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Q261091: XADM: "The Directory Is Busy. Wait a Few Minutes and Try Again"

Article: Q261091
Product(s): Microsoft Exchange
Version(s): winnt:5.5
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): exc55
Last Modified: 11-JUN-2000

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Exchange Server, version 5.5 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When you attempt to add users to the directory, the following message is
displayed:

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

Even if you wait several hours, this behavior still occurs. No events are logged
in the application event log that coincide with this message.

CAUSE
=====

This issue can occur if the Exchange Server Administrator program tries to make
a change to the directory when the busy flag of the directory is set. The busy
flag is set when a section of code requires that no changes be made to the
directory during a that time.

If a thread stops responding or "hangs" in a critical section, the directory does
not allow changes.

WORKAROUND
==========

To work around this issue, cycle the directory service.

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

Note that if you are experiencing the issue that is described in this article
and you change the registry values as outlined in the following article in the
Microsoft Knowledge Base

  Q160850 XADM: DS_E_BUSY After Directory Service Restore

the change has no effect.

The issue that is described in this article is not related to the inability to
make directory changes while the directory makes copies of all of the objects
that the directory replicated to other computers after the directory was backed
up (this process is back synchronization, or "backsync") that is described in
Q160850.

Additional query words: DS_BUSY DS_E_BUSY DS Dir

======================================================================
Keywords          : exc55 
Technology        : kbExchangeSearch kbExchange550 kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : winnt:5.5
Issue type        : kbprb

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