You receive an "Unavailable Critical Extension" error message when you try to query against a global catalog server or a Windows Server 2003-based domain controller

When you try to query against a global catalog (GC) server or a Microsoft Windows Server 2003-based domain controller (DC), you may receive the following error message:

This problem occurs when you perform a Virtual List Views (VLV) extension search to the Active Directory directory service. The VLV extension search stops responding because Active Directory cannot handle the search operation.

Service Pack information

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Microsoft Windows Server 2003. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

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.

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, submit a request to 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

No prerequisites are required.

Restart requirement

You must restart the 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 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 tool in Control Panel.
Windows Server 2003, x86-based versionsWindows Server 2003, Itanium-based versions

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.
This problem was corrected in Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1.

This hotfix removes the VLV object identifier (also known as OID) advertisement from the RootDSE object. After you apply this hotfix, you cannot use a client to perform a VLV extension search to Active Directory.

After you install this hotfix, you must use the Active Directory Service Interfaces (ADSI) Edit tool to add a DisableVLVSupport value to the msds-Other-Settings attribute. To add the DisableVLVSupport value, install Windows Support Tools and then follow these steps.

Note The ADSI Edit tool is located in the Windows Support Tools folder on the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 CD. To install Windows Support Tools, run the Setup.exe program. The Setup.exe program is located in the Support\Tools\Setup folder.

1. Click Start, click Run, type Adsiedit.msc, and then press ENTER.
2. In the ADSI Edit tool, expand the Configuration[DomainController] node.
3. Expand the CN=Configuration,DC=DomainName container.
4. Expand the CN=Services object.
5. Expand the CN=Windows NT object.
6. Right-click the CN=Directory Service object. Click Properties.
7. In the Attributes list, click msds-Other-Settings. Click Edit.
8. In the Value to add box, type DisableVLVSupport=1. Click Add.
9. Click OK two times. Close the ADSI Edit tool.

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