Windows Tips & Tricks UPDATE--October 6, 2003

This week, John Savill explains why you might receive a file-copy error when you perform an in-place upgrade of Windows Server 2003, how to add a user to AD from the command line, how to delete a user from AD from the command line, and more.

John Savill

October 5, 2003

9 Min Read
ITPro Today logo in a gray background | ITPro Today

Windows Tips & Tricks UPDATE, October 6, 2003, —brought to you by the Windows & .NET Magazine Network and the Windows 2000 FAQ site
http://www.windows2000faq.com

This Issue Sponsored By

Aelita Software
http://www.aelita.com/100603tips

NetIQ
http://www.netiq.com/f/form/form.asp?id=2382&origin=NS_WinNetMag_tipstrks_100603

1. Commentary

2. FAQs

  • Q. Why do I receive a file-copy error when I perform an in-place upgrade of Windows Server 2003?

  • Q. Why does my Windows XP machine's CPU usage climb to 100 percent when I right-click a file or folder within Windows Explorer?

  • Q. Why does the Advanced Power Management (APM) tab appear in the Control Panel Power Options applet on only some of my machines?

  • Q. Where can I get the Windows Server 2003 domain rename tool?

  • Q. How can I add a user to Active Directory (AD) from the command line without using a script?

  • Q. How can I remove a user from Active Directory (AD) from the command line without using a script?

3. Announcements

  • Success with Active Directory

  • New White Paper on Exchange 2003 Deployment

4. Event

  • The Mobile & Wireless Road Show Is Coming to Tampa and Atlanta!

5. Contact Us

  • See this section for a list of ways to contact us.

Sponsor: Aelita Software

Free IDC white paper on Active Directory deployments
How does your company compare to the rest of the industry in its deployment of Active Directory? In this white paper, analyst Al Gillen from IDC shows why enterprises are moving to Active Directory, and how they are progressing with their deployments. Also, Al discusses the need for third-party Active Directory management products to enhance security, ease administration, and streamline integration. Request your free IDC white paper today.
http://www.aelita.com/100603tips

1. Commentary
by John Savill, FAQ Editor, [email protected]

This week, I explain why you might receive a file-copy error when you perform an in-place upgrade of Windows Server 2003, why a Windows XP machine's CPU usage climbs to 100 percent when you right-click in Windows Explorer, and why the Advanced Power Management (APM) tab appears in the Control Panel Power Options applet on only certain machines. I also tell you where to get the Windows 2003 domain rename tool, how to add a user to Active Directory (AD) from the command line, and how to delete a user from AD from the command line.

Sponsor: NetIQ

Migration Best Practices Guide
Do you need the tips and techniques to help you plan for a successful migration? Register now for NetIQ's FREE guide, "Migration Best Practices." You'll get an overview of the issues and strategies to consider for the various migration techniques and a step-by-step migration workflow. Discover how NetIQ's Migration Suite can help you accelerate the transition between platforms while minimizing the impact on your IT resources. Register now.
http://www.netiq.com/f/form/form.asp?id=2382&origin=NS_WinNetMag_tipstrks_100603

2. FAQs

Q. Why do I receive a file-copy error when I perform an in-place upgrade of Windows Server 2003?

A. If you install Windows 2003 over an existing Windows 2003 installation, you might receive any of the following errors:

  • "Setup Cannot Copy the File Cmprops.dl_"

  • "Setup Cannot Copy the File Licwmi.dl_"

  • "Setup Cannot Copy the File Mmfutil.dl_"

  • "Setup Cannot Copy the File Servereps.dl_"

You might also notice errors in the scssetup.log file in the %systemroot%security folder. These errors are the result of a corrupted secedit.sdb file. This file corruption often occurs when a computer suddenly stops rather than completing a controlled shutdown.

To resolve these errors, you must use the esentutl.exe file to repair the database by performing the following steps:

  1. Start a command session.

  2. Run Esentutl's repair option by typing

    esentutl /p %windir%securitydatabasesecedit.sdb 
  3. Click OK in the displayed dialog box. Esentutl will confirm the repair by displaying a log file similar to the following example:

    Microsoft(R) Windows(R) Database UtilitiesVersion 5.2Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.Initiating REPAIR mode...Database: C:WINDOWSsecuritydatabasesecedit.sdbTemp. Database: TEMPREPAIR4072.EDBChecking database integrity.Scanning Status (% complete)0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|...................................................Integrity check successful.Note:It is recommended that you immediately perform a full backupof this database. If you restore a backup made before therepair, the database will be rolled back to the stateit was in at the time of that backup.Operation completed successfully in 129.176 seconds. 
  4. Navigate to the %windir%security folder by typing

    cd %windir%security 
  5. Remove the edb0000x.log file by typing

    del edb0000*.log 

You'll then be able to perform the in-place upgrade.

Q. Why does my Windows XP machine's CPU usage climb to 100 percent when I right-click a file or folder within Windows Explorer?

A. XP contains a known bug that causes the CPU usage to spike to 100 percent when you access the context menu under certain configurations. This bug causes file-copy operations to halt, network connections to slow, and streaming media (e.g., audio, video) to become distorted. To work around this bug, you need to disable the GUI's transition effects by performing the following steps:

  1. Start the Control Panel Display applet.

  2. Select the Appearance tab.

  3. Click Effects, then clear the "Use the following transition effect for menus and tooltips" check box.

  4. Click OK to close all dialog boxes.

Another solution that often works is to left-click the file or folder before right-clicking to display the context menu.

Q. Why does the Advanced Power Management (APM) tab appear in the Control Panel Power Options applet on only some of my machines?

A. Windows uses APM when Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) isn't available because of hardware limitations. For APM to be available, the computer must support APM 1.2 and not be listed in the Disable APM list in the biosinfo.inf file that the system checks during installation. Also, keep in mind that

  • APM isn't available on multiprocessor machines.

  • Server products don't support APM.

  • You must enable APM in the computer BIOS before APM will appear as an option in Windows.

You can check the APM status of your Windows XP and later machine by performing the following steps:

  1. Start a command session.

  2. Enter the command

    apmstat -v 

Your computer will display its APM status. For example, when you type this command on an ACPI-enabled machine, the command will return the following result:

This is an ACPI machine, APM is NOT relevant on this machine

Q. Where can I get the Windows Server 2003 domain rename tool?

A. The latest version of the domain rename tool for Windows 2003 is available at Microsoft's Web site. After you download the utility, open the file to automatically unzip the two included files (gpfixup.exe and random.exe). Before you can run the random.exe utility, you must raise the forest functionality level to "Windows Server 2003" level.

Q. How can I add a user to Active Directory (AD) from the command line without using a script?

A. Windows Server 2003 provides the Dsadd command, which lets you add objects (e.g., computers, contacts, groups, organizational units--OUs, quotas, users) to AD. The basic command syntax is

dsadd user  -samid  -pwd 

For example, to add user John to AD, I typed

C:> dsadd user CN=John,CN=Users,DC=it,DC=uk,DC=savilltech,DC=com -samid John -pwd Pa55word

The system returned

dsadd succeeded:CN=John,CN=Users,DC=it,DC=uk,DC=savilltech,DC=com

For a full list of options, type

C:> dsadd user /?

The options let you set the user's full name details, email address, group ownership, and Web page as well as set the password to never expire. The following example shows the use of several of these options:

C:>dsadd user CN=John,CN=Users,DC=it,DC=uk,DC=savilltech,DC=com -samid John -pwd Pa55word -fn John -ln Savill -display "John Savill" -email [email protected] -webpg http://www.savilltech.com -pwdneverexpires yes -memberof "CN=Domain Admins,CN=Users,DC=it,DC=uk,DC=savilltech,DC=com"dsadd succeeded:CN=John,CN=Users,DC=it,DC=uk,DC=savilltech,DC=com

Notice that the "-memberof" option, which specifies the user's group ownership, is in quotes because the DN contains spaces.

Q. How can I remove a user from Active Directory (AD) from the command line without using a script?

A. Windows Server 2003's Dsrm command lets you remove objects from AD. The command syntax is

dsrm 

For example, to delete a user named piggy, you'd type

C:>dsrm CN=piggy,CN=Users,DC=it,DC=uk,DC=savilltech,DC=com

The computer will ask you to confirm the deletion:

Are you sure you wish to delete CN=piggy,CN=Users,DC=it,DC=uk,DC=savilltech,DC=com (Y/N)? y

If you answer "y", the computer will return the following response:

dsrm succeeded:CN=piggy,CN=Users,DC=it,DC=uk,DC=savilltech,DC=com

To avoid being prompted to confirm the deletion, you can append "-noprompt" (without the quotes) to the end of the command string.

3. Announcements
(from Windows & .NET Magazine and its partners)

  • Success with Active Directory


Are you in charge of your company's Windows Server 2003 or Windows 2000 rollout? Are you migrating your Directory Services to Active Directory? What's new in Windows 2003? What new features exist within the AD internals? Invest your time and keep pace with the latest technologies, tips, and tricks. Register now for Windows & .NET Magazine Connections.
http://www.winconnections.com

  • New White Paper on Exchange 2003 Deployment


In this timely white paper, Microsoft Exchange Server expert Kieran McCorry, from HP's Exchange consulting group, outlines the best options for organizations migrating to Exchange Server 2003. The paper outlines inter- and intraorganizational migration issues and the benefits of server consolidation during deployment. Get your copy today!
http://www.aelita.com/100603xpw2ktt

~~~~ Hot Release: Tackling the FCC's New Rules on FAX (whitepaper) ~~~~
Ready or not, the FCC's regulations regarding FAX are here. Think they don't affect you -- think again. If you are sending anything via FAX these regulations impact your organization. Register for a whitepaper:
--> http://www.faxback.com/w2ksept03
Designed to be a guide for companies needing to adapt their fax communications to ensure FCC compliance, the whitepaper provides an overview to the July 2003 FCC rules and discusses tools to help companies fax responsibly.

4. Event
(brought to you by Windows & .NET Magazine)

  • The Mobile & Wireless Road Show Is Coming to Tampa and Atlanta!


Learn more about the wireless and mobility solutions that are available today, plus discover how going wireless can offer low risk, proven performance, and compatibility with existing and emerging industry standards. Register now for this free, 12-city event!
http://www.winnetmag.com/roadshows/wireless

Sponsored Links

  • CrossTec


Free Download - NEW NetOp 7.6 - faster, more secure, remote support
http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;5930423;8214395;j?http://www.crossteccorp.com/tryit/w2k.html

  • Microsoft


Attend a Microsoft(R) Office System Launch Event – Get a FREE Eval Kit
http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;6233617;8214395;l?http://click.atdmt.com/DDB/go/msg02800036ddb/direct/01/

5. Contact Us
Here's how to reach us with your comments and questions:

This weekly email newsletter is brought to you by Windows & .NET Magazine, the leading publication for Windows professionals who want to learn more and perform better. Subscribe today.
http://www.winnetmag.com/sub.cfm?code=wswi201x1z

Receive the latest information about the Windows and .NET topics of your choice. Subscribe to our other FREE email newsletters.
http://www.winnetmag.net/email

About the Author

Sign up for the ITPro Today newsletter
Stay on top of the IT universe with commentary, news analysis, how-to's, and tips delivered to your inbox daily.

You May Also Like