Slow DOS network programs in 2K

[hd2]

Hello.

We recently changed our old 10baseT network over to a 100baseT switch, and put in a windows 2000 pro machine to act as a file server (instead of using a poor 98 workstation to also share files)

The server is a PIV 2.4GHz machine, with 2 40GB 7200rpm drives setup for RAID mirroring.

Everything works great, each 98 workstation makes a backup of itself every night, and dumps its data over to the mirrored server drives, no troubles.
Windows programs running off the server work great as well.

There is an older DOS based program we use for aircraft cost quotation called Quick Quote.
The program files are located on the 2K machine, in a simple shared folder.

Each 98 workstation has this folder mapped to "F:"
They simply runs the QQ.EXE file from the mapped drive, right off the 2K machine.
They then "login" to the program, which allows 3 users to be on-line at the same time. (and more then 3 and it tells you the licensing does not handle more then 3. Fair enough)

My problem is, at random, the Quick Quote program slows down to a crawl.
Changing screens, bringing up information goes from nearly instant, to sitting there for over 2 minutes.
The information does eventually come up.

If you have only 1 machine logged into QQ, it does not slow down.
If you get 2 or 3 logged in, it works for a bit, then all machines drop to horrid speeds until you reboot the 2K machine again.

Nothing else from the server is slow when this is happening mind you, you can connect to windows programs, etc... at full speed. Just the DOS QQ program slows down.

We use to run QQ like this on a 10baseT network, where the "server" was a 98 machine with no probs.

Any help greatly appreciated
Cheers.

 

[bcastner]

You may be running into connection limits. Your Win98 machine had no limits on user connections; your Win2k Pro machine supports only 10 connections.

The other possibility is that the program is using older locking methods. As an experiment, install Netbui on several machines and retest.

 

[mattjurado]

Does this happen only on the same few computers, and if so, try the program from a couple others. Problem goes away, you are looking at something that might be machine specific.

If not you might have to disable opplocks,

To disable Opportunistic Locking manually on a Windows 2000/XP Workstation computer:

1. Enter the OplocksDisabled entry into the below registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\MRXSmb\Parameters
OplocksDisabled REG_DWORD 0 or 1
Default: 0 (not disabled)

2. Set the value to 1 to disable Oplocks

3. Reboot the workstation computer.


Matt J.

 

[hd2]

Hi bcastner, thanks for your reply.
Each 98 machine has TCP/IP on it (192.160.10.x) for internet, and Netbui.

I was wondering if having too many connections was part of the problem, but some times it runs fast for several monutes with all 3 users logged in, then slows down, other times it's slow right off the start.

The total number of computers (including the 2K machine) in the office is only 7.


Hi mattjurado, thanks for your reply as well.
I will try editing the registry key and let you know what happens.
I hope it's something as simply as this.

Take care.
Thanks to your both again!

 

[bcastner]

Does the server have Netbui?

 

[hd2]

lol
yes.

 

[peterandresen]

I have two dozen Dells over various vintages (1 - 6 yrs old), running W2K SP3, running data acquisition under DOS in my lab. All run fine (apart from some DOS timer and clock issues that W2K screw up, apparently because my NI 488 interface shifts to protected mode and waits on a DVM, causing the DOS clock to fall WAY behind). However I got a Dell 650LE workstation for my desktop six months ago, and it suffers from a potentially similar. Any DOS (cmd.exe or command.com) window running most DOS programs shows a lag of about 1 second before displaying or responding to any keyboard input. This does not occur at the command line, or if running full screen. I changed the cheap ATI video for a $160 NVidea card (and eventually shifted to dual monitor), but the problem remains. Seems to me it must be some NTVDM setting in the registry in the Dell (or our corporate) W2K image. If you monitor processor usage, it shows >90%, which on a 2.2GHz processor, should be able to display a single ASCII character in less than 1 second.
I think it was on this machine that, early on, I tried changing the DOS setting to Win/98 simulation (?) -- and on running a DOS window, it both locked the machine and required re-imaging....