JSI Tip 3179. How do I recover from Event IDs 1168 and 1003?

When you try to recover a corrupt Ntds.dit database, by restoring or by using Esentutl.exe, you receive:

Directory Services could not start because of the following error: The system cannot find the file specified. Error status: 0xc000000f.

Please click Ok to shutdown this system and reboot into Directory Services Restore Mode, check the event log for more detail information.

In Directory Services Restore mode, the system logs:

Event ID: 1168Source: NTDS GeneralCategory: Internal ProcessingDescription: Error -1811(fffff8ed) has occurred (Internal ID 404ab). Please contact Microsoft Product Support Services for assistance. Event ID: 1003Source: NTDS GeneralCategory: Internal ProcessingDescription: The Windows Directory Services database cannot be initialized and returned error -1811.Unrecoverable error, the directory can't continue.

The recovery either deleted the Ntds.dit database or copied it to an improper location.

To fix the problem:

1. Restart the system in Directory Services Restore mode.

2. Use Explorer to search for the Ntds.dit file. If you find it, move it to the correct location. The default is the %SystemRoot%Ntds folder.

3. If you can't find it, restore it to the correct location.

NOTE: When you run Esentutl.exe, make sure that only the log files are moved or deleted after the repair is complete. DO NOT move or delete the Ntds.dit file.

NOTE: See tip 2599.