Windows 2000 problem: Directory Servces could not start because of the following error Error status 0xc000000f

Question

My Server crash with the following error: Directory Services could not start because of the following error: The system cannot find the file specified. Error status: 0xc000000f Click the button to reboot into directory services Restore mode." The real problem is that I dont have a backup of NTDS.DIT file stated in the knowledgebase of microsoft. Please help me on this. Thanks

Answer 1

Obviously the other posters didn't bother to read your entire post. None of those procedures will work without a backup copy of NTDS.DIT.

If you have more than one DC in your domain, just reinstall the OS and give the machine a new name. Seize the FSMO roles to another DC if needed. Promote the machine and move FSMO roles as needed. Then remove the failed DC from Active Directory.

If this is a single DC forest and if you don't have a copy of NTDS.DIT, you're well and truly dead in the water. Your only option is to start over from scratch. I hope you don't have many users or shared folders. And I hope you're not running Exchange Server.

Answer 2

See this link for more information: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/240362/en-us

SYMPTOMS
When you start a Windows 2000-based domain controller, you may receive the following Lsass.exe error message:
Directory Services could not start because of the following error: The system cannot find the file specified. Error Status: 0xc000000f. Please click OK to shutdown the system and reboot into the Directory Services Restore Mode, check the event log for more detailed information.
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CAUSE
This behavior can occur if the Ntds.dit file is missing from the location you specified during the promotion process. By default, the location is the %SystemRoot%\NTDS folder. If the Ntds.dit file is missing, it cannot be re-created or refreshed by other domain controllers, and you cannot log on to Windows 2000 normally. The Ntds.dit file contains your Active Directory, including user accounts.
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RESOLUTION
To resolve this issue, restore the Ntds.dit file to the appropriate location, using either of the following methods:
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Method 1: Restoring the Ntds.dit File from Windows 2000 Backup
1. Click OK to reboot the domain controller, choose the appropriate installation from the Boot menu, and then press F8 to display the Windows 2000 Advanced Options menu.
2. Choose Directory Services Restore Mode, and then press ENTER. Choose the correct installation, and then press ENTER to start the boot process.
3. At the logon screen, log on using the Administrator account and password you specified during the promotion process. When you run Dcpromo.exe to install Active Directory, there is a screen to set the Administrator password for Active Directory Restore Mode. This is the password that should be used for this logon attempt.
4. Click OK to acknowledge the warning message indicating you are using Safe mode.
5. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Backup.

NOTE: If you are using third-party backup software, use that program's method of restoring files.
6. Click the Restore tab.
7. Click the plus sign (+) next to the following items to expand them: File, Media Created, System Drive (C:), Winnt, and NTDS.
8. Click the NTDS folder to display all of the files.
9. Click to select the Ntds.dit check box.
10. Leave the Restore files to box set to Original Location. This box provides the option to restore to an alternative location if you want to restore and then copy to the original location described in the next method.
11. Click Start Restore.

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Method 2: Copying the Ntds.dit File to the Correct Location
1. Click OK to reboot the domain controller, choose the appropriate installation from the Boot menu, and then press F8 to display the Windows 2000 Advanced Options menu.
2. Choose Directory Services Restore Mode, and then press ENTER. Choose the correct installation, and then press ENTER to start the boot process.
3. At the logon screen, log on using the Administrator account with the password you defined during the promotion process for Active Directory Restore mode.
4. Locate a good copy of the Ntds.dit file from a backup location.
5. Copy the file into the %SystemRoot%\NTDS folder.

NOTE: If the default location was changed during the promotion process, place the Ntds.dit file in that location.

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Answer 3

This problem most likely occurred after a removable drive (eg. a compact flash drive) that was not loaded with a disk, was mistakenly tried to open. Infact, that's how it happened with me. Even system restore does not fix the problem. However, if you know which removable drive it was (Eg. drive F), just disconnect that drive from your usb port, and your problem will disappear. This worked for me! After a few days, reconnect the drive and see what happens. I hope this can reduce the headaches of many.

Answer 4

SYMPTOMS
When you boot an Active Directory domain controller into normal mode following the restoration of its Active Directory database, the following error message is displayed:
Directory Services could not start because of the following error: The system cannot find the file specified. Error status: 0xc000000f. Please click Ok to shutdown this system and reboot into Directory Services Restore Mode, check the event log for more detail information.
When a domain controller that is affected by the scenario described in this article is booted into Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM), the Directory Services event log contains the following events:
Event ID: 1168
Source: NTDS General
Category: Internal Processing
Description: Error -1811(fffff8ed) has occurred (Internal ID 404ab). Please contact Microsoft Product Support Services for assistance.

Event ID: 1003
Source: NTDS General
Category: Internal Processing
Description: The Windows Directory Services database cannot be initialized and returned error -1811. Unrecoverable error, the directory can't continue.

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CAUSE
The "-1811" strings in Events 1168 and 1003 map to the symbolic Jet error "JET_errFileNotFound." This indicates that the Active Directory database file, Ntds.dit, does not exist in the folder referred to by the DSA Database File setting in the registry.

Note The DSA Database File setting in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CCS\Services\NTDS\Parameters section of the Windows registry points to the drive and directory from which a domain controller loads its Ntds.dit database.
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RESOLUTION
To resolve this issue, you must investigate what operations took place prior to this error condition being reported. To do this, follow these steps: 1. Verify that the drive and path that are configured to host the Active Directory database exist. To do this, boot into Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM) and type Ntdstil files info at a command prompt.a. If the physical drive that hosts Ntds.dit has been removed from the local machine, do one of the following things:• Reinstall the drive, assign the appropriate drive letters, and then restore the system state.
• Change the database path to an existing volume by using the
NTDSUTIL FILES SET PATH DATABASE location
command to define a new database path. Restore the Active Directory database to that drive and path by using an Active Directory-aware database utility. Also, change the path for the Active Directory database log files.

For additional information on using Ntdsutil, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
315131 HOW TO: Use Ntdsutil to Manage Active Directory Files from the Command Line in Windows 2000
816120 How To Use Ntdsutil to Manage Active Directory Files from the Command Line in Windows Server 2003

b. The logical drive letters assigned to drives and partitions on the computer may be reordered due to SCSI termination changes, updated SCSI drivers, or administrators assigning new logical drive letters to logical or physical drives.
c. If the logical drive letter assigned to Ntds.dit has been reordered and is assigned a different logical drive letter than the path displayed by NTDSUTIL FILES INFO, do one of the following things:• Reassign the original drive letter to the volume that hosts the Ntds.dit file.
• Change the database path to an existing NTDS volume, and use the
NTDSUTIL FILES SET PATH DATABASE location
command to assign the matching database path. Also, change the path for the Active Directory database log files. Finally, restore the Active Directory database to that drive and path.


2. If an administrator attempted to restore system state by using an Active Directory-aware backup/restore utility that failed to place the Active Directory database or log files in the correct drive and path, contact the vendor of that utility.
3. If jet database operations such as offline defrags, integrity checks, or semantic database analysis were performed against an Active Directory database that was moved to another drive and path, ensure that the processed Ntds.dit file resides in the drive and path indicated by the DSA Database File setting in the registry. You can also discover the current database path by booting into Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM) and typing the NTDSUTIL command NTDSUTIL FILES INFO. For example, type Ntdsutil files info.
Any manual or automated attempt to restore the system state by using a non-Active Directory-aware backup/restore utility or by copying an Active Directory database to a domain controller's local volume is not supported and may result in forest corruption. Such improperly restored domain controllers should be restored by using a system state backup, or they should be reinstalled and promoted back into the domain prior to booting into online Active Directory mode.
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STATUS
This behavior is expected.
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MORE INFORMATION
When you repair the Active Directory database with the Esentutl.exe utility, you must ensure that only the database log files are moved or deleted after the repair is complete. The Ntds.dit file must not be deleted or moved. This file must remain in the same location where it had been installed. By default, this location is the C:\Winnt\Ntds folder.

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Technical support for Windows x64 editions
Your hardware manufacturer provides technical support and assistance for Microsoft Windows x64 editions. Your hardware manufacturer provides support because a Windows x64 edition was included with your hardware. Your hardware manufacturer might have customized the Windows x64 edition installation with unique components. Unique components might include specific device drivers or might include optional settings to maximize the performance of the hardware. Microsoft will provide reasonable-effort assistance if you need technical help with your Windows x64 edition. However, you might have to contact your manufacturer directly. Your manufacturer is best qualified to support the software that your manufacturer installed on the hardware.

Answer 5

Was gonna ask this too

Answer 6

what a good question