Using the ForestPrep Setup Option to Extend the Schema Does Not Work (326262)

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

When you try to use the Exchange /ForestPrep Setup option to extend the schema in Active Directory, the operation does not work. The following error messages are logged in the Exchange Setup Progress.log file:

[13:12:48] Failed to open the Exchange CT in domain /dc=org/dc=vnaa/dc=corp. 
Will fall back to checking if we can create that instead. 
ScPRQ_UserMustBeExchangeOrConfigAdmin(K:\admin\src\udog\excommon\prereq.cxx:927) 
Error code 0X80072030 (8240): There is no such object on the server.
[13:13:19]  ScRunLDIFScript (K:\admin\src\libs\exsetup\exmisc.cxx:1267)
Error code 0XC007200E (8206): The directory service is busy. 
[13:14:40]  DSCallHelper::FRetry (K:\admin\src\libs\base\ds_call.cxx:51)
Error code 0XC007200E (8206): The directory service is busy.
[13:14:40] ScCanUserUpgradeSchema (K:\admin\src\libs\exsetup\exmisc.cxx:1593)
Error code 0XC1034A2A (18986): Failed to contact Windows Domain Controller.
[13:14:40]Prerequisites for Microsoft Exchange Forest Preparation failed: 
The component "Microsoft Exchange Forest Preparation" cannot be 
assigned the action "ForestPrep" because: Either you do not have 
permission to update the Active Directory schema
or Active Directory service is currently too busy.

RESOLUTION

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To resolve this problem, edit the registry to permit write access to the schema. To do this, follow these steps:

Click Start, and then click Run.
In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
Locate and then click the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\NTDS\Parameters
On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.
To name the new value, type Schema Update Allowed, and then press ENTER.
Double-click the Schema Update Allowed value that you created.
In the Value data box, type 1, and then click OK.
Quit Registry Editor.

NOTE: If this procedure does not resolve the problem, run Setup with the /ForestPrep option on another domain controller in the same domain or site (as appropriate). If another domain controller is not available, you can promote a member server to a domain controller and then run Setup with the /ForestPrep option on the new domain controller.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information about how to edit the registry to permit write access to the schema, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

216060 Registry Modification Required to Allow Write Operations to Schema

For additional information about the /ForestPrep Setup option, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

255788 XADM: Permissions Needed for the ForestPrep and DomainPrep Commands

274737 XADM: How to Verify That ForestPrep and DomainPrep Have Completed Successfully

For additional information about Exchange 2000 Server Setup and the /ForestPrep Setup option, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: