS Server caches file handles for a time that is determined by the following two registry entries:
  • RdWrHandleLifeTime
  • RdWrThreadSleepTime
These entries are located in the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\NfsSvr\Parameters
The product of these two entries in seconds determines the time that a handle stays in the cache beyond the time it was last accessed. By default, both entries are set to 5. This means a time of 25 seconds.
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Formula

RdWrHandleLifeTime * RdWrThreadSleepTime = time handle stays in cache
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Example

5 * 5 = 25 seconds
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RESOLUTION

Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

If server usage is predominantly done by using NFS, increase one or both of these entries to improve performance. Microsoft does not recommend that you use a total time of more than 100 seconds because it may lead to extra caching of file handles on the server side. Too much caching may lead to too much memory and handle consumption.

If the server is used in a multi-mode environment (CIFS and NFS), leave the total time as it is, or reduce it to no less than 10 seconds.
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MORE INFORMATION

When a program opens a file, the program can request various levels of shared access to the file. For example, a program may open a file for exclusive read, where only the one program is allowed to read the file. Or, a program may open a file for shared write, where more than one program can modify the file. Depending on how a program requests access to a file, the request may be denied. This behavior sometimes occurs on Web servers.
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APPLIES TO
  • Microsoft Windows Storage Server 2003
  • Microsoft Windows Services for UNIX 3.5
  • Microsoft Windows Services for UNIX 3.0 Standard Edition
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Keywords: 
kbenv kbprb kbui KB322864
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