Depending on the operating system, a variety of different versions of Active Directory Service Interfaces (ADSI) can be installed on a computer. This article describes techniques that you can use to determine which version is currently installed.

Back to the top

Warning If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

In Microsoft Windows 2000, ADSI is a system component. Because of Windows File Protection, ADSI cannot be installed over or deleted.

In Microsoft Windows 95, Microsoft Windows 98, and Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, ADSI is a separately installed component.

The Active Directory Client Extensions (DSClient) is the replacement for ADSI 2.x. There are two versions of the DSClient:

•	One for computers that are running Windows 95 and Windows 98
•	One for Windows NT Server and workstation

Because there are many versions of ADSI, you may want to determine the version that is currently installed on a particular computer. This information can be derived by using the following methods:

•	By examining the registry.
•	By reviewing the version numbers of certain files in the file system.

Back to the top

Examine the registry

Recent versions of ADSI install the following registry key that contains the current version number: The following table relates ADSI versions with the values that may be found in this registry key:

Version              Value
----------------     --------
Earlier than 2.5     n/a
2.5                  2,5,00,0
Windows 2000         5,0,00,0
DSClient for 9x      5,0,00,0
DSClient for NT      This registry value will not be created or updated.	

Versions that are earlier than ADSI 2.5 do not have this registry key. If this key is not present, look for the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\ADs

If the previous key is present, ADSI 2.0 is installed. If this key is not present, look then for the following key: If this key is present, ADSI is installed. If this key is not present, you may have a incorrect installation or no ADSI installation at all.

Back to the top

Examine the file system

ADSI installs several DLLs and a type library into the system root folder of the computer. On a Windows NT-based computer or a Windows 2000-based computer, this folder is typically the \Winnt\System32 folder. On a Windows 95-based computer or a Windows 98-based computer, the folder is the \Windows\System folder.

The following tables match ADSI files together with their corresponding version:

File name	2.0 Web installation	2.5
ActiveDs.dll	4.1.100.1	4.1.258.1
ActiveDs.tlb	no version listed	4.1.258.1
Adsldp.dll	4.1.100.1	4.1.258.1
Adsldpc.dll	4.1.100.1	4.1.258.1
Adsmsext.dll	DLL not present	4.1.258.1
Adsnds.dll	4.1.100.1	4.1.258.1
Adsnt.dll	4.1.100.1	4.1.258.1
Adsnw.dll	4.1.100.1	4.1.258.1

File name	Windows2000	DSClient for 98	DSClient for NT
ActiveDs.dll	5.0.2172.1	5.0.2172.1	5.0.2195.2649
ActiveDs.tlb	5.0.2143.1	5.0.2143.1	5.0.2195.2778
Adsldp.dll	5.0.2172.1	5.0.2172.1	5.0.2195.2649
Adsldpc.dll	5.0.2172.1	5.0.2172.1	5.0.2195.2649
Adsmsext.dll	5.0.2172.1	5.0.2172.1	5.0.2195.2649
Adsnds.dll	5.0.2143.1	5.0.2143.1	DLL not present
Adsnt.dll	5.0.2191.1	5.0.2191.1	5.0.2195.2649
Adsnw.dll	5.0.2143.1	5.0.2143.1	DLL not present

Notes

•	An ADSI installation also updates the Wldap32.dll file and the Nwapi32.dll file. However, libraries are also updated by service packs and other Microsoft applications.
•	When you upgrade an earlier version of ADSI with the DSClient for NT, the DLLs that are not present in the DSClient for NT installation are not overwritten.

ADSI version 2.0 shipped through several vehicles. ActiveDs.dll version numbers range from 4.1.100.1 that is the earliest release that was available on the Web, through 4.1.172.1 that is the release in the Microsoft Exchange BackOffice Resource Kit.

Beta versions of ADSI 2.5 were also available from the Web before the official release of ADSI 2.5. The version numbers for ADSI 2.5 are in the syntax 4.1.25X.1, where X has the value 0 (zero) in the initial Beta release up through a value of 8 for the final release build. You must upgrade prerelease versions of ADSI 2.5 to the release build.

Back to the top

For more information about ADSI, visit the following Microsoft Web site: For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Back to the top