How to Extend the Active Directory Schema Using ExtADSch.exe

How to Extend the Active Directory ...

Updated: January 1, 2012

Applies To: System Center Configuration Manager 2007, System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2, System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R3, System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP1, System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP2

You can extend the Active Directory schema by running the ExtADSch.exe file located in the SMSSETUP\BIN\I386 folder on the Configuration Manager 2007 installation media. The ExtADSch.exe file does not display output when it runs; however, it does generate a log file in the root of the system drive called extadsch.log, which will indicate whether the schema update completed successfully or any problems were encountered while extending the schema.

Note
In addition to generating a log file, the version of the ExtADSch.exe program that is included with Configuration Manager 2007 SP2 provides command console feedback when it is run from the command line.

When using ExtADSch.exe to extend the Active Directory schema for Configuration Manager, you should be aware of the following limitations.

It is not supported to run the ExtADSch.exe utility locally on Windows 2000–based computers. To extend the Active Directory schema locally on a Windows 2000–based computer, the ConfigMgr_ad_schema.ldf file should be used. For more information about extending the Active Directory schema for Configuration Manager by using an .ldf file, see How to Extend the Active Directory Schema Using an LDIF File.
When extending the Active Directory schema by running ExtADSch.exe from a Windows Vista workstation, you must be logged in with an account with local administrator permissions on the workstation for the extadsch.log to be created in the root of the system drive.

To extend the Active Directory schema using ExtADSch.exe

Create a backup of the schema master domain controller’s system state using the NTBACKUP utility. To start the NTBACKUP utility, click Start, click Run and type ntbackup.

Ensure that you are logged on to the schema master domain controller with an account that is a member of the Schema Admins security group.

Important
You must be logged on as a member of the Schema Admins security group in order to successfully extend the schema. Running the ExtADSch.exe file using the Run As command to attempt to extend the schema using alternate credentials will fail.

Run extadsch.exe, located at \SMSSETUP\BIN\I386 on the installation media, to add the new classes and attributes to the Active Directory schema.

Note
Before you extend your Active Directory schema, test the schema extensions for conflicts with your current Active Directory schema. For information about how to test the Active Directory schema extensions, see Testing for Active Directory Schema Extension Conflicts.

Verify that the schema extension was successful by reviewing the extadsch.log located in the root of the system drive.

If the schema extension procedure was unsuccessful, restore the schema master's previous system state from the backup created in step 1. This will reverse the schema extension actions before reconnecting the schema master domain controller to the network.

Note
To restore the system state on a Windows domain controller, the system must be restarted in Directory Services Restore Mode. For more information about Directory Services Restore Mode, see Restart the Domain Controller in Directory Services Restore Mode Locally http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=75622

To extend the Active Directory schema using ExtADSch.exe

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