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        A Quick Tip To Check If PDC Emulator Is Working

Section(s): Active Directory , Active Directory , Active Directory
Published on Feb 04, 2009.
Last Modified on Oct 27, 2008.
Last Modified by Nirmal Sharma.
Rated 4.5 out of 5 based on 4 votes.

This article explains how you can tell if PDC Emulator in an Active Directory Domain is working.

PDC Emulator plays an important role in the Active Directory. If your PDC Emulator fails, certain domain functions, security functions, can stop functioning. If anyone of the following is not happening then you should check if your PDC Emulator is working properly:

Time is not Syncing: PDC is the default source for the client computers to sync the time. If client computers are not syncing the time then you should always check the PDC.
User accounts are not locked out: PDC Emulator processes the account lockouts immediately for the entire domain.
Pre-Windows 2000 Computers are unable to change their passwords: It's again PDC Emulator who processes the password changes for previous versions of Windows 2000 computers.
Windows NT BDCs are not getting updates: PDC Emulator replicates the Active Directory data to Windows NT BDCs.

How to verify PDC Emulator role in the domain?

Run the following command:

dsquery server -hasfsmo pdc

The above command will return the FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name) of the domain controller who is holding the PDC Emulator role.

About Nirmal Sharma

Nirmal is a Microsoft MVP in Directory Services and working as a Technical Architect/Consultant. He has been involved in Microsoft Technologies since 1994 and followed the progression of Microsoft Operating Systems and software. He is specialized in Directory Services, Microsoft Clustering, SQL, MOM, Exchange and Citrix. In his spare time, he likes to help others and write "internal" technical articles, white papers and tips on various Microsoft technologies. You can contact him at nirmal_sharma@mvps.org.