"The security validation for this page has timed out" error message when a user submits data to Windows SharePoint Services

When a user tries to submit information to the server from a Web page on a Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services Web site, the user receives the following error message:For example, a user receives the error message in the following scenario:

1. The user clicks New Item to add a new item to a list and then adds the information for the new item. The information that the user adds is fairly long, such as a survey response.
2. The user clicks Save and Close on the List Name: New Item page to submit the information to the server.

This behavior occurs if a user submits information to the server after the security validation time-out that is set for the virtual server expires. By default, the security validation time-out value in Windows SharePoint Services is set to 30 minutes. That is, if 30 minutes pass before the user clicks Save and Close to submit data to the server, the user must reenter the data and then resubmit that data to the server.

To work around this behavior, use one of the following methods:

• Instruct your users to submit information to the server before the security validation time-out expires.
• Increase the security validation time-out value. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click SharePoint Central Administration.
  2. Under Virtual Server Configuration on the Windows SharePoint Services Central Administration page, click Configure virtual server settings.
  3. On the Virtual Server List page, click the name of the virtual server that you want to configure.
  4. Under Virtual Server Management on the Virtual Server Settings page, click Virtual server general settings.
  5. In the Web Page Security Validation area of the Virtual Server General Settings page, specify the number of minutes that you want to set for the security validation time-out, and then click OK.

The Web Page Security Validation feature helps enhance security by imposing a time limit on Web pages when a user submits information to the server. When a user tries to submit information to the server after the validation time-out expires, the user receives the error message that is mentioned in the "Symptoms" section. If users frequently experience the symptoms that are described in the "Symptoms" section, consider increasing the security validation time-out value.

For more information about the Web Page Security Validation feature, see the "About Web page security validation" section in Windows SharePoint Services Help. To locate this section, click Help on any SharePoint site page, and then click Home. When the table of contents is displayed, click the Configuring and Managing Windows SharePoint Services section, and then click the Security section.

Note If you are using Windows SharePoint Services on a server that is running Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003, you must first click Help on any SharePoint site page, and then click Windows SharePoint Services Help Table of Contents. This will display the table of contents for the Windows SharePoint Services Help topics that were mentioned in the previous paragraph.