Cannot create a new computer account using the Windows active directory interface

active-directorydomain-controllerwindows-server-2003

When I attempt to create a new computer account using the Windows active directory interface by entering the new computer name and hitting next, I get a blank dialogue titled New-Object-Computer with no tabs and three nonfunctional buttons: back, finish, and cancel. It can only be closed with the task manager.

The command

dsadd computer cn=newname,dc=mydomain,dc=local

succeeds, although I have to use the "find objects in Active Directory" button (Find: Computers In: Entire Directory) to find it and right click and move it to the Computers folder.

This is the only domain controller in a five person company, which has experienced infrequent changes and backups. How should I proceed? I'm tempted to document and ignore the problem.

Best Answer

The Active Directory Users and Computers interface is highly extensible and can be customized. It sounds like somebody might've messed around with it.

It sounds like the Object Creation Extension for computer objects isn't registered properly-- either in the registry on the DC or in your Directory's displaySpecifiers container or both.

Assuming you're using a US English Windows installation, what do you get back from a dsquery * "CN=computer-Display,CN=409,CN=displaySpecifiers,CN=Configuration,DC=domain,DC=com" -attr createWizardExt command (substituting in your domain for the DC=domain,DC=com portion). The stock createWizardExt value is 1,{D6D8C25A-4E83-11d2-8424-00C04FA372D4}.

You can re-register the extension by reinstalling %SystemRoot%\system32\adminpak.msi.

Related Topic