Move-ADObject
Moves an Active Directory object or a container of objects to a different container or domain.
Syntax
Move-ADObject
[-WhatIf]
[-Confirm]
[-AuthType <ADAuthType>]
[-Credential <PSCredential>]
[-Identity] <ADObject>
[-Partition <String>]
[-PassThru]
[-Server <String>]
[-TargetPath] <String>
[-TargetServer <String>]
[<CommonParameters>]Description
The Move-ADObject cmdlet moves an object or a container of objects from one container to another or from one domain to another within the same forest.
When an object is moved between domains, both the source DC and the target DC need to be the RID Master of their domains. If a different DC is being used, you will receive the following error:
move-adobject : The requested operation could not be performed because the directory service is not the master for that type of operation
The Identity parameter specifies the Active Directory object or container to move.
You can identify an object or container by its distinguished name or GUID.
You can also set the Identity parameter to an object variable such as $<localObject>, or you can pass an object through the pipeline to the Identity parameter.
For example, you can use the Get-ADObject cmdlet to retrieve an object and then pass the object through the pipeline to the Move-ADObject cmdlet.
You can also use the Get-ADGroup, Get-ADUser, Get-ADComputer, Get-ADServiceAccount, Get-ADOrganizationalUnit, and Get-ADFineGrainedPasswordPolicy cmdlets to get an object that you can pass through the pipeline to this cmdlet.
The TargetPath parameter must be specified. This parameter identifies the new location for the object or container.
The cmdlet also moves the password when a user or computer object is moved across domains within a forest.
Examples
Example 1: Move an OU to a new location
PS C:\> Move-ADObject -Identity "OU=ManagedGroups,DC=Fabrikam,DC=Com" -TargetPath "OU=Managed,DC=Fabrikam,DC=Com"This command moves the organizational unit (OU) ManagedGroups to a new location. The OU ManagedGroups must not be protected from accidental deletion for the successful move.
Example 2: Move an object to a new location
PS C:\> Move-ADObject -Identity "8d0bcc44-c826-4dd8-af5c-2c69960fbd47" -TargetPath "OU=Managed,DC=Fabrikam,DC=Com"This command moves the object identified by the specified GUID to the new location.
Example 3: Move an object to a location specified by GUID
PS C:\> Move-ADObject -Identity "8d0bcc44-c826-4dd8-af5c-2c69960fbd47" -TargetPath "1c2ea8a8-c2b7-4a87-8190-0e8a166aee16"This command moves an object to a new location. Both the object and the target path are specified using GUIDs.
Example 4: Move an object specified by distinguished name
PS C:\> Move-ADObject -Identity "CN=Peter Bankov,OU=Accounting,DC=Fabrikam,DC=com" -TargetPath "OU=Accounting,DC=Europe,DC=Fabrikam,DC=com" -TargetServer "server01.europe.fabrikam.com"This command moves an object with the distinguished name CN=Peter Bankov,OU=Accounting,DC=Fabrikam,DC=com to a different domain.
Example 5: Move an object in an AD LDS instance
PS C:\> Move-ADObject -Identity "CN=AccountLeads,DC=AppNC" -TargetPath "OU=AccountDeptOU,DC=AppNC" -Server "FABRIKAM-SRV1:60000"This command moves an object to a new location in an AD LDS instance.
Parameters
-AuthType
Specifies the authentication method to use. The acceptable values for this parameter are:
- Negotiate or 0
- Basic or 1
The default authentication method is Negotiate.
A Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) connection is required for the Basic authentication method.
| Type: | ADAuthType |
| Accepted values: | Negotiate, Basic |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Confirm
Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet.
| Type: | SwitchParameter |
| Aliases: | cf |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | False |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Credential
Specifies the user account credentials to use to perform this task. The default credentials are the credentials of the currently logged on user unless the cmdlet is run from an Active Directory module for Windows PowerShell provider drive. If the cmdlet is run from such a provider drive, the account associated with the drive is the default.
To specify this parameter, you can type a user name, such as User1 or Domain01\User01 or you can specify a PSCredential object. If you specify a user name for this parameter, the cmdlet prompts for a password.
You can also create a PSCredential object by using a script or by using the Get-Credential cmdlet. You can then set the Credential parameter to the PSCredential object.
If the acting credentials do not have directory-level permission to perform the task, the Active Directory module for Windows PowerShell returns a terminating error.
| Type: | PSCredential |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Identity
Specifies an Active Directory object by providing one of the following property values. The identifier in parentheses is the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) display name for the attribute. The acceptable values for this parameter are:
- A distinguished name
- A GUID (objectGUID)
The cmdlet searches the default naming context or partition to find the object. If two or more objects are found, the cmdlet returns a non-terminating error.
This parameter can also get this object through the pipeline or you can set this parameter to an object instance.
Derived types, such as the following, are also accepted:
- Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.Management.ADGroup
- Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.Management.ADUser
- Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.Management.ADComputer
- Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.Management.ADServiceAccount
- Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.Management.ADFineGrainedPasswordPolicy
- Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.Management.ADDomain
| Type: | ADObject |
| Position: | 0 |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | True |
| Accept pipeline input: | True |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Partition
Specifies the distinguished name of an Active Directory partition. The distinguished name must be one of the naming contexts on the current directory server. The cmdlet searches this partition to find the object defined by the Identity parameter.
In many cases, a default value is used for the Partition parameter if no value is specified. The rules for determining the default value are given below. Note that rules listed first are evaluated first and when a default value can be determined, no further rules are evaluated.
In Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) environments, a default value for Partition is set in the following cases:
- If the Identity parameter is set to a distinguished name, the default value of Partition is automatically generated from this distinguished name.
- If running cmdlets from an Active Directory provider drive, the default value of Partition is automatically generated from the current path in the drive.
- If none of the previous cases apply, the default value of Partition is set to the default partition or naming context of the target domain.
In Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services (AD LDS) environments, a default value for Partition is set in the following cases:
- If the Identity parameter is set to a distinguished name, the default value of Partition is automatically generated from this distinguished name.
- If running cmdlets from an Active Directory provider drive, the default value of Partition is automatically generated from the current path in the drive.
- If the target AD LDS instance has a default naming context, the default value of Partition is set to the default naming context. To specify a default naming context for an AD LDS environment, set the msDS-defaultNamingContext property of the Active Directory directory service agent (DSA) object (nTDSDSA) for the AD LDS instance.
- If none of the previous cases apply, the Partition parameter does not take any default value.
| Type: | String |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-PassThru
Returns an object representing the item with which you are working. By default, this cmdlet does not generate any output.
| Type: | SwitchParameter |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Server
Specifies the AD DS instance to connect to, by providing one of the following values for a corresponding domain name or directory server. The service may be any of the following: AD LDS, AD DS, or Active Directory snapshot instance.
Specify the AD DS instance in one of the following ways:
Domain name values:
- Fully qualified domain name
- NetBIOS name
Directory server values:
- Fully qualified directory server name
- NetBIOS name
- Fully qualified directory server name and port
The default value for this parameter is determined by one of the following methods in the order that they are listed:
- By using the Server value from objects passed through the pipeline
- By using the server information associated with the AD DS Windows PowerShell provider drive, when the cmdlet runs in that drive
- By using the domain of the computer running Windows PowerShell
| Type: | String |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-TargetPath
Specifies the new location for the object. This location must be the path to a container or organizational unit.
| Type: | String |
| Position: | 1 |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | True |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-TargetServer
Specifies the Active Directory instance to use by providing the following value for a corresponding domain name or directory server.
Note: A cross-domain move requires a fully qualified server name and the use of the RID Master in both domains.
Domain name values:
- Fully qualified domain name (FQDN)
Directory server values:
- Fully qualified directory server name
- Fully qualified directory server name and port
| Type: | String |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-WhatIf
Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet is not run.
| Type: | SwitchParameter |
| Aliases: | wi |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | False |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
Inputs
Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.Management.AObject
An Active Directory object is received by the Identity parameter. Derived types, such as the following, are also accepted:
- Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.Management.ADGroup
- Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.Management.ADUser
- Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.Management.ADComputer
- Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.Management.ADServiceAccount
- Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.Management.ADOrganizationalUnit
- Microsoft.ActiveDirectory.Management.ADFineGrainedPasswordPolicy
Outputs
None
Notes
- This cmdlet does not work with an Active Directory snapshot.
- This cmdlet does not work with a read-only domain controller.