Turning off opportunistic locking

This support note applies to:

AO Practice Manager (NZ)
AO Practice Manager (AU)
AO Workpapers (AU)
AO Statutory Reporter (AU)
AE Practice Manager (AU)
AE System Release (NZ)
AE System Release (AU)
AE MAS (AU)
AE MAS (NZ)
AE Assets (AU)
AE Assets (NZ)

These instructions require technical expertise

Make sure you know what you're doing and are using one of the products listed. If you're not sure, ask your IT professional or MYOB.

Article ID: 34204

If you're using AE/AO Tax, BankLink or AO Classic on a Windows 10 build 1803 (or later) workstation, refer to KB 39259: Errors in AE/AO after upgrading to Windows 10 build 1803.

You may get errors in MYOB applications when certain files are locked or when the application thinks that a user is logged in when they are not. Often the cause is a Windows feature called Opportunistic Locking.

We recommend you turn off Opportunistic Locking on all workstations and servers. On Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, you also need to disable the SMB 2.0 protocol.

These steps involve making changes to the registry. Ensure that someone who is knowledgable in Microsoft Windows Operating Systems, such as your IT provider, performs these steps. All steps are to be performed on the machine(s) used for lodgment. For more details regarding making changes to the registry refer to Important information for making registry edits and file changes.

For details, see disabling opportunistic locking and disabling SMB2 on the Microsoft Support website.

To automatically configure your Oplocks settings

Save the OPLOCKKEYS.zip file to a shared location and extract on all machines which use MYOB AE software. Server-OpLock_And_SMB2.reg and Workstation-OpLockDisabled.reg are extracted.
On all workstations, run Workstation-OpLockDisabled.reg. The Registry Editor warning appears.
Click Yes. The registry keys are added.
Click OK.
On the server, run Server-OpLock_And_SMB2.reg and follow the prompts.
Reboot all machines. The Computer Browser service is disabled and the network shares on the server become unavailable.
To enable the network shares, on all machine affected:
1. Go to Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services and double click Computer Browser. The Computer Browser Properties window appears.
2. From the Startup type drop-down list, choose Automatic. The Startup type is set.
3. Under Service status, click Start.
4. Click OK. The changes are saved.
5. Close the Services window and the Administrative Tools window.

To manually configure your Oplocks settings

On all workstations, create or edit the following registry key.
Path
Name
Type
Data
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\ Services\MRXSmb\Parameters\
OplocksDisabled
REG_DWORD
1
The OplocksDisabled entry configures Windows clients to request or not to request opportunistic locks on a remote file. Setting to 1 disables Opportunistic Locking requests on the workstations.
On the server, create or edit the following registry keys.
Path
Name
Type
Data
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\ Services\ LanmanServer\Parameters\
EnableOplocks
REG_DWORD
0
The EnableOplocks entry configures Windows-based servers to allow or to deny opportunistic locks on local files. These servers include workstations that share files. Setting this value disallows opportunistic locking on files served by the server.
On the server, create or edit the following registry keys.
Path
Name
Type
Data
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\ Services\LanmanServer\Parameters\ SMB2 REG_DWORD 0
Disabling SMB2 forces the clients to use SMB1. If SMB2 is not disabled, then disabling Opportunistic Locking has no effect.

In Server 2012/Windows 8/Windows 8.1, if you disable SMB2 it will also disable SMB3 and revert back to SMB1.

Reboot all machines. The Computer Browser service is disabled and the network shares on the server become unavailable.
To enable the network shares, on all machine affected:
1. Go to Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services and double click Computer Browser. The Computer Browser Properties window appears.
2. From the Startup type drop-down list, choose Automatic. The Startup type is set.
3. Under Service status, click Start.
4. Click OK. The changes are saved.
5. Close the Services window and the Administrative Tools window.
If file locks persist after disabling SMB2 and opportunistic locking, contact your IT professional about the other services or applications being the cause. For example, third-party applications such as Shadow Protect, operating with hourly backups, may cause file locks.