Run the tool using different administrative credentials without having to log out of your current session.
Double-click the row for John.Smith. A new window opens showing all attributes: objectGUID , sAMAccountName , lastLogonTimestamp , group memberships, and more. Confirm this is the correct user. adrestorenet the gui version of adrestore
The tool was developed by , a Microsoft MVP, and was released around 2008-2009. It is often referenced in technical blogs like 4sysops and Petri IT Knowledgebase as a free utility for legacy AD environments. Modern Alternatives Confirm this is the correct user
No tool is perfect. Keep these in mind:
Works on Windows Server with AD DS role, or from a domain-joined Windows 10/11 with RSAT tools installed. Modern Alternatives No tool is perfect
A helpdesk intern accidentally deletes the "Sales – APAC" OU containing 150 user accounts. The Recycle Bin isn't enabled. You download AdRestoreNet, run it on a Domain Controller, search for "Sales – APAC," see the tombstone, select it, and click Restore. The OU and its children (depending on tombstone linkage) are resurrected.
For a one-person IT shop or a junior admin, reduces recovery time from 15 minutes of Googling commands to 30 seconds of visual clicking.