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What is the default tombstone value for computer accounts in Windows Server 2008?

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At one point, the tombstone value for Microsoft networks was 60 days. The problem with that is that prestaged computers did not always make it from the factory to being joined on the domain in time. For that reason, Microsoft started to change the tombstone value to 180 days. Here are two guidelines to help you determine the tombstone value:

  • On a domain controller in a forest that was created on a domain controller running Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 (SP1), Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 2 (SP2), Windows Server 2008, or Windows Server 2008 R2, the default value is 180 days.
  • On a domain controller in a forest that was created on a domain controller running Windows 2000 Server, Windows Server 2003, or Windows Server 2003 R2, the default value is 60 days.

To absolutely know, follow this procedure on your Windows 2008 domain controller:

1. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click ADSI Edit.

2. In ADSI Edit, right-click ADSI Edit, and then click Connect to.

3. For Connection Point, click Select a well known Naming Context, and then click Configuration.

4. If you want to connect to a different domain controller, for Computer, click Select or type a domain or server: (Server | Domain [:port]). Provide the server name or the domain name and Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) port (389), and then click OK.

5. Double-click Configuration, CN=Configuration,DC=ForestRootDomainName, CN=Services, and CN=Windows NT.

6. Right-click CN=Directory Service, and then click Properties.

7. In the Attribute column, click tombstoneLifetime.

8. Note the value in the Value column. If the value is , the default value is in effect as follows:

Reference:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc816920(WS.10).aspx

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