PowerShell is a powerful tool for system administration, and a common task is managing users and computers within an Active Directory (AD) domain. However, you may encounter an error stating that the Get-ADUser cmdlet (and other AD-related cmdlets) is not recognized. This typically means the necessary Active Directory module for PowerShell isn’t installed or loaded on your system. This tutorial will guide you through the process of installing and importing this crucial module, allowing you to effectively manage your AD environment with PowerShell.
Understanding the Active Directory Module
The ActiveDirectory module provides a set of cmdlets that enable you to perform various operations on Active Directory, such as:
- User Management: Creating, modifying, deleting, and querying user accounts.
- Group Management: Managing groups and their memberships.
- Computer Management: Managing computer objects in the domain.
- Organizational Unit (OU) Management: Creating and managing OUs.
Without this module loaded, PowerShell won’t recognize the AD-specific commands, leading to the "cmdlet not recognized" error.
Installation Steps
The installation process varies depending on your operating system. Here’s a breakdown for common scenarios:
1. Windows Server:
Windows Server typically includes the Active Directory module by default. However, if it’s missing, you can install it using the Server Manager:
- Open Server Manager.
- Click Manage, then Add Roles and Features.
- In the Features pane, expand Remote Server Administration Tools, then Role Administration Tools, then AD DS and AD LDS Tools.
- Check the box next to Active Directory Module for Windows PowerShell.
- Click Next and then Install to complete the installation.
You can also achieve this via PowerShell, but this is strictly for Windows Server:
Get-WindowsFeature | Where-Object Name -like 'RSAT-AD-PowerShell' | Install-WindowsFeature
2. Windows 10 / Windows 11:
Unlike Windows Server, Windows 10 and 11 do not include the Active Directory module by default. You need to install it as an optional feature.
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Using Settings:
- Open Settings (Windows key + I).
- Go to Apps, then Optional features.
- Click Add a feature.
- Search for RSAT: Active Directory Domain Services and Lightweight Directory Services Tools.
- Select the feature and click Install.
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Using PowerShell:
Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name Rsat.ActiveDirectory.DS-LDS.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0
3. Older Versions of Windows (e.g., Windows 7/8):
For older versions, you’ll need to download and install the Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) from Microsoft’s website. You can find the appropriate download based on your Windows version:
- Windows 10: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=45520
- Windows 7: (Note: Support for Windows 7 is ended, so links may be outdated) http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=7887
After downloading, run the installer and select the Active Directory Domain Services and Lightweight Directory Services Tools feature during installation.
Importing the Module
Once the module is installed, you need to import it into your current PowerShell session. Use the following command:
Import-Module ActiveDirectory
This command loads the module’s cmdlets, making them available for use. You’ll need to run this command in each new PowerShell session if you want to use the Active Directory cmdlets. To load the module automatically every time PowerShell starts, add the Import-Module ActiveDirectory command to your PowerShell profile. You can find the location of your profile by running $PROFILE in PowerShell.
Verifying the Installation
To confirm that the module is installed and loaded correctly, use the following command:
Get-Module ActiveDirectory
This should display information about the loaded module, including its version and available cmdlets. If you don’t see any output, double-check the installation steps and ensure that you have imported the module correctly.
Now you should be able to use AD cmdlets like Get-ADUser, New-ADUser, and others, without receiving the "cmdlet not recognized" error.