How to let non-administrators view the Active Directory deleted objects container

This article explains how to change permissions so that non-administrators can view the Active Directory deleted objects container.

Original KB number:   892806

When an Active Directory object is deleted, a small part of the object stays in the deleted objects container for a specified time. It stays there so that other domain controllers that are replicating changes will become aware of the deletion. By default, only the System account and members of the Administrators group can view the contents of this container. This article describes how to modify the permissions on the deleted objects container.

You may have to modify the permissions on the deleted objects container if the following conditions are true:

• You have enterprise applications or services that bind to Active Directory with a non-System account or a non-Administrator account.
• These enterprise applications or services poll for directory changes.

To modify the permissions on the deleted objects container so that non-administrators can view this container, use the DSACLS.exe program. The DSACLS.exe program is included with the Active Directory Application Mode (ADAM) Administration Tools.

For Windows Server 2008 and newer the tool is included in the operating system.

For Windows 2000 and Server 2003 you can get this done by obtaining and installing the ADAM Administration Tools, follow these steps:

1. Download the ADAM retail package.

   For more information about how to download Microsoft Support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
   119591 How to obtain Microsoft support files from online services Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.

   Note

   This version of the ADAM Administration Tools is an upgrade from the version in the Windows Server 2003 Support Tools. This version of the ADAM Administration Tools is supported by Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition; Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition; Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition; and Microsoft Windows XP Professional.

2. To extract the contents of the file that you downloaded in step 1, double-click the file, and then specify a directory when you are prompted.

3. In the directory that you extracted the file to in step 2, double-click the Adamsetup.exe program to start the Active Directory Application Mode Setup Wizard, and then click Next.

4. Review and accept the license terms, and then click Next.

5. Select ADAM administration tools only, and then click Next.

6. Review your selections, and then click Next.

7. When Setup has concluded, click Finish.

After you have installed the ADAM Administration Tools, you can modify the permissions on the deleted objects container. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Log on with a user account that is a member of the Domain Admins group.

2. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to ADAM, and then click ADAM Tools Command Prompt.

3. At the command prompt, type a command that is similar to the following example: dsacls "CN=Deleted Objects,DC=Contoso,DC=com" /takeownership.

   • When you type this command, use the name of the deleted objects container for your domain.

   • Each domain in the forest will have its own deleted objects container. Output that is similar to the following example should be displayed:

     Owner: Contoso\Domain Admins
     Group: NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM
     Access list:
     {This object is protected from inheriting permissions from the parent}
     Allow BUILTIN\Administrators SPECIAL ACCESS
     LIST CONTENTS
     READ PROPERTY
     Allow NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM SPECIAL ACCESS
     DELETE
     READ PERMISSONS
     WRITE PERMISSIONS
     CHANGE OWNERSHIP
     CREATE CHILD
     DELETE CHILD
     LIST CONTENTS
     WRITE SELF
     WRITE PROPERTY
     READ PROPERTY
     The command completed successfully

4. To grant a security principal permission to view the objects in the deleted objects container, type a command that is similar to the following example: dsacls "CN=Deleted Objects,DC=Contoso,DC=com" /g CONTOSO\EricLang:LCRP

   Output that is similar to the following example should be displayed:

   Owner: CONTOSO\Domain Admins
   Group: NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM
   Access list:
   {This object is protected from inheriting permissions from the parent}
   Allow BUILTIN\Administrators SPECIAL ACCESS
   LIST CONTENTS
   READ PROPERTY
   Allow NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM SPECIAL ACCESS
   DELETE
   READ PERMISSONS
   WRITE PERMISSIONS
   CHANGE OWNERSHIP
   CREATE CHILD
   DELETE CHILD
   LIST CONTENTS
   WRITE SELF
   WRITE PROPERTY
   READ PROPERTY
   Allow CONTOSO\EricLang SPECIAL ACCESS
   LIST CONTENTS
   READ PROPERTY
   The command completed successfully

In this example, the user "CONTOSO\EricLang" has been granted List Contents and Read Property permissions on the deleted objects container in the "CONTOSO" domain. These permissions let this user view the contents of the deleted objects container, but do not let this user make any changes to objects in the container. These permissions are equivalent to the default permissions that are granted to the Administrators group. By default, only the System account has permission to modify objects in the deleted objects container.