What does Windows error code 8394 (ERROR_DS_EXISTS_IN_SUB_CLS) mean?

Status / error code:		Category:

Constant name:
Source:		Operating System:
Description: A class cannot be removed while it remains the superclass of another schema class.

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ERROR_DS_EXISTS_IN_AUX_CLS	ERROR_DS_EXISTS_IN_POSS_SUP

ERROR_DS_EXISTS_IN_SUB_CLS

The class still participates in a subClassOf inheritance chain

This status is a schema dependency failure. At least one classSchema object still identifies the target class through subClassOf. The superclass contributes inherited class semantics and attribute rules, so removing it would leave subclasses with a broken inheritance chain.

Enumerate direct subclasses first, then evaluate the transitive class hierarchy. A custom superclass can have more dependents than the original application expects after later schema extensions are installed. Changing each subclass to a new parent is a schema redesign that must preserve object-class category and inherited requirements; it should not be improvised during deletion troubleshooting.

What to inspect

Search the schema NC for classes whose subClassOf points to the target.
Trace indirect descendants before planning any schema migration.
Validate the new hierarchy against MS-ADTS consistency checks if relationships are redesigned.

References

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