Set the Message Storage Size for Computers

  • Article

Applies To: Windows Server 2008

Use this procedure to set the message storage size for computers.

You can use this procedure to set the message storage size for computers. Message storage size governs the maximum total size (in kilobytes) for messages stored in all queues on the selected computer.

Membership in <Domain>\Domain Users, or equivalent, is the minimum required to complete this procedure.

To set the message storage size for computers

  1. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers.

  2. On the View menu, click Users, Groups, and Computers as containers, and then click Advanced Features.

  3. In the console tree, right-click msmq.

    Where?

    • Active Directory Users and Computers/YourDomain/YourOrganizationalUnit (such as Computers or Domain Controllers)/YourComputer/msmq

  4. Click Properties.

  5. On the General tab, in Storage limits, select the Limit message storage to (KB) check box, and then type a maximum total size (in kilobytes) for messages stored in all queues on the selected computer.

Additional considerations

  • This procedure is not applicable to computers operating in workgroup mode or virtual servers in clusters. To set the computer quota of a workgroup computer create the DWORD registry entry HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSMQ\Parameters\MachineCache\MachineQuota and set to a value of the maximum total size in kilobytes. To change the quota for a virtual server, you need to change the analogous registry key for clustered servers. After setting the registry, restart the Message Queuing service for the changes to take effect.

Warning

Incorrectly editing the registry may severely damage your system. It is recommended that you back up any valuable data on the computer before making changes to the registry.

  • Following a new installation of Message Queuing, or an upgrade from Windows 2000 or Windows Server 2003, the default limit for these storage sizes is 8 gigabytes (GB).

  • When the computer quota is reached, no messages can be delivered to any queue or journal on the computer. No negative acknowledgment message is generated, and an error is returned for messages sent locally, while a remote computer tries to resend until the cumulative size of all messages in the queues drops below the specified limit.

Additional references