Restore Object

If the Active Directory Recycle Bin is disabled, deleted objects are moved to the Deleted Objects container but are not fully recoverable using built-in tools. However, you can use free third-party tools to restore objects before they are permanently removed. 

Free Tools to Restore AD Objects Without Recycle Bin 

ADRestore (Sysinternals)

• Download: ADRestore from Microsoft Sysinternals

• Usage:

  1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.

Run:
CopyEdit
adrrestore -r

• 2. 
     

  3. It will list deleted objects. Select the object to restore.

2. LDP.exe (Built-in Tool)

• Steps:

  1. Open LDP.exe (Run → ldp.exe).

  2. Click Connection → Connect and bind to the domain.

  3. Navigate to CN=Deleted Objects.

  4. Locate the deleted object, modify its attributes, and remove isDeleted: TRUE.

  5. Change the distinguished name (DN) to move it back to its original location.

3. PowerShell (Using Tombstone Recovery)

Run the following command to list deleted objects:
powershell
CopyEdit
Get-ADObject -Filter 'isDeleted -eq $True' -IncludeDeletedObjects

Restore a specific object:
powershell
CopyEdit
Restore-ADObject -Identity "<ObjectGUID>"

• 
  

• This method works only for tombstoned objects (not fully removed).

Limitations

• Tombstone Objects: Can only be restored with limited attributes (e.g., name, SID), but not full group memberships or passwords.

• Attributes like group memberships, passwords, and custom fields will be missing on all DCs.

• If Object is Garbage Collected: After 180 days (default), the object is permanently removed.

• Best Practice: Enable the Active Directory Recycle Bin for full restores in the future.

Best Practices:

To mitigate the limitations associated with tombstone reanimation:

• Enable the Active Directory Recycle Bin: This feature allows for more comprehensive restorations, retaining all attributes of deleted objects, including group memberships and passwords.

• Regular Backups: Maintain consistent backups of your AD environment. In scenarios where the Recycle Bin is not enabled, backups provide a means to restore objects with their full set of attributes.