Proliant 3000 poor performance

[cindych]

We have a Proliant 3000 with dual 500MHZ processors, 21 GB drive, 768 MB RAM that formerly had NT on it and offered satisfactory response. We then put Windows 2000 on it (Service Pack 3) and it's taking almost twice as long to load pages (involving processing a large xml file). Any ideas on what could be done to improve load time? We have other another server with Windows2000 that loads the same page (same code, same data) in half the time. The only difference I've been told exist between the 2 machines is that the fast one is a single 733 mHZ processor, and does not have all the security patches and service packs on it. I've also been told that none of that ( single 733 vs dual 500 or security patches & service packs) should cause the problems we're having.

 

[patrickrouse]

Are the XML files loading locally or from across the network. As in my previous post one common overlooked setting when building a new machine or upgrading the OS is NIC Duplex Setting. If you're pulling files across the network and your NIC's Duplex Setting is not correct (Auto does NOT always select the correct setting) then performance can be like running on a dial-up connection.

Please specify a bit more detail.

 

[fitzdr]

I find it significant that the slow server has two processors. This would seem to point to Win2K. I know that we had loads of problems with dual processors and Win2K.

From the hardware side make sure that you have updated the bios on the server. When the Proliant 3000 first came out the bios did not have an option for Win2K.

I have noted that changing the bios OS setting from Winnt to Win2k made several interrupt changes.

Also look at applying the updated Compaq software patches on the SmartStart CD.
S.S. v5.5 loads from d:\cpqsupsw\ntcsp\setup.exe

 

[cindych]

Thanks for the info. The server is currently being re-built, and I've passed this info on to the person doing that.

 

[LILKILLER]

I too have had problems with Win2k and found out someone had replaced a processor in the machine with one of UNLIKE stepping. It turned out that their was some form of a conflict between processors. In general tho, I think Win2k just runs slower.