Fix DFS share already shared error 0X00000A68

Quick answer

Run dfsutil root target /unmap \\server\share to remove the conflicting DFS target, then re-add it.

Why this happens

This error shows up when you try to add a folder as a DFS target, but that same folder is already linked to another DFS namespace. Windows sees the duplicate and throws the NERR_DfsAlreadyShared (0X00000A68) error. I've seen this most often after someone moves a DFS namespace server or restores a share from backup without cleaning up the old DFS references. The culprit is almost always a stale DFS link pointing to the same path on a different server or namespace.

Don't bother restarting services or rebooting the server—that rarely helps here. The fix is surgical: find and remove the old DFS reference.

Step-by-step fix

Identify the conflicting DFS link
Open a command prompt as admin and run:
```
dfsutil root target /show \\server\share
```
Replace \server\share with your actual server and share path. This shows all DFS targets for that root.
Find the duplicate
Look for the same folder path under a different namespace or server. If you see two entries that point to the same local folder, that's your conflict.
Remove the duplicate DFS target
Run this command to unmap the offending target:
```
dfsutil root target /unmap \\server\share
```
If you don't know which one to remove, use dfsutil /pktinfo to dump all DFS referrals and spot the duplicate.
Re-add the share as a DFS target
Now open DFS Management or use this PowerShell:
```
New-DfsnFolderTarget -Path "\\domain\namespace\folder" -TargetPath "\\server\share"
```
It should work without the error.

Alternative fix: Check for orphaned registry entries

If the command approach fails, the old DFS link might be stuck in the registry. Navigate to:

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Dfs\Links

Look for a subkey matching your share name. Delete it, then run dfsutil /clean. Restart the DFS service (net stop dfs && net start dfs). This is rare, but I've seen it on Server 2012 R2 and 2016 boxes after a botched namespace migration.

Another option: Use DFS Management GUI

Open DFS Management, find your namespace, expand it, right-click the folder with the error and select Properties. Go to the DFS Targets tab. If you see two entries that point to the same path, remove the wrong one. Then add the correct target. Simple, but the GUI can be slow if you have many targets—stick with CLI for bulk work.

Prevention tip

Before you move or restore a DFS share, always run dfsutil root target /show to check for existing references. If you're migrating DFS, use dfsrdiag to verify replication isn't pointing to the same folder. Also, never manually copy a DFS folder to another server without first removing its DFS target—otherwise you'll hit this error every time.

One more thing: if you use DFS Replication, check that the replication group doesn't have a stale connection to the old server. That'll also trigger this error indirectly. Clear the old membership in DFS Management, then add the new server.