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Find a computer account

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

To find a computer account

  • Using the Windows interface

  • Using a command line

Using the Windows interface

  1. Open Active Directory Users and Computers.

  2. If you want to search the entire domain, in the console tree, right-click the domain node, and then click Find.

    Or, if you know which organizational unit the computer is in, in the console tree, right-click the organizational unit, and then click Find.

  3. In Find, click Computers.

  4. In Name, type the name of the computer you want to find.

  5. To find only domain controllers, in Role, click Domain Controller.

    Or, to find only workstations and servers (not domain controllers), in Role, click Workstations and Servers.

  6. Click Find Now.

Notes

  • Performing this task does not require you to have administrative credentials. Therefore, as a security best practice, consider performing this task as a user without administrative credentials.

  • To open Active Directory Users and Computers, click Start, click Control Panel, double-click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Active Directory Users and Computers.

  • To configure more powerful search options, click the Advanced tab.

  • To find a computer, you can also click

    Find objects in Active Directory on the toolbar.

Using a command line

  1. Open Command Prompt.

  2. Type:

    dsquery computer-nameName

Value Description

Name

Searches for computers whose name attributes (value of CN attribute) matches Name.

Notes

  • Performing this task does not require you to have administrative credentials. Therefore, as a security best practice, consider performing this task as a user without administrative credentials.

  • To open a command prompt, click Start, point to All programs, point to Accessories, and then click Command prompt.

  • To view the complete syntax for this command, at a command prompt, type:

    dsquery computer /?

Information about functional differences

  • Your server might function differently based on the version and edition of the operating system that is installed, your account permissions, and your menu settings. For more information, see Viewing Help on the Web.

See Also

Concepts

Dsquery
Working with MMC console files
Finding directory information
Command-line reference A-Z