If the Database Integrity Check Fails, Perform Semantic Database Analysis with Fixup

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Applies To: Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2

When you move or compact the Active Directory database, if the integrity check fails, you must run a subsequent database test called semantic database analysis. When you run semantic database analysis with the Go Fixup command instead of the Go command, errors are written into Dsdit.dmp.xx log files. A progress indicator reports the status of the check. You can use this procedure to perform semantic database analysis with fixup.

Note

To perform this procedure, Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) must be offline. On domain controllers that are running Windows Server 2008, you can take AD DS offline by stopping the service. Otherwise, the domain controller must be started in Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM). For information about stopping the AD DS service on domain controllers that are running Windows Server 2008, see the Windows Server 2008 Restartable AD DS Step-by-Step Guide (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=88649). For information about performing this procedure in DSRM, see If database integrity check fails, perform semantic database analysis with fixup on the Microsoft Web site (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=121568).

Membership in Builtin Administrators, or equivalent, is the minimum required to complete this procedure. Review details about using the appropriate accounts and group memberships at Local and Domain Default Groups (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=83477).

To perform semantic database analysis with fixup

  1. Open a Command Prompt as an administrator: On the Start menu, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator. If the User Account Control dialog box appears, provide credentials, if required, and then click Continue.

  2. At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:

    net stop ntds

    Type Y to agree to stop additional services, and then press ENTER.

  3. At the command prompt, type ntdsutil, and then press ENTER.

  4. At the ntdsutil: prompt, type activate instance ntds, and then press ENTER.

  5. At the ntdsutil: prompt, type semantic database analysis, and then press ENTER.

  6. At the semantic checker: prompt, type verbose on, and then press ENTER.

  7. At the semantic checker: prompt, type go fixup, and then press ENTER.

    • If errors are reported during the semantic database analysis Go Fixup phase, perform directory database recovery: Go to the file maintenance: prompt, type recover, and then press ENTER.

    • If semantic database analysis with fixup succeeds, at the semantic checker prompt, type quit, and then type quit again to close Ntdsutil.exe.

  8. At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:

    net start ntds