FIX: You are prompted to format the volume when a formatted volume is mounted on a NTFS folder that is located on a computer that is running Windows Server 2008 or Windows Vista

Consider the following scenario:

• You create a folder on an NTFS file system volume on a computer that is running Windows Server 2008 or Windows Vista.
• You configure this folder as a reparse point or as a mount point for volumes that will be added.
• A formatted volume is mounted on the folder.

Under a stress situation in this scenario, you are prompted with the following message when the volume is mounted to the reparse point or to the mount point: If you click the Format disk button in the message dialog box, the wrong volume is formatted. For example, when you mount a volume on the E:\mount folder, you receive the message that is mentioned in the "Symptoms" section. If you click the Format disk button, volume E is formatted instead of the mounted volume.

Under a stress situation, the Windows message change notifications may be asynchronous for Plug and Play (PNP) devices. This behavior leads to a timing issue. When this timing issue occurs, the Shell Hardware Detection service receives a volume name-change notification after the volume is deleted.

The Shell Hardware Detection service assumes that the globally unique identifier (GUID) of the related volume exists when the service handles a name change notification. However, this assumption is invalid when the timing issue occurs. Therefore, the change notification is handled incorrectly, and the behavior that is mentioned in the "Symptoms" section occurs.

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 the problem described in this article. 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

To apply this hotfix, the computer must be running one of the following operating systems:

• Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1)
• Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2)
• Windows Server 2008
• Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 (SP2)

Restart requirement

You must restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace any other hotfix.

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.

For all supported x86-based versions of Windows Server 2008 and of Windows Vista SP1

For all supported x86-based versions of Windows Server 2008 SP2 and of Windows Vista SP2

For all supported Itanium-based versions of Windows Server 2008

For all supported Itanium-based versions of Windows Server 2008 SP2

For all supported x64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 and of Windows Vista SP1

For all supported x64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 SP2 and of Windows Vista SP2

To work around this issue, when you are prompted with the message dialog box that is mentioned in the "Symptoms" section, click Cancel to close the message dialog box and to prevent the incorrect formatting action.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Additional file information for Windows Server 2008 and for Windows Vista

Additional files for all supported x86-based versions of Windows Server 2008 and of Windows Vista

Additional files for all supported Itanium-based versions of Windows Server 2008

Additional files for all supported x64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 and of Windows Vista