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Create a DFS root

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Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

To create a DFS root

  1. Open Distributed File System.

  2. On the Action menu, click New Root.

  3. Follow the instructions that appear in the New Root wizard.

Notes

  • In order to make changes to an existing DFS namespace, you must be a member of the Administrators group on the server hosting the namespace. As a security best practice, consider using Run as to perform this procedure. For more information, see Default local groups, Default groups, and Using Run as.

  • To open DFS, click Start, click Control Panel, double-click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Distributed File System.

  • If the folder that you specify to correspond to the root does not exist, or has not been shared, you will be prompted to create a new shared folder. You can then type the name of a new folder, or type the name of an existing folder that has not yet been shared. DFS will create the folder (if necessary), then share the folder.

  • You can host multiple DFS roots on a single computer when using Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition, or Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition.

  • On server clusters, the name you give a non-clustered DFS root on a node's local storage must be different from the name you give a clustered DFS root on the cluster storage.

  • To remove a root, select the root, open the Action menu, and click Delete Root.

  • Any member server or domain controller can host a DFS root. You must have be a member of the Administrators group on a server to create a DFS root on that server. In addition, you need domain administrator credentials to create a domain root.

  • If your DFS namespace includes roots and root targets which exist on both computers running one of the Windows Server 2003 family of products and computers running Windows 2000, you must administer those roots from a computer running a product in the Windows Server 2003 family, or from a computer running the Windows Server 2003 Administration Tools Pack. You can not administer the DFS namespace from a computer running Windows 2000.

  • Only NTFS volumes can host DFS roots. You cannot host a DFS root on a FAT or FAT32 partition.

  • When working with shared folders, use NTFS and file sharing permissions to secure the folder and any subfolders so that only authorized users can access them.

Information about functional differences

  • Your server might function differently based on the version and edition of the operating system that is installed, your account permissions, and your menu settings. For more information, see Viewing Help on the Web.

See Also

Concepts

Creating a DFS root
Delete a DFS root, root target, link, or target
Add a DFS root target
Securing shared resources
Set permissions on a shared resource
Set, view, change, or remove permissions on files and folders