You cannot install Active Directory on an iSCSI boot computer that is running Windows Server 2008 R2

Consider the following scenario:

• You have an iSCSI boot computer that is running Windows Server 2008 R2.
• You assign an iSCSI Logical Unit Number (LUN) to each logical disk on the computer. Additionally, each drive on the computer uses the NTFS file system.
• You run the Active Directory Installation Wizard (Dcpromo.exe) to install Active Directory on this computer.

In this scenario, the installation operation fails, and you receive the following error message:

The Active Directory Installation Wizard does not support saving the Active Directory database and the SYSVOL folder on to an iSCSI volume.

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing the problem described in this article. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

To apply this hotfix, you must be running Windows Server 2008 R2.

Registry information

To apply this hotfix, you do not have to make any changes to the registry.

Restart requirement

You do not have to restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace a previously released hotfix.

File information

The global version of this hotfix installs files that have the attributes that are listed in the following tables. The dates and the times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The dates and the times for these files on your local computer are displayed in your local time together with your current daylight saving time (DST) bias. Additionally, the dates and the times may change when you perform certain operations on the files.

Windows Server 2008 R2 file information notes

Important Windows 7 hotfixes and Windows Server 2008 R2 hotfixes are included in the same packages. However, hotfixes on the Hotfix Request page are listed under both operating systems. To request the hotfix package that applies to one or both operating systems, select the hotfix that is listed under "Windows 7/Windows Server 2008 R2" on the page. Always refer to the "Applies to" section in articles to determine the actual operating system that each hotfix applies to.

• The MANIFEST files (.manifest) and the MUM files (.mum) that are installed for each environment are listed separately in the "Additional file information for Windows Server 2008 R2" section. MUM and MANIFEST files, and the associated security catalog (.cat) files, are extremely important to maintaining the state of the updated component. The security catalog files, for which the attributes are not listed, are signed with a Microsoft digital signature.

For all supported x64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 R2

For all supported IA-64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 R2

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

After you install this hotfix, the Active Directory Installation Wizard supports saving the Active Directory database and the SYSVOL folder on to an iSCSI volume.

Notes

• This iSCSI volume must be the system volume. If you want to save the Active Directory database on to an iSCSI volume that is not the system volume, you must create a new DWORD value�named AllowIscsi with value data of 0x1 in the�following registry key:
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AdminDebug\dcpromoui
• The operating system cannot start if you save the Active Directory database to a non-system volume that is not available during the startup process. Therefore, do not put the Active directory database on an iSCSI volume that may not be available during the startup process.

For more information about software update terminology, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Additional file information

Additional files for all supported x64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 R2