Mark the application directory partition as authoritative

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

You can select which application directory partitions are to be marked authoritative so that you can have them replicated to other domain controllers. To perform this procedure, you must have completed a nonauthoritative restore procedure. After that procedure is complete, the domain controller is not restarted, and it remains in Directory Services Restore Mode.

Administrative credentials

To complete this procedure, you must provide the Administrator password for Directory Services Restore Mode.

To mark an application directory partition as authoritative

  1. In Directory Services Restore Mode, open a Command Prompt.

  2. Type the following command, and then press ENTER:

    ntdsutil

  3. At the ntdsutil: prompt, type authoritative restore, and then press ENTER. For assistance with the Ntdsutil command line-tool, type help at any time.

  4. Type List NC CRs, and then press ENTER.

    Ntdsutil displays a list of the application directory partitions that are available after the restore, along with the associated cross-references. Note the cross-reference distinguished name and application directory partition distinguished name that correspond to the application directory partition that you want to restore.

  5. Type restore subtree App Partition DN, where App Partition DN is the distinguished name of the application directory partition that you want to restore.

  6. In the confirmation dialog box, click Yes.

    The output message indicates the status of the operation. There should be no failures.

  7. Type restore object Cross Ref DN (where Cross Ref DN is the distinguished name of the application directory partition cross-reference that you want to restore), and then press ENTER.

  8. In the confirmation dialog box, click Yes.

    The output message indicates the status of the operation. There should be no failures.

  9. Quit the Ntdsutil tool.