When the DNS Server service starts, it can get it's information from a BIND-style file named Boot, from the registry, or from Active Directory.

I have scripted BootMethod.bat to return the DNS start method.

The syntax for using BootMethod.bat on your DNS server is:

\[Call\] BootMethod Code \[X\]

Where:

Code is a call directed environment variable that will contain:

     0 - Unknown

     1 - Use the BIND-style file at %SystemRoot%\System32\DNS\Boot. If some information is missing, check the registry.

     2 - Use information from the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\DNS registry sub-key.

     3 - Use Active Directory, and use the registry for missing information.

X    is an optional parameter that causes BootMethod.bat to use the DNSCMD.EXE
 tool instead of the REG.EXE tool.

NOTE: The BootMethod Value Name used in this script replaces the EnableRegistryBoot Value Name used in Windows NT.

BootMethod.bat contains:

@echo off
if \{%1\}
\{\} @echo Syntax: BootMethod Code \[X\]&goto :EOF
setlocal
set Code=0
if \{%2\}
\{\} goto RegRead
set line= 0
for /f "Tokens=2 Delims==" %%a in ('dnscmd /info^|FIND /i "fBootMethod"') do (
 set line=%%a
)
set Code=%line:~1,1%
endlocal&set %1=%Code%
goto :EOF
:RegRead
set key=HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\DNS\Parameters
call :quiet
endlocal&set %1=%Code%
goto :EOF
:quiet
For /f "Tokens=1,3" %%a in ('REG QUERY %key% /V BootMethod^|FIND /i "BootMethod"') do (
 set Code=%%b
)