Ldifde.exe may not export objects from Active Directory in Windows Server 2003 or Windows 2000

In Microsoft Windows Server 2003 or Microsoft Windows 2000, when you try to export objects from the Active Directory directory service by using the Ldifde.exe command-line tool, objects are not exported.

For example, suppose DC1.Root.com is a global catalog server in the root domain. On a member server that is located in the Child1 child domain, you type the following command at a command prompt:In this scenario, Ldifde.exe returns text that is similar to the following:

This problem occurs if all the following conditions are true:

• You use Ldifde.exe to export objects from one domain to another domain in a forest.
• Your user account and the computer where you are running Ldifde.exe are located in one domain, and the domain controller that stores the global catalog is located in a different domain.
• You do not specify the -s ServerName parameter when you run Ldifde.exe.

If you do not specify the -s ServerName parameter when you use Ldifde.exe to export objects, Ldifde.exe connects to nearest domain controller that stores the global catalog. By default, when you use Ldifde.exe to import objects, Ldifde.exe connects to the domain controller that is located in the same domain where your computer is located. However, when you use Ldifde.exe to export objects, Ldifde.exe connects to the nearest global catalog server in the forest.

To work around this problem, use Ldifde.exe with the -s ServerName parameter to specify the name of the domain controller in the domain where the object that you want to export is located.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies To" section.

For additional information about how to use the Ldifde.exe tool, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For more information about Ldifde.exe, visit the following Microsoft Web site: