You receive a "Failed to delete Group Policy Object" error message when you try to delete the default domain policy or the default domain controller policy in Windows Server 2003 and in Windows 2000 Server

When you to try to delete the default domain policy or the default domain controller policy by using the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in (DSA.msc), you receive the following error message:Additionally, you may try to delete one of the following Group Policy containers by using ADSIEdit.msc.

• Default Domain Policy:
  CN={31B2F340-016D-11D2-945F-00C04FB984F9},CN=Policies,CN=System,DC=Domain,DC=com
• Default Domain Controllers Policy:
  CN={6AC1786C-016F-11D2-945F-00C04fB984F9},CN=Policies,CN=System,DC=Domain,DC=com

When you try to delete one of these Group Policy containers, you receive the following error message:

This behavior occurs because the default domain Group Policy object (GPO) and the default domain controller Group Policy object cannot be deleted.

This behavior is by design.

You receive these error messages even if the default domain GPO and the default domain controller GPO have been renamed. To verify whether the GPOs have been renamed, follow these steps:

1. In the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in, right-click your domain name, or right-click Domain Controllers, and then click Properties.
2. Click the Group Policy tab.
3. Click the name of the Group Policy setting that you want to verify in the Group Policy Object Links list, and then click Properties.
4. Click the General tab, and then locate the GUID in the Unique Name box.
5. Compare the GUID with the following list of GUIDs. The GUIDs in this list are the GUIDs of the default GPOs:
   • Default Domain Policy - 31B2F340-016D-11D2-945F-00C04FB984F9
   • Default Domain Controllers Policy - 6AC1786C-016F-11D2-945F-00C04fB984F9