Data Folders (Domain)

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Setup has provided alternative folder locations for the data folders necessary for configuring the domain because the standard default locations were not valid. It is recommended that you accept the folder locations provided for the Database Path, Log Path, and SYSVOL folders.

Folder Description

Database Path

Contains Active Directory data, including the Ntds.dit file, which stores the database in use on the domain controller.

Log Path

Contains the Active Directory logging and recovery system log file. Database operations are recorded in this log file, which can be used to restore a database after a system has failed.

SYSVOL

Stores the server copy of the domain's public files, such as the SYSVOL shared folder.

If you want to modify the path for a Domain Configuration folder, consider the following guidelines:

  • The folder must be on a fixed disk of the local computer and cannot be located on a shared resource on the network.

  • If you are using an existing folder, it must not contain any data.

  • The SYSVOL folder must be formatted with NTFS file system. The NTFS file system is available in Windows 2000 and the Windows Server 2003 family.

  • The SYSVOL folder cannot be in the same path as the Database Path folder or Log Path folder. For example, if the Database Path folder is C:\NTDS\Database, the SYSVOL folder cannot use C:\NTDS.

  • Consider the following minimum requirements for hard disk space:

Folder Free space required

Database Path

200 megabytes (MB)

Log Path

50 MB

SYSVOL

100 MB