NTDS directory

[John Knijn]

Hi all,

We have upgraded our NT4 server network (PDS and two BDC's) on december 2nd
to Windows2000-server with AD (a parent DC with exchange-server 5.5 and two
domain controllers).
Sinds the upgrade, december 2nd 2003, the directory c:\winnt\ntds is growing
with EDBxxxx.log files, and it is growing and growing and growing, in about
9 weeks the disk is full.

Does anybody know what is going on here, what can I do about it?

Thanks very much.

John

 

[Johan Arwidmark]

When Active Directory uses circular logging (default), old log files
are deleted once they have been written to the database.

You can (but you shouldnt) change the default behaviour with the
following registry key:

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NTDS\Parameters
\CircularLogging

1 = circular logging
0 = non-circular logging.


You can also move the database and the logfiles to another disk using
ntdsutil

Reference:

Directory Service Does Not Start If Disk Is Full
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;259278

Ntbackup.exe Does Not Truncate Active Directory Logs During a
System-State Backup
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;272425

Optimizing Size Requirements for Growth in Directory Service
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pr...nologies/activedirectory/maintain/adsize.mspx

regards
Johan Arwidmark

Windows User Group - Nordic
http://www.wug-nordic.net

 

[John Knijn]

Hi Johan,

Thanks for the answer, but do you have any idea why this is happening?

John

 

[Don Hacherl [Msft]]

Actually, you can't disable circular logging. (The reg key was a leftover
from early beta testing.) The reference below to ntbackup not truncating
logs is the one you want to pursue.

 

[Johan Arwidmark]

OK, I didn't know that the circularlogging key was removed...

I do suggest you correct this article on your web...
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pr...nologies/activedirectory/maintain/adsize.mspx


Quote from the article (incorrect as it turned out):

The ESE can create a new log file when the current one fills up
(non-circular logging), or it can overwrite the oldest file when the
log reaches a specified number of files (circular logging).
Non-circular logging uses disk space until you manually delete old log
files after a backup or a restart, but it saves all database changes
and never deletes log files automatically. The Active Directory
Service default is non-circular logging. You can overwrite this
default with the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \CurrentControlSetServices \NTDS \Parameters
\CircularLogging

Where: 1 = circular logging; 0 = non-circular logging.

regards
Johan Arwidmark

Windows User Group - Nordic
http://www.wug-nordic.net