DFS Root Does Not Appear in DFS MMC (327121)

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 start Distributed File System (DFS) Microsoft Management Console (MMC), the DFS root does not appear. If you try to locate the DFS root in DFS MMC, you receive the following error message:

The specified Domain either does not exist or could not be contacted.

You receive this error message if you enter the name either as a NetBIOS host name or as a fully qualified domain name (FQDN).

If you use the Dfscmd tool to add a DFS link, you receive the following error message:

dfscmd /map \\dfsname\dfsshare\path \\server\share\path returns "System error 2662 has occurred".

CAUSE

This problem may occur if the following registry key is set on one or all of the servers that are hosting the DFS namespace after the namespace has already been defined:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services
DFS

Value name: DfsDnsConfig
Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 1

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 issue, use either of the following methods:

Method 1

Download and install the hotfix that is described in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

812680 DFS Manager Does Not Show DFS Roots

Method 2

Start Registry Editor.
Locate and then click the following key in the registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services
DFS
Double-click the DfsDnsConfig value, type 0 in the Value data box, and then click OK.
Quit Registry Editor.

MORE INFORMATION

By default, DFS uses NetBIOS names for all network shares that are configured in the DFS namespace. As a result, client computers that support NetBIOS-only name resolution can locate and connect to targets in the DFS namespace. Clients that do not use NetBIOS cannot function in this environment.

DFS can operate in a DNS-only environment, where all the computers understand FQDNs. To configure DFS to operate in a DNS-only environment, you can set the DfsDnsConfig registry value. Microsoft recommends that you use this registry key with great caution. If you use this registry value in a mixed environment (DNS-only and NetBIOS-only), you may not be able to access the DFS namespace.

IMPORTANT: You must set this registry key on all of the servers that participate in hosting the DFS namespace. Additionally, you must set this key before the DFS namespace is created.

For additional information about this issue, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

244380 Configuring DFS to Use Fully Qualified Domain Names in Referrals

For troubleshooting information, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

Distributed File System (DFS): Best Practices and Troubleshooting Guide