Some registry-based policy settings are lost and error messages are logged in the Application log on a Windows XP-based computer or on a Windows Vista-based computer

You have a Microsoft Windows XP-based computer or a Windows Vista-based computer in a domain. Some registry-based policy settings are lost on the computer when either of the following conditions is true:

• Group Policy settings are changed.
• Group Policy settings have to be reapplied at set intervals to the computers in the domain.

Additionally, error messages that resemble the following may be logged in the Application log:

Message 1

Event Type: Error
Event Source: Userenv
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1096
Date: 26/04/2006
Time: 06:14:57
User: NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM
Computer: Computer_Name
Description:
Windows cannot access the registry policy file, \\Domain.NET\SysVol\Domain.NET\Policies\{82787E36-87C9-4C34-AD95-72365A389553}\Machine\registry.pol. (The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process.).

Message 2

Event Type: Error
Event Source: Userenv
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1043
Date: 26/04/2006
Time: 06:14:56
User:
Computer: Computer_Name
Description:
Windows cannot access the registry information at \\Domain.NET\SysVol\Domain.NET\Policies\{82787E36-87C9-4C34-AD95-72365A389553}\Machine\registry.pol. (The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process.).

This problem occurs when one or more of the following conditions are true:

• There is a sharing violation on the registry.pol file. This makes the registry.pol file inaccessible to the other processes.
• Access to parse the registy.pol file is denied through NTFS permissions.
• Network connectivity fails when the registry.pol file is parsed.

Hotfix information

Windows XP

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: 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.

Prerequisites

You must have Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 installed on the computer before you apply this hotfix.

Restart requirement

You must restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace any other hotfixes.

Registry information

To use the hotfix in this package, you do not have to make any changes to the registry.

File information

The English version of this hotfix 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.
Windows XP, x86-based versions

Windows Vista

Service pack information

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

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: 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.

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for installing this hotfix.

Restart requirement

You must restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace any other hotfixes.

Registry information

To use the hotfix in this package, you do not have to make any changes to the registry.

File information

The English version of this hotfix 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.
Windows Vista, x86-based versions

Windows Vista, x64-based versions

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section. This problem was first corrected in Windows Vista Service Pack 1.

Registry values that were previously applied are removed from the registry of the computer in the domain when either of the following conditions is true:

• Changes to Group Policy settings have been detected.
• Group Policy changes have to be reapplied to the computers in the domain.

Then, the applicable registry values are written back to the registry of the computer in the domain by parsing the registry.pol files from the SYSVOL folder on the domain controller.

If access to one of the registry.pol files is denied, registry policy processing stops. Then, some registry values are lost because they cannot be retrieved from the SYSVOL folder. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: