Active Directory changes do not replicate in Windows Server 2003 (830746)

SYMPTOMS

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256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows registry

When you try to replicate Active Directory directory service changes to a Microsoft Windows Server 2003-based domain controller, the replication is not completed.

In the event log, you may see events that are similar to the following:Event Type: Warning
Event Source: NTDS Replication
Event Category: DS RPC Client
Event ID: 1232
Computer: Inbound_Domain_Controller
Description: Active Directory attempted to perform a remote procedure call (RPC) to the following server. The call timed out and was canceled.
Server: DSA_GUID._msdcs.DNS_Domain_Name
Call Timeout (Mins): 5
Thread ID: Thread_IDEvent Type: Warning
Event Source: NTDS Replication
Event Category: DS RPC Client
Event ID: 1188
User: NT AUTHORITY\ANONYMOUS LOGON
Computer: Inbound_Domain_Controller
Description: A thread in Active Directory is waiting for the completion of a RPC made to the following domain controller: Domain Controller: DSA_GUID._msdcs.DNS_Domain_Name Operation: get change
Thread ID: Thread_ID
Timeout period (minutes): 5
Active Directory has attempted to cancel the call and recover this thread.
User Action: If this condition continues, restart the domain controller.Event Type: Warning
Event Source: NTDS General
Event Category: Internal Processing
Event ID: 1173
User: NT AUTHORITY\ANONYMOUS LOGON
Description: Internal event: Active Directory has encountered the following exception and associated parameters. Exception: e0010002 Parameter: 0 Additional Data Error value: 1818 Internal ID: 5000ede ---------------- Event Type: Warning
Event Source: NTDS Replication
Event Category: Replication
Event ID: 1085
User: NT AUTHORITY\ANONYMOUS LOGON
Description: Internal event: Active Directory could not synchronize the following directory partition with the domain controller at the following network address.
Directory partition: <NC>
Network address: <GUID-based DC name>
If this error continues, the Knowledge Consistency Checker (KCC) will reconfigure the replication links and bypass the domain controller.
User Action
Verify that the network address can be resolved with a DNS query.
Additional Data Error value: 1818 The remote procedure call was cancelled.In this situation, you also see error 1818 in the output of the repadmin /showrepl command and in the output of the repadmin /showreps command.

CAUSE

This issue may occur when destination domain controllers that are performing remote procedure call (RPC)-based replication do not receive replication changes from a source domain controller within the time that the RPC Replication Timeout (mins) registry setting specifies. You might experience this issue most frequently in one of the following situations:

You promote a new domain controller into the forest by using the Active Directory Installation Wizard (Dcpromo.exe).
Existing domain controllers replicate from source domain controllers that are connected over slow network links.

The default value for the RPC Replication Timeout (mins) registry setting on Windows 2000-based computers is 45 minutes. The default value for the RPC Replication Timeout (mins) registry setting on Windows Server 2003-based computers is 5 minutes. When you upgrade the operating system from Windows 2000 to Windows Server 2003, the value for the RPC Replication Timeout (mins) registry setting is changed from 45 minutes to 5 minutes. If a destination domain controller that is performing RPC-based replication does not receive the requested replication package within the time that the RPC Replication Timeout (mins) registry setting specifies, the destination domain controller ends the RPC connection with the non-responsive source domain controller and logs a Warning event.

RESOLUTION

Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

To resolve this issue, increase the bandwidth of your network connection so that the Active Directory changes replicate in the five minute timeout period. If you cannot increase the bandwidth of your network connection, edit the registry on your Windows Server 2003-based computer to increase the value of the RPC timeout for Active Directory replication. To increase the RPC timeout value, follow these steps:

Start Registry Editor.
Locate the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NTDS\Parameters
Right-click Parameters, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.
Type RPC Replication Timeout (mins), and then press ENTER to name the new value.
Right-click RPC Replication Timeout (mins), and then click Modify.
In the Value data box, type the number of minutes that you want to use for the RPC timeout for Active Directory replication, and then click OK. On a Windows Server 2003-based computer that is part of a Windows 2000 environment or that was upgraded from Windows 2000 Server, you may want to set this value to 45 minutes.

Note You must restart the computer to activate any changes that are made to RPC Replication Timeout (mins).