Active Directory Cookbook

15.1. Enabling Extended dcpromo Logging

Problem

You want to enable extended dcpromo logging. This can be useful if you are experiencing problems during the promotion or demotion process and the dcpromo log files are not providing enough information to indicate the problem.

Solution

These solutions are slightly different on Windows 2000. See the Discussion section for more information. To enable the maximum amount of logging, use 16711683 (FF0003 in hexadecimal) as the flag value. For a complete description of the possible bit values, see MS KB 221254.

Using a graphical user interface

1. Run regedit.exe from the command line or Start → Run.

2. In the left pane, expand HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE → Software → Microsoft → Windows → CurrentVersion → AdminDebug → dcpromoui.

3. If the LogFlags value does not exist, right-click on dcpromoui in the left pane and select New → DWORD Value. For the name, enter LogFlags.

4. In the right pane, double-click on the LogFlags value and enter the flag value you want to set.

5. Click OK.

Using a command-line interface

With the following command, <FlagValue> needs to the decimal version (not hexidecimal) of the flag value:

> reg add HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AdminDebug\dcpromoui /v[RETURN] 
"LogFlags" /t REG_DWORD /d <FlagValue>

Using VBScript

' This code sets the dcpromoui logging flag (for Windows Server 2003 only)
' ------ SCRIPT CONFIGURATION ------
strDC   = "<DomainControllerName>"  ' e.g. dc01
intFlag = <FlagValue>               ' Flag value in decimal, e.g. 16711683 ' ------ ...