Data exported to a CSV file is formatted incorrectly in Excel on a computer that is running a localized non-Latin character based language version of Windows Server 2008

Consider the following scenario:

• You export data from a snap-in in a localized version of Windows Server 2008 to create a Comma-Separated Values (CSV) file.
• The localized version of Windows Server 2008 is a non-Latin character based language version.
• You open the file in a spreadsheet program such as Microsoft Excel.

In this scenario, the data is formatted incorrectly. Additionally, the characters are not displayed correctly.

This problem occurs if you do not save the CSV file in Unicode format when you export the data.

To resolve this issue, save the CSV file in Unicode format. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Open the CSV file in Notepad.
2. On the File menu, click Save As.
3. In the Save As dialog box, click Unicode in the Encoding list.
4. Click Save.

When you export data from a snap-in in Windows Server 2008, you can create a CSV file in the following ways:

• Export a list of cached users from a read-only domain controller (RODC) that is running Windows Server 2008.
• Save event logs in a CSV file.
• Export the contents of an organizational unit (OU).

Steps to reproduce the problem

1. On a writable domain controller that is running Windows Server 2008, open the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in. To do this, click Start, click Run, type dsa.msc, and then click OK.
2. In the Active Directory Users and Computers box, expand the Domain Controllers container, and then right-click Computer Account for an RODC.
3. On the Password Replication Policy tab, click Advanced.
4. In the Advanced Password Replication Policy dialog box, click the Policy Usage tab, and then click Export.
5. Save the file as a CSV file.
6. Open the saved file in Excel.