Active Directory management tools restrict security principals that are allowed by the ManagedBy attribute

For group objects in Active Directory, when you use the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Administrative Tools Pack, you can only use ObjectPicker to select users or contacts. You cannot assign a group to be the security principal for an account that is associated with the Managed By field.

Hotfix information

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 this specific problem. 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

Microsoft Windows Server 2003

Restart requirement

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

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace any other hotfixes.

File information

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later) 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 tool in Control Panel.

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

This hotfix is intended to support companies who want to delegate permissions to manage group membership to the group itself. This capability was available in the Microsoft Exchange 5.5 Administrative Tools Pack but was not available in the Windows 2000 or the Windows Server 2003 Administrative Tools Pack.
In Windows Server 2003, the Managed By tab in Active Directory Users and Computers includes a new check box that lets the group manager update group membership. With this hotfix, you can select one of the following users or groups to be the manager of a group:

• Any user, contact, universal security group, global security group, or well-known security principal in the local forest
• Any local security group or built-in group in the local domain

The Managed By tab also appears on the property sheet for computers, organizational units, domains, and shared folders. The Manager can update membership list check box does not appear on the Managed By tabs for these object types. However, with this hotfix, you can now designate the manager of these objects.

This hotfix does not make any changes to the behavior of the Organization tab where you assign a manager for the user, the contact, and the InetOrgPerson objects. To allow a group to manage its own membership for these object types, follow these steps:

1. Open Active Directory Users and Computers and select a group.
2. Right-click the group, and then select Properties.
3. On the Managed By tab, click Change.
4. In the Select User, Contact, or Group dialog box, click Object Types.
5. In Object Types, click to select the Groups check box, and then click OK.
6. In Enter the object name to select, type the name of the group, and then click OK.
7. On the Managed By tab, click to select the Manager can update membership list check box.
8. Click OK.

For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: