WinNT Err: Event ID 3206 Replicator Cannot Update Directory

• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0
• Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0

SYMPTOMS

The Replicator Service of a directory replication import computer posts the following Event 3206 error.

   Event ID: 3206
   Source: Replicator
   Type: error
   Description: The replicator can not update directory
   C:\Winnt\System32\Repl\Import (or (C:\Winnt\System32\Repl\Import
   \Scripts)(by default). It has tree integrity and is the current
   directory for some processes. 

CAUSE

Possible causes include:

• The NETLOGON share is accessed/connected by a user or process at the times when replication tries to run.



• The import folder is in use by another process at the times the errors are occurring.



• The import directory is locked.



• This message also gets generated when the Wait Until Stabilized check box is selected in the Replicator service, and a process, such as Windows NT Explorer is opening and viewing that directory.

RESOLUTION

Check the NETLOGON share and the REPL$ share to ensure no one, except the Replicator Service Account has a connection to the share.

From the Control Panel Server tool, click In Use to check any invalid connections to the NETLOGON Share and REPL$ share. Or from Server Manager for Domains, select the import server and the click In Use to check any invalid connections to either share.

1. Click the Start button, point to Settings, click Control Panel, then double-click the Server icon.



2. Click In Use to check any invalid connections to the NETLOGON share and REPL$ share.
   
   -or-

1. From Server Manager for Domains, select the Import Server and then click In Use to check any invalid connections to either share.



2. Check the lock status by clicking Manage under Import Directories in the Directory Replication dialog box. Remove Lock if a lock is posted.

MORE INFORMATION

The Directory Replicator service requires exclusive use of resources, such as directories and all of their subdirectories being imported or exported, and files on the REPL$ and NETLOGON shares. Any violation of this exclusive use, such as File Manager having one of these directories open, or users connected to the NETLOGON share, can cause this problem, plus they can cause Event ID 3216 and Event ID 3208 to occur.

For more information on Event ID 3216 and Event ID 3208, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base.

ARTICLE-ID: Q132950
TITLE : Event ID 3216 and 3208 Logged For Replicator Service

You should NOT use File Manager or Windows NT Explorer to examine the permissions on the %SystemRoot%\System32\Repl\Import directory, or else the special permissions initially set there will be lost. These initial permissions enable directory replication to work.

For more information on the default permissions to the directory trees, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base.

ARTICLE-ID: Q148437
TITLE : Default NTFS Permissions in Windows NT

REFERENCES

• Windows NT Server 4.0 Concepts and Planning, Chapter 4, page 124, 133-136, (See [Caution] in Page 136), Page 145-154 Managing Directory Replication, (See the Lost Permissions on System32\Repl\Import section in page 154).



• Windows NT Server 3.5x Concepts and Planning, Chapter 5, see the [Caution] in Page 118.

Additional query words: repluser replacct access denied

Keywords : ntdomain NTSrvWkst
Version : WinNT:3.5,3.51,4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type :