When I enter the command “fsutil behavior query disablelastaccess” on my Windows 10 computer, it shows that the value of DisableLastAccess is 3, which means it is system-managed and enabled.
Although I didn’t change this value myself, I couldn’t find any information about what the value of 3 specifically represents. I consulted the documentation on https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/fsutil-behavior, but it only lists 0 and 1 as options.
Is there another source of information that explains the meaning of the value 3?
2 Answers
Introduction
Windows 10 is a popular operating system used by millions of users around the world. It comes with various features that enhance its performance and security. One of these features is DisableLastAccess, which is a file system behavior that controls the recording of the last time a file was accessed. In this blog post, we will discuss what DisableLastAccess means and what a value of 3 signifies when running the command “fsutil behavior query disablelastaccess“.
Understanding DisableLastAccess
DisableLastAccess is a file system behavior that controls the recording of the last time a file was accessed. When this behavior is enabled, the system records the last time a file was accessed every time it is opened. This information is stored in the file’s attributes and can be accessed by users and applications. However, recording this information can impact the system’s performance, especially on systems with a large number of files.
To address this issue, Microsoft introduced the DisableLastAccess behavior, which allows users to disable the recording of the last time a file was accessed. This behavior is controlled by a registry setting that can be modified using the “fsutil behavior” command.
Understanding the “fsutil behavior” Command
The “fsutil behavior” command is a Windows command-line tool that allows users to view and modify various file system behaviors. This command can be used to modify the DisableLastAccess behavior by setting its value to 0 or 1.
When the value is set to 0, DisableLastAccess is disabled, and the system does not record the last time a file was accessed. When the value is set to 1, DisableLastAccess is enabled, and the system records the last time a file was accessed.
The Value of 3 for DisableLastAccess
When running the command “fsutil behavior query disablelastaccess” on a Windows 10 system, the value returned may be 3 instead of 0 or 1. This value signifies that DisableLastAccess is system-managed and enabled. However, the meaning of this value is not documented by Microsoft, and it is unclear what system-managed means in this context.
It is possible that the value of 3 indicates that DisableLastAccess is managed by the system, and its behavior is determined by various factors, such as the system’s performance and the number of files being accessed. However, this is only speculation, and there is no official documentation to confirm this.
The Impact of DisableLastAccess on Performance
As mentioned earlier, recording the last time a file was accessed can impact the system’s performance, especially on systems with a large number of files. Disabling DisableLastAccess can improve the system’s performance by reducing the number of write operations required to update the file’s attributes.
However, disabling DisableLastAccess can also have some drawbacks. For example, some applications may rely on this information to determine when a file was last accessed. Disabling this behavior can cause these applications to malfunction or produce incorrect results.
Conclusion
In conclusion, DisableLastAccess is a file system behavior that controls the recording of the last time a file was accessed. The “fsutil behavior” command can be used to modify this behavior by setting its value to 0 or 1. However, when running the command “fsutil behavior query disablelastaccess” on a Windows 10 system, the value returned may be 3, which is not documented by Microsoft. The impact of DisableLastAccess on performance should be considered before disabling this behavior, as it can have both positive and negative effects on the system.
In the command prompt type:
fsutil behavior set DisableLastAccess
Press the “Enter” key to receive the following result:
Possible values are:
0 – Enabled Last Access Updates, Managed by the User
1 – Disabled Last Access Updates, Managed by the User
2 – Enabled Last Access Updates, Managed by the System
3 – Disabled Last Access Updates, Managed by the System.