Deleted GP objects

[Rob Walker]

I did a fresh install of Windows 2000 Server with Exchange 2000 server. I
added the hard drive off the old server as a second drive (F so I could
import the Exchange mail store and copy over the web and ftp sites.

I then went into the old hard drive remotely and started deleting folders
that were no longer required starting with the WINNT folder. I could not
delete the SYSVOL folder. Inside SYSVOL was SYSVOL (shared). Inside this
was folder domain.com.

When I tried to edit the Default Domain Group Policy I started to get
"Failed to open the Group Policy Object" and "The system cannot find the
path specified" errors.

A check of the SYSVOL folder on drive C:. the system partition, showed that
under domain.com, all the POLICIES and GUID folders under the DOMAIN.COM
folder were missing. For some reason, when I was deleting folders on F: it
was affecting my GPO folders on C:

I enabled Advanced Features in Active Directory User and Computers and
located the GUIDs in the policies folder.

I started LDP.EXE to rebuild the GPO and connected to the server. I pressed
BIND on the connect menu and authenticated as the administrator.

I pressed Tree on the View menu and entered dc=domainname.com in the Base DN
box. The results showed that the dc could not be found. I tried
combinations of the domain name and the FQDN. I also tried the Search
feature in LDP.EXE to docate the dc but failed.

As a result, I can not find GUID containers for the GPOs. I really don't
feel like doing a DCPROMO so I could sure use some help.

 

[Tim Springston \(MSFT\)]

Hi Rob-

This type of behavior can happen when you have multiple junction points
available. To determine where a junction point is you can do a DIR command
at a prompt. Rather than a <DIR> entry, the directory will display
<JUNCTION>.

You can remove the additional one on the old hard drive using LINKD.EXE.
Here's an article on that:

205524 How to Create and Manipulate NTFS Junction Points
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=205524

The best way to restore your missing GPO's file system specific portions
would be a restore from system state backup to a point before the problem
occurred.

Please repost if you have any difficulties or concerns.