Gather the SYSVOL Path Information

Applies To: Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2

When you relocate the SYSVOL tree or staging areas subtree, it is helpful to record the current and new values for the path locations in the SYSVOL tree that are required for SYSVOL to function. By recording these values in advance, you can facilitate the move process.

When you move SYSVOL, you first copy the folder structure to a new location. Then, you update the locations where folder paths are specified: junction points in the file system, Netlogon parameters in the registry, and attributes in Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS). As an option, you can relocate the staging areas subtree and leave the rest of the SYSVOL tree at its original location. In this case, you must update an attribute in AD DS, but the junction point for the staging areas folder is updated automatically. You also have to record this path information when you are rebuilding SYSVOL on one domain controller by importing the SYSVOL of another domain controller.

For more information about the folder structure and the relationships between the folders and the path information that is stored in the registry, AD DS, and the SYSVOL directory itself, see Introduction to Administering DFS-Replicated SYSVOL.

You can use these procedures to locate the SYSVOL path information and then record the values in the following table. Use the rows and columns in the table according to the goals of your procedure. Record the current values and also the new values if you are moving the SYSVOL tree or the staging areas subtree or if you are rebuilding SYSVOL:

• Relocating the entire SYSVOL tree: Record the current and new path values in rows 1 through 5.

• Relocating the staging areas subtree only: Record the current and new path values in rows 2 and 5.

• Restoring and rebuilding SYSVOL: Record path information as follows:

  • Record the current values from the domain controller that you are restoring in rows 1, 2, and 3.

  • In the Current Value column in rows 4 and 5, record the values in the junction points that are located on the domain controller from which you are copying the SYSVOL folder structure.

  • In the New Value column in rows 4 and 5, record the values in the junction points that are located on the domain controller whose SYSVOL you are rebuilding.

To gather the SYSVOL path information

Perform the following procedures to gather values for SYSVOL paths and record the data in the preceding table.

Membership in Domain Admins, or equivalent, is the minimum required to complete this procedure. Review details about using the appropriate accounts and group memberships at Local and Domain Default Groups (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=83477).

To determine the msDFSR-RootPath and the msDFSR-StagingPath values in AD DS

1. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click ADSI Edit.

2. Right-click ADSI Edit, and then, if the domain whose path information you want to check is not listed, click Connect to.

3. Under Connection Point, click Select a well known Naming Context, click Default naming context, and then click OK.

4. In the tree view, expand the domain component, and then expand OU=Domain Controllers.

5. Double-click the container that represents a domain controller on which you can check the path information, double-click CN=DFSR-LocalSettings, and then click CN=Domain System Volume.

6. In the details pane, right-click CN=SYSVOL Subscription, and then click Properties.

7. Click Filter. Ensure that Show mandatory attributes is selected. Select this option if it is not selected.

8. In Attributes, locate msDFSR-RootPath and msDFSR-StagingPath, and then record the current values in rows 1 and 2, respectively, in the previous table. If you are moving SYSVOL, also record the new values for the new location in both rows. If you are moving the staging areas subtree, record the new path value in row 2.

   If the domain controller was migrated to using DFS Replication for SYSVOL, the msDFSR-StagingPath in Active Directory will not have any value. For DFS Replication, if staging path is not set then the default staging path is %sysvolpath%\domain\DfsrPrivate\Staging.

9. Click Cancel to close the CN=Subscription Properties dialog box.

To determine the SysVol Netlogon parameter value in the registry

1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then press ENTER.

2. In Registry Editor, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Netlogon\Parameters.

3. In the details pane, double-click SysVol. The current value is listed in Value data.

4. Record the current value in row 3 of the previous table, and then click Cancel to close the Edit String dialog box. If you are moving SYSVOL, also record the new value for the new location.

5. Close Registry Editor.

To determine the value in the sysvol junction point

1. Open a Command Prompt as an administrator: On the Start menu, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator. If the User Account Control dialog box appears, provide Domain Admins credentials, if required, and then click Continue.

2. At the command prompt, change the directory to %systemroot%\SYSVOL\sysvol, or to the current location if SYSVOL has been moved from the default location.

3. To view the junction point for the sysvol folder, at the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:

   dir /a:L

4. Record the current value in row 4 in the previous table. If you are moving SYSVOL, also record the new value for the new location.

To determine the value in the staging areas junction point

1. Open a Command Prompt as an administrator: On the Start menu, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator. If the User Account Control dialog box appears, provide Domain Admins credentials, if required, and then click Continue.

2. At the command prompt, change the directory to %systemroot%\SYSVOL\staging areas or to the current location if the staging areas subtree has been moved from the default location.

3. To view the junction point for the staging areas folder, at the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:

   dir /a:L

4. The output identifies the <JUNCTION> folder type and the value that is stored in the staging areas junction point in brackets. For example, the default value is [Drive:\%systemroot%\SYSVOL\staging\domain]. Record the current value in row 5 of the previous table. If you are moving SYSVOL or the staging areas subtree, also record the new value for the new location.