GCChk

Summary

The is a quick and dirty command line tool to locate active directory consistency issues. It will pick up missing GUIDs, objects in the GCs that may be lingering.  

Warranty

See warranty.

PlatForms

• Windows 2000 against Active Directory
• Windows Server 2003 against Active Directory
• Windows XP against Active Directory

Current Version

Version 1.3.0 - August 30, 2004

Modification(s) from previous version

• Added more error message output

Security Requirements

There are no local security requirements for running GCChk. Information returned from Active Directory will be dependent on the security configured for the directory. If you run this as a normal user you will probably encounter some missing GUIDs of objects that you can't fully read however the messages should be clear to indicate that. Also the part of the verification that looks into the deleted items container will not function if the default permissions are in place so if something was recently deleted but hadn't replicated to the GC yet it may show as a lingering object.

Language

C++. Compiled with Borland Builder 6.0

Source Code Availability

None

Story

A fellow MVP was experiencing issues with lingering objects and this was a quick and dirty tool to try and sniff them out. Basically you point it at a GC and it looks at every object in the non-writeable NCs and looks for those objects on DCs that maintain writeable copies of those NCs. Anything that it doesn't find, it then does a GUID lookup on that domain including the deleted items container to see if it was recently deleted but not propogated to the GC yet. If that still doesn't locate the object, it flags it as a possible lingering object. You should only run this against GCs that you know are replicating well. If you run it against a GC that isn't replicating properly you will probably pop up many errors.

Download

You do not have to supply the email address. I would like you to fill that in though so that I have an idea on how popular a tool really is. If I see 1000 downloads with 900 different email addresses I know it is more widespread than one that has 1000 downloads and 200 different email addresses because the same person needed to keep downloading it for some reason.

Version History

• Update: Version 1.00.00 - 07/11/2004 - Original
• Update: Version 1.01.00 - 07/14/2004 - Cleaned up output a little. Changed functionality of -b option
• Update: Version 1.02.00 - 07/30/2004 - Changed message for missing GUID. Added check to see if possible permission issue. Added whenchanged/created to output.
• Update: Version 1.03.00 - 08/30/2004 - Added more errors messages

As seen in

• USENET newsgroup postings.
• ActiveDir Org postings.
• Directory Experts Conference Presentations

Usage

    Download and type GCChk /?

See current usage screens