#skype4b: Active Directory Error “-2147418113”

You are performing operational tasks in Skype for Business Server with the Control Panel when an Active Directory error message similar to the below started popping up for no apparent reason:

Get-CsUser : Active Directory error “-2147418113” occurred when looking for global catalogs in forest “swissitpro.ch“: “The user name or password is incorrect.”
At line:1 char:1
+ Get-CsUser -Identity swissitpro\desmond
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (:) [Get-CsUser], ADOperationException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : Microsoft.Rtc.Management.ADConnect.ADOperationExcep
tion,Microsoft.Rtc.Management.AD.Cmdlets.GetOcsUserCmdlet

Using the management shell, a different failure message shows up:

PS C:\> Get-CsUser -Identity swissitpro\desmond

Get-CsUser : Active Directory server “DC.swissitpro.ch” is not available. Try again later.
At line:1 char:1
+ Get-CsUser -Identity swissitpro\desmond
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (:) [Get-CsUser], ADTransientException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : Microsoft.Rtc.Management.ADConnect.ADTransientExcep
tion,Microsoft.Rtc.Management.AD.Cmdlets.GetOcsUserCmdlet

Running ping against the Domain Controller (DC) and Skype for Business Front-End Server (FE) resulted in successful replies hence ruling out network or service availability issue. You are signed in with a valid administrative account that has the correct #skype4b RBAC rights/permissions granted.

It is only then that you remembered the password expiring prompt from Windows. Apparently this has indeed expired and the fix is simply to hit Ctl-Alt-Del to update your password. Subsequently, restarting the #skype4b Control Panel and management shell will “reset” the state for the login account.

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