Notice: This website is an unofficial Microsoft Knowledge Base (hereinafter KB) archive and is intended to provide a reliable access to deleted content from Microsoft KB. All KB articles are owned by Microsoft Corporation. Read full disclaimer for more details.
"The following entry in the [strings] section is too long and has been truncated" error message when you try to modify or to view GPOs in Windows Server 2003, Windows XP Professional, or Windows 2000
When you try to modify or to view Group Policy objects (GPOs) on a computer that is running Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Microsoft Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 1 (SP1), or Microsoft Windows 2000, you may receive an error message that is similar to the following:
The following entry in the [strings] section is too long and has been truncated.
Some text may be displayed after this error message, and this text varies in different scenarios. Additionally, if you click OK in the error message window, a similar error message may be repeated. Each error message that is repeated has different text that is displayed after the error message.This problem occurs because older versions of the Group Policy editor cannot interpret some string types that include more than 255 characters. These string types are included in parts of .adm files that are meant to be excluded by the "IF VERSION" construct.
Typically, the problem occurs when you try to view or modify a GPO that has been viewed by a different workstation, and that workstation contains .adm files that use the "IF VERSION >=5" construct. When an administrative workstation views a GPO, the workstation automatically updates that GPO with the latest version of the .adm files. If the workstation's .adm files are newer than the files that are contained in the \Adm folder of the domain GPO, the template files are updated. If the template files contain the "IF VERSION >=5" construct, when an administrative workstation tries to modify or to view the GPO, and the workstation does not have this hotfix installed, the errors occur.
Note Administrative template (.adm) files that use the "IF VERSION >=5" construct are included in Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2). This construct prevents unexpected behavior in some Group Policy settings when the settings are modified by older versions of the Group Policy editor.
For additional information about Group Policy administrative template files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Typically, the problem occurs when you try to view or modify a GPO that has been viewed by a different workstation, and that workstation contains .adm files that use the "IF VERSION >=5" construct. When an administrative workstation views a GPO, the workstation automatically updates that GPO with the latest version of the .adm files. If the workstation's .adm files are newer than the files that are contained in the \Adm folder of the domain GPO, the template files are updated. If the template files contain the "IF VERSION >=5" construct, when an administrative workstation tries to modify or to view the GPO, and the workstation does not have this hotfix installed, the errors occur.
Note Administrative template (.adm) files that use the "IF VERSION >=5" construct are included in Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2). This construct prevents unexpected behavior in some Group Policy settings when the settings are modified by older versions of the Group Policy editor.
For additional information about Group Policy administrative template files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Windows 2000 SP3 or later
Update information
The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:
Download the 842933 package now.Prerequisites
To install this update, you must have Windows 2000 SP3 or later installed on your computer.Restart requirement
You must restart your computer after you apply this update.Hotfix replacement information
This hotfix does not replace any other updates.File information
The English version of this update has the file attributes (or later) 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 tool in Control Panel.Date Time Version Size File name
--------------------------------------------------------
27-May-2004 16:09 5.0.2195.6934 124,688 Gptext.dll
16-May-2004 19:43 5.0.2195.6928 5,873,664 Sp3res.dll
Windows XP Professional SP1
Service pack information
To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Microsoft Windows XP. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:322389 How to obtain the latest Windows XP service pack
Update information
Windows XP, 32-bit editions
The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:Download the 842933 package now.For additional information about how to download Microsoft Support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:119591 How to obtain Microsoft support files from online services
Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help to prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.Windows XP, 64-bit editions
The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:Download the 842933 package now.For additional information about how to download Microsoft Support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:119591 How to obtain Microsoft support files from online services
Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help to prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later) 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 tool in Control Panel.
Prerequisites
To install this update, you must have Windows XP SP1 or later installed on your computer.Restart requirement
You must restart your computer after you apply this update.Hotfix replacement information
This hotfix does not replace any other updates.File information
Date Time Version Size File nameThis problem was first corrected in Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2.
--------------------------------------------------------------
28-Jul-2004 01:43 5.1.2600.1579 76,288 Ipsec.sys
10-Aug-2004 21:43 5.1.2600.1579 334,848 Ipsecsnp.dll
10-Aug-2004 21:43 5.1.2600.1579 164,864 Ipsecsvc.dll
10-Aug-2004 21:43 5.1.2600.1579 364,544 Ipsmsnap.dll
10-Aug-2004 21:43 5.1.2600.1579 261,120 Oakley.dll
10-Aug-2004 21:43 5.1.2600.1579 98,304 Polstore.dll
10-Aug-2004 21:43 5.1.2600.1579 163,840 Rasmans.dll
10-Aug-2004 21:43 5.1.2600.1579 29,184 Winipsec.dll
10-Aug-2004 21:43 5.1.2600.1581 183,808 Gptext.dll
Windows Server 2003
Update information
The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:Download the 842933 package now.The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later) 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 tool in Control Panel.
Date Time Version Size File name
--------------------------------------------------------------
09-Aug-2004 22:26 5.2.3790.198 220,672 Gptext.dll
To work around this problem, click OK in each error message window to continue working with Group Policy. You must have administrative credentials to use this workaround.
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.
For additional information about the terminology that is used in this article, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
824684 Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates
For additional information about the problem that is discussed in this article, and other Group Policy changes included in Windows XP SP2, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:Keywords: atdownload, kbqfe, kbwinxpsp2fix, kbwin2000sp5fix, w2000grppol, kbwinservperf, kbmgmtservices, kbgrppolicyprob, kbgpo, kberrmsg, kbbug, kbfix, kbwin2000presp5fix, kb, kbwinserv2003presp1fix