You encounter a slow application startup or a slow logon on a computer that is running Windows Server 2008 or Windows Vista after you apply software restriction policies

Consider the following scenario:

• You apply the following policy to a computer that is running Windows Server 2008 or Windows Vista:

  Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Software Restriction Policies\Enforcement

• For this policy, in the Apply software restriction policies to the following section, you select the All software files option.

In this scenario, you encounter a slow application startup or a slow logon. The slow logon occurs when users have their local drives mapped to a network share.

Note You can use Process Monitor to determine whether your computer has the issue. To do this, you start Process Monitor before you start an application. Your computer has the issue if you find a log that is in the Process Monitor and that resembles the following:

This issue occurs because the Advapi32.dll module does not correctly handle file paths that are configured as NT namespace paths.

To resolve the issue, install hotfix 969972 on the affected computer that is running Windows Server 2008 or Windows Vista.

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problemP1 that P2 described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing the problemP1 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.

Important Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 hotfixes are included in the same packages. However, only one of these products may be listed on the �Hotfix Request� page. To request the hotfix package that applies to both Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, just select the product that is listed on the page.

Prerequisites

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

• Windows Server 2008
• Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 (SP2)
• Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1)
• Windows Vista 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 previously released hotfixes.

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. The MANIFEST files (.manifest) and the MUM files (.mum) that are installed for each environment are listed separately . MUM and MANIFEST files, and the associated security catalog (.cat) files, are critical to maintaining the state of the updated component. The security catalog files (attributes not listed) are signed with a Microsoft digital signature.

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 IA64-based versions of Windows Server 2008

For all supported IA64-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 the issue, remove software restriction policies from DLL files.

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

For more information about NT namespaces and Win32 namespaces, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa365247.aspx 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 x64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 and of Windows Vista

Additional files for all supported IA64-based versions of Windows Server 2008