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Q160850: XADM: DS_E_BUSY After Directory Service Restore

Article: Q160850
Product(s): Microsoft Exchange
Version(s): 4.0,5.0,5.5
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 18-FEB-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Exchange Server, versions 4.0, 5.0, 5.5 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When a directory is restored from backup it attempts to get back copies of all
the objects that it last modified or added and that it replicated out to other
computers since it was backed up; this is called backsync. During backsync, you
can get into a situation where it is not possible to make directory changes for
up to 16 hours. When you attempt to modify the directory while it is in this
state, the Microsoft Exchange Server Administrator program will display the
following message:

  The directory is busy. Wait a few minutes and try again.

  Microsoft Exchange Directory
  ID no: DS_E_BUSY

The following event ID will also be logged:

  Event ID: 1173. A privileged operation (rights required = 0x4) on object
  failed because a non-security related error occurred.

CAUSE
=====

This will most often occur after the restoration of a directory on a server that
has the schedule on its connectors set to Never. The directory service agent
(DSA) is hardcoded to try to backsync for up to 16 hours even if it is unable to
do so.

WORKAROUND
==========

To work around this problem, do one of the following:

- Make sure that the schedule on the connector of the remote Directory
  Replication Bridgehead is not set to Never. If it is, either set it to Always
  to allow for the proper delivery of directory replication messages, or wait
  for 16 or 4 hours respectively for this to time out.

  -OR-

- In Microsoft Exchange Server 5.0 SP1, it is possible to add a value to the
  registry that will control this timeout:

  Under the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE subtree, add the value in minutes to the
  following subkey:

     Key: System\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeDS\Parameters\ 
     Value: Replicator inter site backsync timeout
     Data Type: REG_DWORD
     Value data: <number-of-minutes-in-hex>

  The hex value of "f" equals 15 minutes in the line above.

  This value is case-sensitive and must be entered as shown above.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Exchange Server
version 4.0. This problem has been corrected in the latest U.S. Service Pack for
Microsoft Exchange Server version 4.0. For information on obtaining the Service
Pack, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the
spaces):

  S E R V P A C K

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Exchange Server version
5.0. This problem has been corrected in the latest U.S. Service Pack for
Microsoft Exchange Server version 5.0. For information on obtaining the Service
Pack, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the
spaces):

  S E R V P A C K

MORE INFORMATION
================

When a directory is restored from backup it attempts to get back -- backsync --
copies of all the objects which it last modifed or added which it replicated out
to other computers since it was backed up. These computers can be in the same
site or another site. Backsync is necessary becuase normally changes made at a
DSA do not replicate back to that DSA, and also the Update Sequence Number (USN)
for a restored computer will be lower than the USN it had before being restored.
This means that if any changes are made at the restored computer before it has
backsync'ed, they will not replicate out until the USN climbs to the value it
was before the server was restored.

If the backsync is overridden by reducing the timeout, there is a risk of this
replication loss. Therefore the backsync timeout should only be reduced or
eliminated when you are sure that no changes were made at the restored computer
since the computer was backed up."



Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbExchangeSearch kbExchange500 kbExchange550 kbExchange400 kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : :4.0,5.0,5.5
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

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