Missing GPO file

[Andie]

Have attached an error that comes up when trying to back up the Default Domain Controllers Policy from our Server 2012, saying it cannot find the file specified. The file is there in SYSVOL\Windows\domain\policies - I checked. There is a second file with same file name plus _NTFRS_00025eef in the same place.

 

We migrated from Server 2003.

 

We can't edit the policy logged in to the server, but we can edit the policy (or at least open it to edit it and view the settings) in RSAT on my laptop. We can't backup using RSAT (it throws the attached error). RSAT is updating from Server 2012 as we can see lots of changes that we have made recently. Same domain admin login as used on the server. The server is throwing up Event log errors saying it can't find the file too.

 

There are four policies that likewise can't be edited logged in to the server. The rest seem fine.

 

Missing GP file error 20150326.pdf

[JoeFulford]

Do you still have the 2003 server? I know that I've had this sort of error a few times before when it's unable to find a policy. This would usually be because of a replication error, ours seems to cock up from time to time. I've often tried fixing the replication relationship for both of our DC's so that the failover still gets the policies it needs. My fix for this is to normally just copy and paste the policies folder. Would there be anyway that you could retrieve your SYSVOL folder from your old server and manually copy and paste them over?

[Andie]

Do you still have the 2003 server? I know that I've had this sort of error a few times before when it's unable to find a policy. This would usually be because of a replication error, ours seems to cock up from time to time. I've often tried fixing the replication relationship for both of our DC's so that the failover still gets the policies it needs. My fix for this is to normally just copy and paste the policies folder. Would there be anyway that you could retrieve your SYSVOL folder from your old server and manually copy and paste them over?

 

Thanks, yes we do have access to the old server Sysvol. However, the Default Domain Controllers Policy contains all sorts of references to the old server to authenticate stuff and we're not sure what that will affect if we just copy the policy across post-migration. That policy is also a crucial one, I think. Is it created when the server is first set up??

[psydii]

Worst case scenario:

1) make a written note of the settings using rsat, a pen and some paper.

2) use this tool to recreate the default policy: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh875588.aspx

3) modify the policy to match the setting recorded in step1.