Configure how often a DFS client discovers domain controllers
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems or Windows XP Professional
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network Description
This policy setting allows you to configure how often a Distributed File System (DFS) client attempts to discover domain controllers on a network. By default, a DFS client attempts to discover domain controllers every 15 minutes. If you enable this policy setting, you can configure how often a DFS client attempts to discover domain controllers. This value is specified in minutes. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, the default value of 15 minutes applies. Note: The minimum value you can select is 15 minutes. If you try to set this setting to a value less than 15 minutes, the default value of 15 minutes is applied.
Registry
HKLM
Software\Policies\Microsoft\System\DFSClient MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_DFS/DFSDiscoverDC Microsoft Learn documentation Mapping data: Microsoft Learn (CC BY 4.0)
Export Builder
BETAConfigure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.
These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Configure how often a DFS client discovers domain controllers
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems or Windows XP Professional
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\System\DFSClient]
"DfsDcNameDelay"=dword:0000000fMore formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure how often a DFS client discovers domain controllers
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems or Windows XP Professional
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\System\DFSClient'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DfsDcNameDelay' -Value 15 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_DFS/DFSDiscoverDC
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>
<data id="DFSDiscoverDialog" value="15"/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure how often a DFS client discovers domain controllers
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems or Windows XP Professional
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\System\DFSClient' -Name 'DfsDcNameDelay' -Expected 15 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure how often a DFS client discovers domain controllers
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems or Windows XP Professional
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\System\DFSClient'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DfsDcNameDelay' -Value 15 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure how often a DFS client discovers domain controllers
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems or Windows XP Professional
# SCCM Configuration Item guidance:
# Create a Configuration Item of type "Setting: Script".
# Discovery script: use the Detection script below.
# Remediation script: use the Remediation script below.
# Compliance rule: the Discovery script output equals 'Compliant'.
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure how often a DFS client discovers domain controllers
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems or Windows XP Professional
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\System\DFSClient' -Name 'DfsDcNameDelay' -Expected 15 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure how often a DFS client discovers domain controllers
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems or Windows XP Professional
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\System\DFSClient'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DfsDcNameDelay' -Value 15 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.