Unable to Access Image Files Located on an NTFS Partition Using BootIt NG

Problem: 

While using BootIt NG, you are unable to access image files that you know to exist at a given path on a partition formatted with the NTFS file system.

Cause: 

This problem can occur if the image files in question were created on the NTFS partition after the NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation registry value has been set to 1.  This is because after the NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation registry value is set to 1, any new files created on the applicable NTFS partition(s) are created without an associated MS-DOS 8.3 naming convention reference.  As a result, those files will only be accessible using long file names, which BootIt NG does not use.

There are several ways by which the value of NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation could have been set to 1 from its default value of 0:

• Manually, using a registry editor such as Regedit.
• By a third-party "tweaking" utility.
• By the Windows fsutil.exe utility.

To determine the current value of the NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation value, proceed as follows, depending on your version of Windows:

Windows XP/Vista:

1. Click on the Start button, click on All Programs, click on Accessories, click on Command Prompt.
   
   
2. At the prompt, type (or copy and paste) the following command:
   
   fsutil behavior query disable8dot3
   
   If the command output is as follows, then the cause and solution outlined in this article apply:
   
   disable8dot3 = 1
   

Windows 7:

Windows 7 defaults to controlling 8dot3NameCreation on a per volume (per partition) basis instead of globally, as in previous versions. Because of this change, the setting can be disabled/enabled globally (for all volumes) or just for specified volumes. For example, if the volume setting is enabled and the global setting is disabled, it will be disabled for the volume.

1. Start a Command Prompt in Administrator Mode:
   
   
   1. Click on the Start button, click on All Programs, click on Accessories.
   2. Right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator from the pop-up menu.
   3. Click Yes on the UAC prompt, if shown.
      
      
2. At the command line prompt, type the following command.
   
   For example, to check the status of the C: drive:
   
   fsutil behavior query disable8dot3 C:
   
   The output of the command should be similar to the following:
   
   The volume state for Disable8dot3 is 1 (8dot3 name creation is disabled).
   The registry state of NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation is 2, the default (Volume level setting).
   Based on the above two settings, 8dot3 name creation is disabled on c:.
   
   The first line shows the state of the option for the specified volume (in this case, C:). The second line shows the global setting of the option (in this case, it's the default). The last line shows the final result of the option for the volume (in this case, it's disabled).
   
   Here is an example where the volume's setting is enabled, but the global setting is disabled:
   
   The volume state for Disable8dot3 is 0 (8dot3 name creation is enabled).
   The registry state of NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation is 1 (Disable 8dot3 name creation on all volumes).
   Based on the above two settings, 8dot3 name creation is disabled on c:.
   
   If the output states that 8dot3 name creation is disabled for the volume, then the cause and solution outlined in this article apply.
   

Solution:

To make the affected image file(s) accessible to BootIt NG, the file(s) must have MS-DOS 8.3 naming convention paths defined.  The procedures below explain how to establish these paths.

1. Enable 8dot3 Name Creation. Select the appropriate method depending on your version of Windows:
   
   Windows XP/Vista:
   
   Select one of the following methods:
   
   Manual Registry Editing:
   
   
   1. Open Regedit and navigate to the following registry key:
      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem
   2. Locate the NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation value and double-click it.
   3. Change the data for the NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation value to 0, then click OK to save the change.
   4. Exit the Registry Editor.
   
   Using fsutil.exe:
   
   
   1. Open the Run dialog by clicking Start, then Run.
   2. In the Open text box of the Run dialog, type in (or copy and paste) the following command and then click OK:
      fsutil behavior set disable8dot3 0
      
   
   Windows 7:
   
   
   1. Start a Command Prompt in Administrator Mode (use the instructions above, if necessary).
      
      
   2. Enable 8dot3 Name Creation:
      
      
      • If Windows 7 is using the default value for NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation (2), run the following command to enable the option on the specified volume. In this example, the option is being enabled on the C: partition:
        
        fsutil behavior set disable8dot3 C: 0
        
        Note: If you wish to enable the option for any additional partitions, run the command again, specifing the desired drive letter.
        
        
      • If you wish to enable the option globally (for all volumes/partitions), run the following command:
        fsutil behavior set disable8dot3 0
   
   
2. Restart Windows (reboot the computer).
   
   
3. Make a copy the affected image file(s), saving the copy under a different name, but in the same folder. This can be done by either dragging-and-dropping the file(s) in an Explorer window (and selecting the Copy function) or from the command line using a command similar to the following:
   
   copy imagefile.* newfile.*
   
   Note: You must make a copy of the file(s). Simply renaming them will not work.
   
   
4. Delete the original image file(s). Note: You may want to validate the copied image file(s) before deleting the original(s).
   
   
5. At this point, you should be able to access the copied image file(s) using BootIt NG.
   
   
6. Optional: Rename the copied image file(s) back to their original name(s), if desired.