Active Directory changes do not replicate in Windows Server 2003

Hi,

When you try to replicate Active Directory directory service changes to a Microsoft Windows Server 2003-based domain controller, the replication is not completed.

In the event log, you may see events that are similar to the following:

Event Type: Warning
Event Source: NTDS Replication
Event Category: DS RPC Client
Event ID: 1232
Computer: Inbound_Domain_Controller
Description: Active Directory attempted to perform a remote procedure call (RPC) to the following server. The call timed out and was canceled.
Server: DSA_GUID._msdcs.DNS_Domain_Name
Call Timeout (Mins): 5
Thread ID: Thread_ID

Event Type: Warning
Event Source: NTDS Replication
Event Category: DS RPC Client
Event ID: 1188
User: NT AUTHORITY\ANONYMOUS LOGON
Computer: Inbound_Domain_Controller
Description: A thread in Active Directory is waiting for the completion of a RPC made to the following domain controller: Domain Controller: DSA_GUID._msdcs.DNS_Domain_Name Operation: get change
Thread ID: Thread_ID
Timeout period (minutes): 5
Active Directory has attempted to cancel the call and recover this thread.
User Action: If this condition continues, restart the domain controller.

Event Type: Warning
Event Source: NTDS General
Event Category: Internal Processing
Event ID: 1173
User: NT AUTHORITY\ANONYMOUS LOGON
Description: Internal event: Active Directory has encountered the following exception and associated parameters. Exception: e0010002 Parameter: 0 Additional Data Error value: 1818 Internal ID: 5000ede ----------------

Event Type: Warning
Event Source: NTDS Replication
Event Category: Replication
Event ID: 1085
User: NT AUTHORITY\ANONYMOUS LOGON
Description: Internal event: Active Directory could not synchronize the following directory partition with the domain controller at the following network address.
Directory partition:
Network address:
If this error continues, the Knowledge Consistency Checker (KCC) will reconfigure the replication links and bypass the domain controller.
User Action
Verify that the network address can be resolved with a DNS query.
Additional Data Error value: 1818 The remote procedure call was cancelled.In this situation, you also see error 1818 in the output of the repadmin /showrepl command and in the output of the repadmin /showreps command.

Problem:

This issue may occur when destination domain controllers that are performing remote procedure call (RPC)-based replication do not receive replication changes from a source domain controller within the time that the RPC Replication Timeout (mins) registry setting specifies. You might experience this issue most frequently in one of the following situations:

•	You promote a new domain controller into the forest by using the Active Directory Installation Wizard (Dcpromo.exe).
•	Existing domain controllers replicate from source domain controllers that are connected over slow network links.

The default value for the RPC Replication Timeout (mins) registry setting on Windows 2000-based computers is 45 minutes. The default value for the RPC Replication Timeout (mins) registry setting on Windows Server 2003-based computers is 5 minutes. When you upgrade the operating system from Windows 2000 to Windows Server 2003, the value for the RPC Replication Timeout (mins) registry setting is changed from 45 minutes to 5 minutes. If a destination domain controller that is performing RPC-based replication does not receive the requested replication package within the time that the RPC Replication Timeout (mins) registry setting specifies, the destination domain controller ends the RPC connection with the non-responsive source domain controller and logs a Warning event.

Solution:

Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs.

To resolve this issue, increase the bandwidth of your network connection so that the Active Directory changes replicate in the five minute timeout period. If you cannot increase the bandwidth of your network connection, edit the registry on your Windows Server 2003-based computer to increase the value of the RPC timeout for Active Directory replication. To increase the RPC timeout value, follow these steps:

1.	Start Registry Editor.
2.	Locate the following registry subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NTDS\Parameters
3.	Right-click Parameters, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.
4.	Type RPC Replication Timeout (mins), and then press ENTER to name the new value.
5.	Right-click RPC Replication Timeout (mins), and then click Modify.
6.	In the Value data box, type the number of minutes that you want to use for the RPC timeout for Active Directory replication, and then click OK. On a Windows Server 2003-based computer that is part of a Windows 2000 environment or that was upgraded from Windows 2000 Server, you may want to set this value to 45 minutes.

Note You must restart the computer to activate any changes that are made to RPC Replication Timeout (mins).

By,
Lokesh G _L-
"Nobody is Perfect,
I AM A LEARNER"

Importing a single .dbx file into outlook express

Hi,

It is not that easy to import a single .dbx file into Outlook Express. Even we have solution to do that. I hope the following procedure will solve your problem.

Procedure:

1. Right-click the Inbox, and then click Properties. Note the folder in which the Inbox.dbx file is stored.
2. Quit Outlook Express.
3. Use Microsoft Windows Explorer to copy the .dbx file that you want to import to the folder that you noted in step 1. Make sure that you give the file a unique name that does not conflict with any other .dbx file in that folder.
4. NOTE: This name becomes the name of the folder in Outlook Express.
5. In the folder that you noted in step 1, rename the Folders.dbx file to Folders.old (or) Old_Folders.old.
6. Start Outlook Express.
In the Folders pane, you see the .dbx file that you copied. You can drag items to their appropriate locations, or rename the folder.

Note: In this case your existing rules will not work.

By,
Lokesh G _L-
"Nobody is Perfect,
I AM A LEARNER"

IIS Installation Error

Hi,

When installing any of IIS components on an affected system you may be prompted to specify the path to the installation files of Windows XP. After you supply the path to setup you may get an error message simillar to:
"Copy error
Setup cannot copy the file staxmem.dl_.

Ensure that the disk labeled 'Windows XP Professional Service pack 2 CD' is in the drive selected below, or provide the location where the file can be found."
even though the requested file is in the location you specify.

CAUSE:
secedit.sdb in %windir%\security\database\ may be damaged.

RESOLUTION

Repair the file by following the procedure below.
1. Make a backup copy of the secedit.sdb file.
2. Open a command prompt by clicking Start, Run, and then typing "cmd" and pressing Enter.
3. Type or copy and paste the following command
esentutl /p %windir%\security\database\secedit.sdb
and press Enter. Click "OK" when presented with "Repair" warning. Wait for repair to finish.
4. Return to the dialog described in the Symptom section of this article, make sure that specified folder contains Windows installation files and click OK. Installation of IIS component(s) should continue normally.

By,
Lokesh G _L-
"Nobody is Perfect,
I AM A LEARNER"

Changing Local Administrator password through domain

Hi,

You can change Local machines Administrator password through network. Use the below script and save it as .vbs (eg. changepwd.vbs). Open the saved file, it will asks you the new password to change.

Note: Before doing this open a new notepad file and create headers and the machine list which you have to change the password. (Eg as follows)

Name Type Description
Computer-abc Computer owner-abc

Save this file as servers.txt

Password Change Script:

Dim fsoIn, fsoOut
Dim inFile, outFile
Dim arrComputerNames
Dim objUser
Dim strComputer
Dim newPassword
Dim ErrorOccurred
Const ForReading = 1
Const ForWriting = 2
Const ForAppending = 8
Const inFilename = "servers.txt"
Const outFilename = "ChangePwd.log"
On Error Resume Next
ErrorOccurred = False
newPassword = Inputbox ("Please enter the new password.")

Set fsoIn = CreateObject("scripting.filesystemobject")
Set inFile = fsoIn.OpenTextFile(inFilename, ForReading, True)
inFile.Skipline

Set fsoOut = CreateObject("scripting.filesystemobject")
Set outFile = fsoOut.OpenTextFile(outFilename, ForAppending, True)
outFile.writeline (Now & vbTab & "Starting script...")

While Not inFile.AtEndOfStream
arrComputerNames = Split(inFile.Readline, vbTab, -1, 1)
strComputer = arrComputerNames(0)

Set objUser = GetObject("WinNT://" & strComputer & "/Administrator, user")
If Err.Number <> 0 Then
outFile.writeline Now & vbTab & "Error connecting to " & strComputer & " --- " & Err.Description
Err.Clear
ErrorOccurred = True
Else
objUser.SetPassword newPassword
objUser.SetInfo
If Err.Number <> 0 Then
outFile.writeline Now & vbTab & "Error setting password for " & strComputer & _
"\Administrator" & " --- " & Err.Description
Err.Clear
ErrorOccurred = True
Else
outFile.writeline (Now & vbTab & "Password set for " & strComputer & "\Administrator")
End If
End If
Wend

outFile.writeline (Now & vbTab & "Ending script...")
inFile.close
outFile.close

If ErrorOccurred Then
msgbox "Script completed with errors. Please check the log file."
Else
MsgBox "Script completed successfully."
End If


You can also download the same script in .txt format from the below address:
http://cid-7b9af3f31c9b858c.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/Lokesh?uc=1

By,
Lokesh G _L-
"Nobody is Perfect,
I AM A LEARNER"

Restore Show Desktop Icon to Quick Launch on Taskbar

Hi,

If the Show Desktop icon is deleted from Quick Launch, the procedure below will recreate the file.

Open Notepad and enter the following text:

[Shell]
Command=2
IconFile=explorer.exe,3
[Taskbar]
Command=ToggleDesktop

Save the new file as Show Desktop.scf then drag and drop the icon on the Quick Launch bar or whatever location you want the shortcut to appear.
By,
Lokesh G _L-
"Nobody is Perfect,
I AM A LEARNER"

Error Message: MSIMN Caused an Invalid Page Fault in Module DIRECTDB.DLL

Hi,

Error Message: MSIMN Caused an Invalid Page Fault in Module DIRECTDB.DLL

SYMPTOMS

When you import e-mail messages from Microsoft Outlook Express 5, you may receive any of the following error messages:

MSIMN caused an invalid page fault in module DIRECTDB.DLL.

MSIMN caused an exception in module directdb.dll.

MSIMN caused an exception c0000006h in module directdb.dll.

PROBLEM

This behavior can occur if the Messages.ods file is not in the folder that is specified for it in the Windows registry.

RESOLUTION

Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs.
To resolve this issue, use one of the following methods:

If You Do Not Want to Save Your E-Mail Messages

If you do not want to save your e-mail messages in Outlook Express 5, rename the Messages.ods file.

If You Want to Save Your E-Mail Messages

If you want to save your e-mail messages in Outlook Express 5:

1.	Find out which folders contain the Messages.ods file and the .dbx files: a. Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files or Folders. b. In the Named box, type messages.ods *.dbx, and then click Find Now.
2.	Move the Messages.ods file into the same folder that contains the .dbx files.

3.Use Registry Editor to delete the ConvertedToDBX value in the registry:

a.	Click Start, click Run, type Regedt32, and then click OK.
b.	Double-click to expand the HKEY_CURRENT_USER folder, expand the Identities folder, and then expand the {clsid} folder.
c.	Expand the Software folder, expand the Microsoft folder, and then expand the Outlook Express folder.
d.	Expand the 5.0 folder, and then click the ConvertedToDBX value.
e.	On the Edit menu, click Delete, and then click OK.
f.	Quit Registry Editor.

4.Restart your computer, and then start Outlook Express.

By,
Lokesh G _L-
"Nobody is Perfect,
I AM A LEARNER"