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How to rename an object after a replication collision has occurred

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This article describes how to rename an object after a replication collision has occurred.

Applies to:   Windows 2000
Original KB number:   297083

Summary

When a replication collision occurs, objects that were created on two or more different domain controllers with the same RDN (Relative Distinguished Name) and in the same container may be renamed. For example, the name changes from CN=APPSRV,OU=Domain Controllers,DC=domain,DC=com to the following:
CN=APPSRVCNF:b9e0025c-f9b0-48f0-ba7b-a77447716911,OU=Domain Controllers,DC=domain,DC=com

Many tools and wizards, including the Active Directory Installation Wizard, may not work correctly because of the length of the new name of the object. Therefore, after the conflicting objects have been manually resolved, it is best to change the name back to the original name.

Note

If the object that is affected in the collision is a computer or a domain controller, only the RDN that is used to locate the object in Active Directory is changed after the collision. The computer name and the way that the computer is identified on the network are not changed.

Change the name of the RDN of an object

  1. Find the new RDN.

    To get the changed RDN, you can use the LDIFDE utility. This utility can support batch operations that are based on the LDIF (LDAP Data Interchange Format) file format standard. You can export all the information from Active Directory to a file by using this utility.

    For example, if you want to export the following information to a file that is named Bluesky.txt, type the following at a command prompt, and then press ENTER:

    Computer name: bluesky
    Location in Active Directory: OU=Workstations,OU=DELTA,OU=OandM,DC=ad,DC=water,DC=ca,DC=gov
    Domain Controller: dc1

    ldifde -f c:\bluesky.txt -s dc1 -d  
"OU=Workstations,OU=DELTA,OU=OandM,DC=ad,DC=water,DC=ca,DC=gov" -r  
"(&(objectClass=computer)(cn=bluesky*))

    Running this command exports all information from the Active Directory to the specified file (Bluesky.txt). From the specified text file, you can find the new RDN.

    For more information about LDIFDE utility program, see Step-by-Step Guide to Bulk Import and Export to Active Directory.

  2. Encode the new RDN in base 64.

    The new RDN contains characters that you cannot use in a literal string; therefore, you have to encode the RDN by using Base 64. After the following RDN is encoded in Base 64:

    CN=APPSRVCNF:b9e0025c-f9b0-48f0-ba7b-a77447716911,OU=Domain Controllers,DC=domain,DC=com

    the result will be the following:

    Q049QVBQU1JWQ05GOmI5ZTAwMjVjLWY5YjAtNDhmMC1iYTdiLWE3NzQ0NzcxNjkxMSxPVT1Eb21haW4gQ29udHJvbGxlcnMsREM9ZG9tYWluLERDPW

  3. Rename the changed RDN. To rename the changed RDN follow these steps:

    1. Create a file with an extension .ldf. When you modify attributes in Active Directory, it is important that the following format be followed:

      Sample LDIF File to change RDN (changerdn.ldf)
      =================
      #Modify an rdn for ##### APPSRV ########
      dn:: Q049QVBQU1JWQ05GOmI5ZTAwMjVjLWY5YjAtNDhmMC1iYTdiLWE3NzQ0NzcxNjkxMSxPVT1Eb21haW4gQ29udHJvbGxlcnMsREM9ZG9tYWluLERDPWNvbW==
      changetype:modrdn
      newrdn: cn=APPSRV
      deleteoldrdn: 1

      dn:: represents the current RDN in base 64. The (::) instructs Ldifde that the following string is Base 64 encoded.

      newrdn: represents the new name of the object.

    2. At a command prompt, type ldifde -i -f c:\changerdn.ldf -s your server name.

      Running this command changes the RDN, using the LDIFDE utility, to the new RDN that is specified by you in the LDIF file (Changerdn.ldf).

      When you run this command, you may receive an output that is similar to the following:

      Connecting to "appsrv.domain.com"
      Logging in as current user using SSPI
      Importing directory from file "changedc.ldf"
      Loading entries
      1: CN=APPSRVCNF:b9e0025c-f9b0-48f0-ba7b-a77447716911,OU=Domain Controllers,DC=domain,DC=com
      Entry DN: CN=APPSRVCNF:b9e0025c-f9b0-48f0-ba7b-a77447716911,OU=Domain Controllers,DC=domain,DC=com change: dn
      Renaming to cn=APPSRV with deleteold of 1
      Entry modified successfully.
      1 entry modified successfully.
      The command has completed successfully.

      This process can change the name back to Appsrv. This change is relational so all references to this object are changed in the Active Directory.

When you correct the name on the domain controllers' objects, ensure that you change the name back to what it had been originally. This change does not rename the domain controller. If you rename a domain controller, it is not supported in Windows 2000.