A Windows 2000 Server configured to audit file access crashes with Stop C0000244 (Audit Failed) due to security audit generation failure. You need to keep auditing file access but prevent the crash from reoccurring. What is the best corrective action?

Introduction / Context:
Stop C0000244 (Audit Failed) indicates that Windows could not generate a required security audit event, commonly because the Security log was full and the system was configured to crash when auditing cannot continue (CrashOnAuditFail). For servers auditing every file access, log growth is significant. The solution should both preserve ongoing auditing and avoid another crash.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• File access auditing is enabled and must remain enabled.
• Security log filled up, causing audit generation failure and a system stop.
• We need a durable configuration change to prevent recurrence.

Concept / Approach:
Configure the Security log policy to Overwrite events as needed. This ensures that when the log becomes full, oldest entries are recycled, allowing new audit events to be written and preventing audit failure stops. While increasing log size or periodically clearing the log can help, they do not guarantee continuity under sustained auditing. Setting CrashOnAuditFail to 0 prevents a crash but risks silently losing required auditing if the log is full and overwriting is not enabled. Therefore, enabling overwriting is the most direct, resilient fix compatible with continued auditing.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Monitor Security log behavior over a week of typical load. Confirm that events continue to be recorded and the system does not halt due to full logs.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• CrashonAuditFail=0: avoids crash but can mask the underlying issue and still block event writes.
• Increase size: delays fullness but does not prevent it under sustained auditing.
• Daily save/clear: helpful, yet a spike between jobs can still fill the log.
• Delete License Trial key: irrelevant.

Common Pitfalls:
Forgetting compliance requirements for retention; failing to pair overwrite with archival; assuming a larger log is a permanent fix.

Final Answer:
Set the Security Log to overwrite events as needed.