adminUsers were complaining intermittently the network shares we not working from a specific location. Recently that same location had domain controller issues and spare parts were used to fix the domain controller. The fix was to remap the drive to a correct drive letter, but in the process I learned a little about moving the replica root path.
Here is the error from the event viewer
Event Type: Error
Event Source: NtFrs
Event Category: None
Event ID: 13552
Date: 3/7/2014
Time: 9:37:36 AM
User: N/A
Computer: PA001007
Description:
The File Replication Service is unable to add this computer to the following replica set:
“DOMAIN SYSTEM VOLUME (SYSVOL SHARE)”
This could be caused by a number of problems such as:
— an invalid root path,
— a missing directory,
— a missing disk volume,
— a file system on the volume that does not support NTFS 5.0
The information below may help to resolve the problem:
Computer DNS name is “controller.domain.local”
Replica set member name is “controller”
Replica set root path is “d:\windows\sysvol\domain”
Replica staging directory path is “d:\windows\sysvol\staging\domain”
Replica working directory path is “c:\windows\ntfrs\jet”
Windows error status code is
FRS error status code is FrsErrorStageDirOpenFail
Other event log messages may also help determine the problem. Correct the problem and the service will attempt to restart replication automatically at a later time.
For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
The replica set path was set to the CD drive and needed to be pointed to the file share drive.
The solution is a few parts
1. net stop ntfrs
2. Update the registry replica keys to the correct path – HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NtFrs\Parameters\Replica Sets\GUID
3. Create a file in the new location called NTFRS_CMD_FILE_MOVE_ROOT ie E:\windows\sysvol\domain in this case
4. Use ADSIedit.msc editor to modify the value of the FRSRootPath attribute in Active Directory. Go to the computer object then
DN Path: cn=Domain System Volume (SYSVOL share),CN=NTFRS Subscriptions,CN=DC1,OU=Domain Controller,DC=domain.COM
Update FRSRootPath
5. net start ntfrs
Good luck