You cannot delete DNS PTR records that contain uppercase characters in Windows Server 2003

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SYMPTOMS

When you try to use the DNS snap-in in Microsoft Windows Server 2003 to delete DNS PTR (reverse lookup) records that contain uppercase characters, the operation may not work as expected.

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RESOLUTION

The hotfix that is described in this article prevents the DNS snap-in from creating new DNS PTR records that contain uppercase characters.

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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:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support (http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support)

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

No prerequisites are required.

Restart requirement

You do not have to restart your computer after you apply this hotfix. You must stop and then restart DNS.

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 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 2003, 32-bit versions

   Date         Time   Version       Size     File name
   ----------------------------------------------------
   11-May-2004  04:35  5.2.3790.171  423,424  Dns.exe

Windows Server 2003, 64-bit versions

   Date         Time   Version       Size       File name  Platform
   ----------------------------------------------------------------
   11-May-2004  04:35  5.2.3790.171  1,024,512  Dns.exe    IA-64
   11-May-2004  04:35  5.2.3790.171    423,424  Wdns.exe   x86

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STATUS

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

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MORE INFORMATION

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

824684 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/824684/ ) Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates

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The hotfix that is described in this article prevents the DNS snap-in from creating new DNS PTR records with uppercase characters. To delete PTR records that contain uppercase characters, or to change uppercase characters in existing PTR records to lowercase characters, install the hotfix that is described in this article. Then, use one of the following methods.

Note These methods use the DNS troubleshooting tool, Dnscmd.exe. Dnscmd.exe is included with the Windows Server 2003 Support Tools in the Support folder on the Windows Server 2003 CD. For information about how to use the Dnscmd.exe tool, click Start, and then locate Support Tools Help in the Windows Support Tools folder after you install the support tools.

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Method 1: Delete all PTR records

If you choose to delete all PTR records at the node, use Dnscmd.exe to delete them instead of deleting individual records as described in Method 2. For example, type the following command at the command prompt to delete all PTR records at the 10.3.2.1 address:

dnscmd /RecordDelete 10.in-addr.arpa. 1.2.3 PTR

Important Notice the period (.) after the "in-addr.arpa" string. If you omit the period, you may receive the following error message:

Command failed: DNS_ERROR_ZONE_DOES_NOT_EXIST 9601 (00002581)

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Method 2: Convert PTR records that contain uppercase characters

To convert existing uppercase entries, use the following scriptset. This script set includes the following three files:

Capinput.txt

Create this file by using the Dnscmd.exe command-line tool together with the /EnumRecords switch on your Windows 2003-based DNS server. Copy the Dnscmd.exe output into a text file, and then delete the entries that do not contain uppercase characters so that the text file includes only the entries that contain uppercase characters. Save this file as "Capinput.txt ."

Sample Capinput.txt file:
```
-------- snip begin input file -----------
30.1.1 TESTING.department.company.com.
-------- snip end input file -----------
```
Notice the period at the end of the fully qualified domain name (FQDN).

DeleteDNSNode.bat

This script reads the Capinput.txt file, verifies that the record exists, and then deletes the whole node by using DNScmd.exe to delete the uppercase characters. It also outputs the successfully deleted records to the Input.txt file.

Contents of the DeleteDNSNode.bat file:

-------- snip begin script -----------
@echo. > input.txt
@FOR /F "eol=; tokens=1,2 delims=, " %%i IN (CapInput.txt) DO @call :myloop %%i %%j
@goto :eof

:myloop
@dnscmd /enumrecords 10.in-addr.arpa %1 > NUL
@if not errorlevel 1 dnscmd /NodeDelete 10.in-addr.arpa %1 /f & @echo %1 %2 >>input.txt
@goto :eof

:eof 
-------- snip end script -----------

CreateDNSNode.bat

This script reads the Input.txt file and then re-creates the records by using the DNScmd.exe tool. This script uses the functionality that is provided by the hotfix that is described in this article to change the uppercase characters to lowercase.

Contents of CreateDNSNode.bat:
```
-------- snip begin script -----------
FOR /F "eol=; tokens=1,2 delims=, " %%i IN (Input.txt) DO dnscmd /RecordAdd 10.in-addr.arpa %%i PTR %%j
-------- snip end script -----------
```