Computers Stop Responding 5

[rocmills]

We have had an extremely unusual problem with our office computers for many years now, and no one has been able to help us track down the problem. About half of our computers are logged in to our server, and the other half only map to server directories but the users log into their workstations locally.

The server is running Windows 2000 Server edition and the various workstations are running XP Pro SP2 (we have one Vista laptop). These machines are all less than 2 years old as we had to replace everything after a break-in early in 2005 (what makes this problem especially strange is that it was present on the old hardware, too). We have a mixture of Dell Dimension machines as well as home-built machines.

Each and every day, without fail, at roughly 4:00 p.m., the computers - or the programs on them - stop responding. The network does not show any activity, Task Manager does not show any tasks consuming huge amounts of memory or CPU. But if you try to launch Word by opening an existing document, it just hangs and hangs for upwards of 10 minutes at a time. When it finally does respond, you might have two minutes to work before it hangs again. The same is true of Outlook, Excel, PhotoShop, QuickBooks, AutoCAD, browsers, Explorer, and on.

I was certain that when we replaced EVERYTHING in 2005, that the problem would go away, but it didn't. Even our server was stolen, though all the data was on back up and we restored the data to our new machine.

What could be causing such a consistent and widespread problem? This has gone one for a good 5 years, if not more, so I'm willing to test out just about anything.

Thanks for listening!

--Roc

 

[rocmills]

Sam,

I appreciate the continued encouragement and think I may have found another clue. When I "rebuilt" the network (server) from the back up after our breakin, I didn't change anything in the software though there was one change in hardware. The server box (fileserver) and/or the network think we still have two servers: fileserver and printserver. Printserver box does not exist, but I can't figure out how to get the fileserver machine to remove it. Every place I have found and tried to delete references to printserver give me an error message.

Example: In Active Directory Users and Computers (on the fileserver), under Domain Controllers, when I tell it to delete the entry for 'printserver' it responds "The DSA object cannot be deleted."

I get the same error message in other windows, so I'm obviously not looking in the right place to delete the non-existent printserver.

--Roc

 

[mscallisto]

maybe you can try this:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/318698

sam

 

[rocmills]

mscallisto,

Thanks, that looks like the right thing only under Resolution it says "Start ADSI Edit" - and I am already lost. I started Active Directory Sites and Services, but the branches mentioned in the MS kb article do not exist... I can't expand "Configuration NC" because there is no such entry. I'm probably in the wrong window, but I don't know what ADSI refers to otherwise.

--Roc

 

[mscallisto]

Why don't you read this to see if you feel comfortable with using Active Directory Services Interface Edit

http://www.computerperformance.co.uk/w2k3/utilities/adsi_edit.htm

 

[rocmills]

According to that article, it is a tool for Windows Server 2003... but we are running 2000 server. I'm willing to install it and give it a try if it will work on a 2000 machine.

--Roc

 

[mscallisto]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/301423

 

[mscallisto]

I should again say that you can add the ADSI Edit then Only IF you feel comfortable with the instructions and the program use it.

If you're even a bit uncomfortable and fear for the servers life DONT use it until you can get someone (knowledgeable) in the room with you to assist.

sam

 

[rocmills]

Sam,

The directions are clear enough, with good pictures, so I am not afraid of giving it a try. My only concern was that the page previously pointed to was specifically referencing Server 2003 and we have Server 2000.

If these tools are also on my 2000 install disk, I will have to hunt it down and install all the tools referenced in your last link.

--Roc

 

[theo1881]

OK, I haven't looked at all previous links but please tell me you've checked for virus/spyware on the server ?

Laters, phat, headshape

 

[rocmills]

I run Ad-Aware and Spybot on the server regularly, but it does not have an anti-virus program. Don't ask me why; the boss was willing to spend the money to AV all the workstations, but not the server itself. I run manual scans regularly, though.

The problem has not occurred for the past three days.

--Roc

 

[theo1881]

could you try a free download trial for server ?

3 days and counting though sounds good (counting no chickens)

Laters, phat, headshape

 

[rocmills]

Four days and counting with no occurrence of the problem.

We are all now officially on 20 hour weeks, so it is likely I won't be investigating this much further after today... or at least not until things pick up again.

--Roc

 

[linney]

Sorry to here about the reduced hours, I hope things get back to normal for you soon.

What is your opinion as to why the Network has been trouble free for the past few days? Would it be anything to do with the reduced hours? Sorry about asking that.

 

[rocmills]

Linney,

Thanks for the sympathy. New schedule starts next week, so the non-happening isn't due to reduced staff or reduced network load.

I really think it may be that I inadvertently uninstalled the driver for the Netgear Gigabit adapter. I've been posting the various trials on the other thread under Server 2000 forum

http://www.tek-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=1496591&page=1

--Roc