LAN-Tech Network Management

SBS Missing Attributes tab in AD

It seems the Attributes tab is missing on the user profile in Active directory after a migration from SBS 2003 to SBS 2008 and SBS 2011.  Normally this is hidden, but easily reviled by selecting on the AD menu bar; View, and then Advanced Features, however this is not so after a migration.  The issue was addressed in a post by Stuart Hudman  http://social.technet.microsoft.com/forums/en-US/winserverManagement/thread/6e6ef6bd-b5c9-4f16-b346-097832e3b93c/  but I was recently asked to help locate the exact location for the required changes, so I have posted detailed instructions below.

As always, you should have a good backup, including system state, before editing AD.
Note: the values to add, such as “11,{c7436f12-a27f-4cab-aaca-2bd27ed1b773}” need to be exact , without quotes. All three entries are similar but copy carefully as they are not the same. There will probably be multiple entries already present under the attribute, you are just adding one more….assuming it is not already present, which you should check first.

-open ADSIedit.msc
-at the top of the ‘tree’ right click on ADSIedit and choose “connect to”
-under connection point select “select a well known Naming context” and in that window choose “Configuration”
-under computer leave as “Default (Domain or server that you logged into)” Assuming you are logged onto the SBS
-click OK
-expand (click on the +) CN=configuration, DC=<your domain>, DC=local
-expand CD=DisplaySpecifiers
-click on CN=your language. The language # can be found on http://support.microsoft.com/kb/324097 (for example US English is 409, so CN=409  (this is the language you chose when setting up the server)
-in the right hand window locate CN=User-Display right click on it and choose properties.
-Locate AdminPropertyPages, highlight it and click “edit” and add the line 11,{c7436f12-a27f-4cab-aaca-2bd27ed1b773}
-in the right hand window locate CN=Computer-Display right click on it and choose properties.
-Locate AdminPropertyPages, highlight it and click “edit” and add the line 12,{c7436f12-a27f-4cab-aaca-2bd27ed1b773}
-in the right hand window locate CN= Default-Display right click on it and choose properties.
-Locate AdminPropertyPages, highlight it and click “edit” and add the line 4,{c7436f12-a27f-4cab-aaca-2bd27ed1b773}