Microsoft KB Archive/298882

= The new command-line tools for Active Directory in Windows Server 2003 =

Article ID: 298882

Article Last Modified on 12/3/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition (32-bit x86)
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition (32-bit x86)
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise x64 Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Advanced Server, Limited Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 Premium Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q298882



SUMMARY
This article describes the new command-line tools for Active Directory that are available in Microsoft Windows Server 2003.



MORE INFORMATION
Windows Server 2003 has a suite of new directory service command-line tools to manage the various types of objects in Active Directory and to perform queries against the directory according to specified criteria. These tools are located in the %SystemRoot%\System32 folder.

The command-line tools are included with Windows Server 2003 and are installed with the Admin Pack and the Windows Server 2003 Setup program. The command-line tools can be installed and run on computers that are running Windows XP Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 Server. Microsoft does not recommend that you install these tools on a Windows 2000-based computer.

The command-line tools can target Windows Server 2003 and Windows 2000 domain controllers. Windows 2000 domain controllers that are administered by the command-line tools must have Service Pack 3 or later installed to prevent errors in LDAP signing.

All of the command-line tools can operate on a variety of objects in the directory. These tools can modify objects locally as the logged-on user or they can specify the server, domain, user name, and password that you want to use when you run the command either remotely or locally. Some of these tools are:
 * Dsadd.exe

This tool adds a computer, contact, group, organization unit, or user to a directory.
 * Dsget.exe

This tool displays the selected attributes of a computer, contact, group, organizational unit, server, or user in a directory.
 * Dsmod.exe

This tool modifies an existing user, computer, contact, group, or organizational units in a directory.
 * Dsmove.exe

This tool moves any object from its current location in the directory to a new location (provided that the move can be accommodated in a single domain controller) and renames an object without moving it in the directory tree.
 * Dsquery.exe

This tool queries and finds a list of computers, groups, organizational units, servers, or users in the directory by using specified search criterion.
 * Dsrm.exe

This tool deletes an object of a specific type or any general object from the directory.

In addition to the preceding new tools, the following utilities can also be used to manage objects in Active Directory:
 * Csvde.exe

This utility can import and export Active Directory data by using a comma-separated format.
 * Ldifde.exe

This utility can create, modify, and delete directory objects. This utility can also be used to extend the schema, export Active Directory user and group information to other programs or services, and populate Active Directory with data from other directory services.

For details and examples, refer to Help and Support on the Start menu. Additional command-line tools are available in the Support Tools folder, which is located in the CD-ROM of the product, and from the Resource kit.

Keywords: kbinfo KB298882

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