Error message when you try to access a DFS root on a Windows Server 2003-based member server: "The specified DFS root does not exist"

Consider the following scenario:

• You have a Windows Server 2003-based member server.
• On the member server, you try to access a Distributed File System (DFS) root in the DFS Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in.

In this scenario, you may receive the following error message:Additionally, when you view the permissions of the DFS root in the Active Directory Users and Computers MMC snap-in, the member server security identifier (SID) is shown as unresolved.

You may experience this issue if the following conditions are true:

• The member server that hosted the DFS root was taken offline. Additionally, the member server computer account was deleted.
• A new member server is brought online that uses the same computer name as the member server that was taken offline.

This issue occurs because the SID of the DFS root is associated with the member server computer account that was deleted.

To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Distributed File System.
2. In the console tree, click the DFS root.
3. In the details pane, right-click the problematic DFS root target, and then click Remove Target.
4. Click Yes when you receive the following error message:
   The following error occurred during deleting the DFS root on server_name.
   Do you want to forcibly remove the DFS root?
   Element not found.
5. In the console tree, right-click the DFS root, and then click New Root Target.
6. Type the server name, or click Browse to find the server.
7. Follow the instructions in the New Root Wizard to add the DFS root target.
8. Exit the DFS MMC snap-in.
9. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers.
10. On the View menu, click Advanced Features.
11. In the console tree, expand System, and then click Dfs-Configuration.
12. In the details pane, right-click DomainDFS, and then click Properties.
13. Click the Security tab, and then click Account Unknown in the Group or user names list.
14. Click Remove, and then click OK.
15. Exit the Active Directory Users and Computers MMC snap-in.