Description: This command deletes objects from the directory.
Syntax: dsrm <ObjectDN ...> [-noprompt] [-subtree [-exclude]]
[{-s <Server> | -d <Domain>}] [-u <UserName>]
[-p {<Password> | *}] [-c] [-q] [{-uc | -uco | -uci}]
Parameters:
Value Description
<ObjectDN ...> Required/stdin. List of one or more
distinguished names (DNs) of objects to delete.
If this parameter is omitted it is
taken from standard input (stdin).
-noprompt Silent mode: do not prompt for delete confirmation.
-subtree [-exclude] Delete object and all objects in the subtree under it.
-exclude excludes the object itself
when deleting its subtree.
{-s <Server> | -d <Domain>}
-s <Server> connects to the AD DC/LDS instance with
name <Server>.
-d <Domain> connects to an AD DC in domain <Domain>.
Default: an AD DC in the logon domain.
-u <UserName> Connect as <UserName>. Default: the logged in user.
User name can be: user name, domain\user name,
or user principal name (UPN).
-p {<Password> | *} Password for the user <UserName>. If * is used,
then the command prompts you for the password.
-c Continuous operation mode: report errors but continue
with next object in argument list when multiple
target objects are specified.
Without this option, command exits on first error.
-q Quiet mode: suppress all output to standard output.
{-uc | -uco | -uci} -uc
Specifies that input from or output to pipe is
formatted in Unicode.
-uco Specifies that output to pipe or file is
formatted in Unicode.
-uci Specifies that input from pipe or file is
formatted in Unicode.
Remarks:
If a value that you supply contains spaces, use quotation marks
around the text (for example, "CN=John Smith,CN=Users,DC=microsoft,DC=com").
If you enter multiple values, the values must be separated by spaces
(for example, a list of distinguished names).
Commas that are not used as separators in distinguished names must be
escaped with the backslash ("\") character
(for example, "CN=Company\, Inc.,CN=Users,DC=microsoft,DC=com").
Backslashes used in distinguished names must be escaped with a backslash
(for example,
"CN=Sales\\ Latin America,OU=Distribution Lists,DC=microsoft,DC=com").
Examples:
To remove an organizational unit (OU) called "Marketing" and all the objects
under that OU, use the following command:
dsrm -subtree -noprompt -c ou=Marketing,dc=microsoft,dc=com
To remove all objects under the OU called "Marketing" but leave
the OU intact, use the following command with the -exclude parameter:
dsrm -subtree -exclude -noprompt -c "ou=Marketing,dc=microsoft,dc=com"
Directory Service command-line tools help:
dsadd /? - help for adding objects.
dsget /? - help for displaying objects.
dsmod /? - help for modifying objects.
dsmove /? - help for moving objects.
dsquery /? - help for finding objects matching search criteria.
dsrm /? - help for deleting objects.