Article ID: 145949 - Last Review: February 20, 2007 - Revision: 3.1

Share Names Greater Than 12 Characters Cause Errors on Clients

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SYMPTOMS

When you browse a Window NT computer using the NET VIEW command from a Windows 95 or a Windows for Workgroups computer, the following error message appears:
Error 234: Additional data is available.
On a LAN Manager 2.2c (MS-DOS) client computer, the following error message appears:
NET3513: More data is available than can be returned by LAN Manager.
When you browse a Windows NT computer using File Manager in Windows for Workgroups, the following error message appears:
An internal LAN Manager error occurred.
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CAUSE

These errors can occur if a share name of the Windows NT computer is greater than 12 characters and/or contains a space.
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RESOLUTION

Make sure that all the share names on the Windows NT computer are 12 characters or less and do not contain any spaces.
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MORE INFORMATION

To ensure that the problems above do not occur, Windows NT File Manager, Server Manager and the NET SHARE command do not allow share names greater than 12 characters. In addition, if the share name exceeds the 8.3 directory naming size, the following message appears when you attempt to share the directory in Windows NT:
This sharename <share name> is not accessible from some MS-DOS workstations. Are you sure you want to use this sharename?
While the error does not mention Windows for Workgroups this could affect those clients as well.

In Windows NT 4.xx, under the "Add Printer" wizard you will no longer received any warnings about name length. Also under Windows 4.0 Explorer you will not receive any warnings. Remember when browsing the browser returns ALL share names so even ONE name will prevent the ENTIRE list from being returned. So, for example, a too long data share name will prevent all printers from being browsed.

However, the Windows NT Resource Kit utility, RMTSHARE.EXE, allows you to create a share name that exceeds 12 characters. When you share a directory that exceeds the 8.3 directory naming size using Rmtshare, the message above does not appear. Therefore, there is no warning that the share name you create is not accessible from an MS-DOS networking client computer or Windows for Workgroups.

If you use the NET USE command or Explorer in Windows 95, you are able to successfully connect to the network share that exceeds 12 characters on the Windows NT computer. If you use the NET USE command in Windows for Workgroups, you are able to successfully connect to the same share. However, you cannot connect to the same share using File Manager in Windows for Workgroups. If you use the NET USE command from any of the MS-DOS client computers, you cannot connect to the share.

The following is a sample Rmtshare command line syntax, which you can use to create a share name that is greater than 12 characters: 
   rmtshare \\NT_Server\Thirteen_char=c:\MyDir
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APPLIES TO
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Edition
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.51
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Developer Edition
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.51
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft Windows 95
  • Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.11
  • Microsoft Network Client 3.1
  • Microsoft LAN Manager 2.2c
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Keywords: 
kbnetwork kbprb KB145949
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