Troubleshooting Active Directory installation in Windows 2000 Server

by Jim Boyce | Jul 09, 2007 12:00:00 AM

Tags: Jim Boyce, Windows 2000, Windows 2000 Server, servers, Microsoft Windows 2000 Server, Microsoft Windows Active Directory, Dcpromo, Dcpromoui, Directory Services, Operating Systems, Software, Enterprise Software, Hardware, Windows 2000 Server Tips Newsletter

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Takeaway: Nobody's perfect -- and neither is Active Directory (AD) installation on your Windows 2000 Server. Here's what you need to know about looking for (and repairing) trouble if you can't get AD installed the first time.

Normally, you shouldn't have any problems with your Active Directory (AD) installation. However, always expect the unexpected.

When you run Dcpromo.exe, Windows 2000 creates special log files in the %SystemRoot%\debug directory. (If you installed Windows 2000 Server in the Winnt folder on the C drive, this directory is c:\winnt\debug.) You'll find quite a few log files in this directory, but the most important files for troubleshooting a difficult AD installation are Dcpromo.log and Dcpromoui.log.

Dcpromo logs the creation and removal of AD and its objects, associated folders (including the SYSVOL share), and installation and configuration of key services. All security-related tasks on key files and registry keys are also logged in this file. This file logs all changes performed on your computer during promotion to domain controller.

Dcpromoui is a bit different because it logs all the important API calls from a GUI perspective, including parameters and return codes. This includes all checks that are performed before installing AD. It checks for any NTFS partitions, user permissions, platform, and OS version. It also logs other API calls that check if the server can be promoted to the domain controller. This file can help you find answers as to why AD will not install.