Restoring and Rebuilding SYSVOL

  • Article

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

If your efforts to move SYSVOL or perform certain maintenance tasks fail, you must recreate or rebuild the SYSVOL on a single domain controller. Attempt to rebuild SYSVOL on a single domain controller only when all other domain controllers in the domain have a healthy and functioning SYSVOL. Do not attempt to rebuild SYSVOL until you correct any problems that are occurring with FRS in a domain.

Use these procedures only if you are working on a domain controller that does not have a functional SYSVOL.

Task Requirements

The following tools are required to perform the procedures for this task:

  • Active Directory Sites and Services

  • Event Viewer

  • Dcdiag.exe

  • ADSIEdit.msc

  • Net.exe

  • Regedit.exe

  • Windows Explorer

  • Linkd.exe

  • Ultrasound for monitoring

To complete this task, perform the following procedures in order:

  1. Identify replication partners

  2. Check the status of the shared SYSVOL

    Because you will be copying the system volume from one of the partners, you need to make sure that the system volume you copy from the partner is up to date.

  3. Verify replication with other domain controllers

  4. Restart the domain controller in Directory Services Restore Mode locally

    If you are sitting at the console of the domain controller, locally restart a domain controller in Directory Services Restore Mode. If you are accessing the domain controller remotely using Terminal Services, remotely restart a domain controller in Directory Services Restore Mode.

  5. Gather the SYSVOL path information

  6. Stop the File Replication service

  7. Prepare a domain controller for nonauthoritative SYSVOL restart

  8. Import the SYSVOL folder structure

  9. Start the File Replication service

  10. Check the status of the shared SYSVOL