Edit

Change in the TSAware flag behavior in .NET Framework 3.5 SP1

  • Article

This article describes changes in the TSAware flag behavior in Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1 (SP1).

Original product version:   .Net 3.5 Framework Service Pack 1
Original KB number:   2229865

Changes in the TSAware behavior

From .Net 3.5 Framework SP1 onwards, the /TSAWARE flag is set to ON by default in the PE header of the image produced by the included C# and Visual Basic. NET compilers. It can be verified by running dumpbin.exe on any C#/VB.net assembly built by using those compilers as follows:

Dumpbin /Headers <assembly_name>.exe(dll)

Sample output:

8540 DLL characteristics
Dynamic base
NX compatible
No structured exception handler
Terminal Server Aware

Note

Dumpbin.exe is included in the Windows SDK and is also installed with Visual Studio.

For Visual C++ projects, this flag can be edited through Visual Studio integrated development environment (IDE) as follows:

  1. Open the project's Property Pages dialog box. For details, see Setting Visual C++ Project Properties.
  2. Select the Linker folder.
  3. Select the System property page.
  4. Modify the Terminal Server property.

More information

As per the /TSAWARE documentation, when an application is not Terminal Server aware (also known as a legacy application), Terminal Server makes certain modifications to the legacy application to make it work properly in a multiuser environment. For example, Terminal Server will create a virtual Windows folder, such that each user gets a Windows folder instead of getting the system's Windows directory. It gives users access to their own INI files. In addition, Terminal Server makes some adjustments to the registry for a legacy application. These modifications slow the loading of the legacy application on Terminal Server.

It is recommended that you update your application to be TSAWARE and not modify this flag.