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Scenario:

2 Windows Server 2019 servers.

We are attempting to replicate 8 folders. On the "current server", these are on 4 volumes, 2 folders per volume. On the "destination" server they are all on the same server.

The current server has had a DFS (Domain based) namespace containing these folders for a few years now, but no replication configured. (The server was set up with the knowledge that DFS was coming. It was set up so that file paths would not need to change once the second server was added.)

Last week we went to set up DFS Replication.

We added the folder structure and shares on the new server, being careful that the permissions matched.

We installed DFS Namespaces and Replication on the new server.

Added the folders to the namespaces, disabling the targets on the new server so clients did not start looking at them.

Added replication groups.

4 of the replicated folders worked fine. These 4 folders exist on 2 of the volumes. All good there.

The other 4 folders, on the other 2 volumes have never started replication. We see a 4102 warning on the new destination server, but nothing on the existing server. There are no indications at all in the source machine event log that anything has happened at all. On originating server, "wmic /namespace:root\microsoftdfs path DfsrReplicatedFolderInfo get ReplicatedFolderName,state" returns:

ReplicatedFolderName  State
Folder1               4
Folder2               4
Folder3               4
Folder4               4

On the receiving member the command shows the following:

Folder1               4
Folder2               4
Folder3               4
Folder4               4
Folder5               2
Folder6               2
Folder7               2
Folder8               2

Also, on the sending member, the \System Volume Information\DFSR folder is NOT created on these 2 volumes, and the "DFSRPrivate" Junction does not show up in the replicated folder. Both of these show up on the receiving member.

A propagation report for the affected replication groups shows "Reference member returned no replicated folders." under the sending member. No Errors are reported. The receiving member shows "This member is waiting for initial replication for replicated folder "

Basically, nothing we expect is showing up on the sending member, so replication never actually starts.

All servers are in the same IP subnet in the same site. All volumes are formatted NTFS.

I have attempted deleting the replication group and re-adding. I ensured the DFSR\Private{GUID} folder was removed from the receiving member befoer re-creating the replication group. Obviously, I could not do this on the sending member. I used "DFSRDIAG POLLAD /MEM:" from the domain controller to all affected file servers in the group as well as both domain controllers between any and all changes.

Also, ADSIEdit on the DC shows what appears to be correct information about the DFSR-LocalSettings. Stale information, if it existed, was removed and and the changes propagated before making any additional changes.

Output of Get-DfsrMembership | Sort FolderName | Format-Table Computername,FolderName,ContentPath,PrimaryMember,Enabled,State

ComputerName FolderName     ContentPath                 PrimaryMember Enabled  State
------------ ----------     -----------                 ------------- -------  -----
Server1 Folder7        H:\Folder7                       True          True     Normal
Server2 Folder7        S:\allshares\Folder7             False         True     Normal
Server1 Folder1        E:\Folder1                       False         True     Normal
Server2 Folder1        S:\allshares\Folder1             False         True     Normal
Server1 Folder3        F:\Folder3                       False         True     Normal
Server2 Folder3        S:\allshares\Folder3             False         True     Normal
Server1 Folder5        G:\Folder5                       True          True     Normal
Server2 Folder5        S:\allshares\Folder5             False         True     Normal
Server1 Folder2        E:\Folder2                       False         True     Normal
Server2 Folder2        S:\allshares\Folder2             False         True     Normal
Server1 Folder4        F:\Folder4                       False         True     Normal
Server2 Folder4        S:\allshares\Folder4             False         True     Normal
Server1 Folder6        G:\Folder6                       True          True     Normal
Server2 Folder6        S:\allshares\Folder6             False         True     Normal

Also note, Get-DfsrMembership -GroupName "groupname" -ComputerName "computername" indicates the paths for Staging and ConflictAndDeletedPath. The paths are populated, but the folders do not actually exist.

I found some other oddness. I checked the \System volume information\dfsr\Config folder on the C: drive of Server1. It contains the Replica_.XML files that I would expect to see on the volume the shares exist on. One for each of the 3 replication groups that are failing to start.

There are no shares on the C: drive. Server2 shows no such foolishness.

Ken S
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1 Answers1

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I am going to add this to the long list of Windows issues I have come across that have no solution available on the Internet.

For some unknown reason, some volumes refuse to participate in DFS replication.

The actual solution is right in line with Microsoft's best practices. "If something does not work, blow it away and start from scratch. It may work the second time. If not, oh well"

  1. Create new volume.
  2. Replicate data manually to new volume.
  3. Recreate shares.
  4. Add to Folder targets
  5. Add to replication group.
Ken S
  • 21