Queries or sets the current file system behavior parameters, which include:
- The creation of 8.3 character-length file names
- Extended character use in 8.3 character-length short file names
on NTFS volumes
- The updating of the Last Access Time stamp when directories are
listed on NTFS volumes
- The frequency with which quota events are written to the system
log and to NTFS paged pool and NTFS non-paged pool memory cache
levels
- The size of the master file table zone (MFT Zone)
Syntax
fsutil behavior query {disable8dot3 | allowextchar | disablelastaccess | quotanotify | memoryusage | mftzone}
fsutil behavior set [{disable8dot3 {1|0} | allowextchar {1|0} | disablelastaccess {1|0} | quotanotify <Frequency> | memoryusage <Value> | mftzone <Value>}]
Parameters
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
|
query |
Queries the file system behavior parameters. |
|
set |
Changes the file system behavior parameters. |
|
disable8dot3 {1|0} |
Disables (1) or enables (0) the creation of 8.3 character-length file names on FAT- and NTFS-formatted volumes. |
|
allowextchar {1|0} |
Allows (1) or disallows (0) characters from the extended character set (including diacritic characters) to be used in 8.3 character-length short file names on NTFS volumes. |
|
disablelastaccess {1|0} |
Disables (1) or enables (0) updates to the Last Access Time stamp on each directory when directories are listed on an NTFS volume. |
|
quotanotify <Frequency> |
Configures how frequently NTFS quota violations are Frequency reported in the system log. Valid values for are in the range 0 – 4294967295. The default frequency is 3600 seconds (one hour). |
|
memoryusage <Value> |
Configures the internal cache levels of NTFS paged pool memory and NTFS non-paged pool memory. Set to 1 or 2. When set to 1 (the default), NTFS uses the default amount of paged pool memory. When set to 2, NTFS increases the size of its lookaside lists and memory thresholds. (A lookaside list is a pool of fixed-size kernel memory buffers that the kernel and device drivers create as private memory caches for file system operations, such as reading a file.) |
|
mftzone <Value> |
Sets the size of the MFT Zone, in increments of one-eighth the size of the disk. Set Value to a number from 1 (default) to 4 (maximum). |
Remarks
- The MFT Zone is a reserved area that enables the MFT to expand
as needed to prevent MFT fragmentation. If the average file size on
the volume is 2 KB or less, it can be beneficial to set the
mftzone value to 2. If the average file size on the volume
is 1 KB or less, it can be beneficial to set the mftzone
value to 4.
- Because the behavior subcommand writes changes to the
registry, you must restart the computer for these changes to take
effect.
- When disable8dot3 is set to 0, every time you
create a file with a long file name, NTFS creates a second file
entry that has an 8.3 character-length file name. When NTFS creates
files in a directory, it must look up the 8.3 character-length file
names that are associated with the long file names. This parameter
updates the
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem\NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation
registry key.
- The allowextchar parameter updates the
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem\NtfsAllowExtendedCharacterIn8dot3Name
registry key.
The disablelastaccess parameter reduces the impact of logging updates to the Last Access Time stamp on files and directories. Disabling the Last Access Time feature improves the speed of file and directory access. This parameter updates the HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem\NtfsDisableLastAccessUpdate registry key.
Notes:
- File-based Last Access Time queries are accurate even if
all on-disk values are not current. NTFS returns the correct value
on queries because the accurate value is stored in memory.
- One hour is the maximum amount of time that NTFS defers
updating Last Access Time on disk. If NTFS updates other
file attributes such as Last Modify Time, and a Last
Access Time update is pending, NTFS updates Last Access
Time with the other updates without additional performance
impact.
- The disablelastaccess parameter can affect programs such
as Backup and Remote Storage that rely on this feature.
- File-based Last Access Time queries are accurate even if
all on-disk values are not current. NTFS returns the correct value
on queries because the accurate value is stored in memory.
- Increasing physical memory does not always increase the amount
of paged pool memory available to NTFS. Setting memoryusage
to 2 raises the limit of paged pool memory. This might
improve performance if your system is opening and closing many
files in the same file set and is not already using large amounts
of system memory for other applications or for cache memory. If
your computer is already using large amounts of system memory for
other applications or for cache memory, increasing the limit of
NTFS paged and non-paged pool memory reduces the available pool
memory for other processes. This might reduce overall system
performance. This parameter updates the
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem\NtfsMemoryUsage
registry key.
- The Value value specified in the mftzone
parameter is an approximation of the initial size of the MFT plus
the MFT Zone on a new volume, and it is set at mount time for each
file system. As space on the volume is used, NTFS adjusts the space
reserved for future MFT growth. If the MFT Zone is already large,
the full MFT Zone size is not reserved again. Because the MFT Zone
is based on the contiguous range past the end of the MFT, it
shrinks as the space is used.
The file system does not redetermine the MFT Zone location until the current MFT Zone is completely used. Note that this never occurs on a typical system.