Active Directory Connector software update required

[This topic is intended to address a specific issue called out by the Exchange Server Analyzer Tool. You should apply it only to systems that have had the Exchange Server Analyzer Tool run against them and are experiencing that specific issue. The Exchange Server Analyzer Tool, available as a free download, remotely collects configuration data from each server in the topology and automatically analyzes the data. The resulting report details important configuration issues, potential problems, and nondefault product settings. By following these recommendations, you can achieve better performance, scalability, reliability, and uptime. For more information about the tool or to download the latest versions, see "Microsoft Exchange Analyzers" at https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=34707.]  

Topic Last Modified: 2006-10-10

The Microsoft® Exchange Server Analyzer Tool queries the CIM_Datafile Microsoft Windows® Management Instrumentation (WMI) class to determine the value of the Version key for Adc.exe, the Active Directory Connector (ADC) file. The Version WMI key indicates the build number for this file.

The Exchange Server Analyzer also queries the Active Directory® directory service to determine the value for the msDS-Behavior-Version attribute of the forest object in Active Directory, NTDS Settings. This value indicates the Active Directory forest functional level. Valid values for the msDS-Behavior-Version attribute are shown in the following table.

Value Forest functional level

0

Microsoft Windows 2000 Server mixed

1

Windows Server™ 2003 interim

2

Windows Server 2003 native

If the Exchange Server Analyzer finds that the build number for Adc.exe is less than 6.0.6615.0 on a computer running Exchange Server in an Active Directory forest in Windows Server 2003 interim or native mode, an error is displayed. This error indicates that an Exchange 2000 Server version of the ADC program is running in an incompatible Windows Server 2003 Active Directory forest level. An update to the Exchange Active Directory Connection (ADC) program is required to resolve this issue.

Running an older version of ADC in a mixed or native forest functionality level may cause incomplete directory updates and data loss. It is recommended that you upgrade to the latest Exchange Server 2003 version of ADC on all computers in your organization.

You can download the latest version of ADC, along with the latest Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack, from the Downloads for Exchange Server 2003 page (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=25097). You can also install the Exchange Server 2003 final version of the ADC from the Exchange Server CD.

To upgrade to the latest version of ADC

  1. On your server running the older version of ADC, click Start, click Run, and then type E:\setup\adc\i386\setup.exe, where E is the location of the Exchange Server service pack download.

  2. On the Welcome to the Active Directory Connector Installation Wizard page, click Next.

  3. On the Previous Installation Detected page, click Reinstall to upgrade ADC.

  4. On the Completing the Active Directory Connector Installation Wizard page, click Finish.

For more information about how the forest functional level affects ADC, see Microsoft Knowledge Base article 825916, "Exchange 2000 Active Directory Connector Does Not Successfully Replicate Changes to Group Membership in Windows Server 2003 Active Directory in Forest Functional Levels 1 or 2" (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=3052&kbid=825916).

For more information about domain and forest functional levels, see Knowledge Base article 322692, "How to raise domain and forest functional levels in Windows Server 2003" (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=3052&kbid=322692).