The size of the Ntds.dit file becomes larger on one or more domain controllers that are running Windows Server 2003 or Windows Server 2008 after you enable the credential roaming feature for the domain

After you enable the credential roaming feature for a domain, the size of the Ntds.dit file becomes larger on one or more domain controllers that are running Windows Server 2003 or Windows Server 2008.

This problem may cause unexpected errors on the affected domain controllers. Domain administrators must monitor and maintain the Active Directory database to prevent possible errors.

To monitor this problem, you must set the logging level of Internal Processing events to 4 in Active Directory diagnostic event logging.

For more information about how to set the logging level, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: If the size of the Ntds.dit file grows abnormally after you set the logging level, the following event is logged in the Directory Service event log:

Event Type: Error
Event Source: NTDS General
Event Category: Internal Processing
Event ID: 1481
Date: <Date>
Time: <Time>
User: <user name>
Computer: <computer name>
Description:
Internal error: The operation on the object failed.

Additional Data
Error value:
1 00002083: AtrErr: DSID-0315115A, #1:
0: 00002083: DSID-0315115A, problem 1006 (ATT_OR_VALUE_EXISTS), data 0, Att 90765
(msPKIDPAPIMasterKeys):len 1072

This problem occurs when the credential roaming module tries to process a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) modify request by using a large set of certificates and key data without using the LDAP Permissive Modify option. Under certain conditions the LDAP modify request fails by returning the ATT_VAL_ALREADY_EXISTS error. This error causes unreclaimed white space in the Active Directory database. When such LDAP modify requests fail repeatedly, the size of the Ntds.dit file grows on domain controllers where these LDAP modify requests are processed.

To resolve the problem, apply the hotfix on all domain controllers and on all client computers that have the credential roaming feature enabled.

Hotfix information for Windows Vista and for Windows Server 2008

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing the problem described in this article. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Important Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 hotfixes are included in the same packages. However, only one of these products may be listed on the “Hotfix Request” page. To request the hotfix package that applies to both Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, just select the product that is listed on the page.

Prerequisites

To apply this hotfix, your computer must be running one of the following operating systems:

• Windows Server 2008
• Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 (SP2)
• Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1)
• Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2)

Restart requirement

You do not have to restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace any other hotfix.

File information

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time item in Control Panel.

Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista file information notes

The .manifest files and the .mum files that are installed in each environment are listed separately in the "Additional file information for Windows Server 2008 and for Windows Vista" section. These files and their associated .cat (security catalog) files are critical to maintaining the state of the updated component. The .cat files are signed with a Microsoft digital signature. The attributes of these security files are not listed.

For all supported x86-based versions of Windows Server 2008 and of Windows Vista SP1

For all supported x64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 and of Windows Vista SP1

For all supported Itanium-based versions of Windows Server 2008

For all supported x86-based versions of Windows Server 2008 SP2 and of Windows Vista SP2

For all supported x64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 SP2 and of Windows Vista SP2

For all supported Itanium-based versions of Windows Server 2008 SP2

Hotfix information for Windows Server 2003 and for Windows XP Professional x64 Edition

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing the problem described in this article. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

You must have Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 (SP2) installed before you apply this hotfix.

Restart requirement

You do not have to restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace any other hotfix.

File information

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time item in Control Panel.

For all supported x86-based versions of Windows Server 2003 SP2

For all supported x64-based versions of Windows Server 2003 SP2 and of Windows XP Professional x64 Edition

For all supported Itanium-based versions of Windows Server 2003 SP2

Hotfix information for Windows XP

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing the problem described in this article. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

You must have Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) installed before you apply this hotfix.

Restart requirement

You do not have to restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace any other hotfix.

File information

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time item in Control Panel.

To work around this problem, you can regularly perform offline defragmentation of the Active Directory database.
For more information about how to perform offline defragmentation of the Active Directory database, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

For more information about software update terminology, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: -
For more information about the credential roaming feature, visit the following Microsoft TechNet Web site: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc770797.aspx

For more information about how to enable the credential roaming feature visit the following Microsoft TechNet Web site: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc771348.aspx

Additional file information for Windows Vista and for Windows Server 2008

Additional files for all supported x86-based versions of Windows Vista and of Windows Server 2008

Additional files for all supported x64-based versions of Windows Vista and of Windows Server 2008

Additional files for all supported Itanium-based versions of Windows Server 2008