Linkage

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\<service-name>\

Description

The Services subkeys for network services and protocols contain a Linkage subkey. This Linkage subkey stores configuration data for binding network components. The bindings associate network services with protocols and devices that support them.

Hardware devices, such as network adapters, and network services, such as File and Print Services for Microsoft, also have Linkage subkeys. These Linkage subkeys store data about bindings from the perspective of the device. They associate devices and services with the transport protocols they use. In Windows 2000, the Linkage subkeys for devices are stored in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\<{Class-GUID}> in the numeric subkey representing the particular device.

Windows 2000 creates the bindings from data stored in the Linkage subkeys in both locations.

A binding consists of three entries, Bind, Export, and Route. Each of these entries can include more than one component. The components are listed in the entries in a precise order, so that the first component in one entry corresponds with the first component in the other entries, and each subsequent component corresponds with subsequent components in the other entries.

Note Image Note

In Windows 2000, the registry no longer includes NetRules subkeys. In Windows NT 4.0 and earlier, the NetRules subkey stored binding parameters for network software components. In Windows 2000, binding is performed by the network class installers that install network drivers and other software components. Bind specification are stored in .inf files, not in the registry.

Some bind specifications are stored in the Ndi subkeys that contain configuration data for network driver installers. However, these are primary upper bind and lower bind settings only.

Caution Image Caution

Bindings are created by the system. Do not change the values of these entries.

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