When creating or editing a share in the NMC, you can select to “block” certain files. This can solve certain performance issues.
You block files by using the Block files text box. Enter the names of files or directories to make invisible and inaccessible in the share.
There are certain types of files that customers typically find useful to block. On Windows systems, the most important files to block are desktop.ini and Thumbs.db. Here is the complete list of suggestions:
Item | Type | MacOS or Windows | Location | Function and notes |
.apdisk | File | MacOS | Anywhere | Shared folder info. Automatically recreated by Mac Finder. |
.com.apple.timemachine | File | MacOS | Volume Root | Time machine metadata file. Only required for AFP and SMB shares that support time machine. Unnecessary. See https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3273574 |
.DS_Store | File | MacOS | Anywhere | Window position/icon arrangement information. Usually block from network volumes. Apple supports blocking this via a client Finder setting: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208209 |
.FB* | File | MacOS | Volume Root | Sherlock Find by Content. For macOS 9 and earlier. |
.fseventsd | File | MacOS | Volume Root | File system events logging folder. Emptied by clients at volume eject. |
.Spotlight-V100 | File | MacOS | Volume Root | Index database for Spotlight. Not supported for SMB. |
.TemporaryItems | File | MacOS | Anywhere | Folders used as temporary storage. |
.Trashes | File | MacOS | Volume Root | Files marked for deletion. Works with Recycle Bin for restore. Volume-specific. Not portable between volumes. |
.VolumeIcon.icns | File | MacOS | Volume Root | Custom Share icon. If required, migrate manually. |
.VolumeIcon.low.icns | File | MacOS | Volume Root | Custom Share icon. If required, migrate manually. |
desktop.ini | File | Windows | Anywhere | Hidden file that controls how a folder in Windows is displayed. |
TheVolumeSettingsFolder | Directory | MacOS | Volume Root | Volume-specific metadata. Unique per volume. No need to copy. |
Thumbs.db (Windows-specific, but still present on macOS shares) | File | Windows | Anywhere | Application/OS-created image previews. Automatically regenerated unless blocked. |