Win2k Server Running SLOOOW! Can't even work on SMode

[Regulluz]

Hello!

I have this PowerEdge server running Windows 2000 Server. it is a Domain Controller, and it seems something happened on the weekend, that it is now running way too slow. It is also an Exchange server, and because Exchange log files filled up my HD, the services were shut down. I have now about 2.5GB of hard drive space and still having problems.

I had tried Scandisk, Defrag, look at the Event Viewer (too slow to show that) open the management console (too slow for that too) Check on safe mode... and gave me the same problem - running on safe mode - but I don't know what happened overnight that safemode now works fine, although it takes forever in shutdown. I changed page file to the D drive, and still the same problem. check on Task Manager and it doesn't specify which process is eating my CPU even when the cpu shows 99% of usage. BTW Task Manager is also slow, but at least it is shown.

What do you think could be causing this.

 

[ChicagoTechNet]

since the exhcnage is ruuning on the controller, I am assuming the server has a lower virtual memory issue. Normally, rebooting will fix the problem but it may come back. so check the hard disk space, exchange data zise and badmail folder.


Robert Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Windows, Network, Internet, VPN, Routing and How to at

http://www.ChicagoTech.net

 

[Regulluz]

where is the badmail folder? And where can I find out about the Exchange data size?

 

[vbrocks]

Try using network monitor, there could be a lot of broadcast traffic going on. Is WINS installed? It could help.

 

[2cornot2c]

when the users are not on the network (evenings or weekends) change all the Exchange Services to Manual and stop them. Reboot the Server and see how the performance is. This will allow you to fully conclude the cause of the problem. If it is faster then you can concentrate you efforts on Exchange. Go to where your Exchange Database folder is and Check the size of your EDB and STM files. Are they over the limit? As one user said "delete the contents of the Bad Mail folder"

You can also try to Defrag the Exchange Mailbox store files, see below. During the Defrag your Mailbox store will have to be offline. I did the Defrag on 16GB exchange server before and it took 2-4 hours.

By the way, are you running Exchange 2000 Standard or Enterprise edition?

TO RUN THE DEFRAGMENTATION:
============================

1. Run an offline defragmentation. This will take run at about 2-5GB per hour, depending on hardware. An offline defragmentation has certain disk space requirements. You will need disk space equal to your database size plus and additional 10 percent. For example, if your database is 16GB, you will need an additional 16GB of space plus an additional 10 percent (1.6GB) to run. For example if your database is 20GB you would need an additional 20GB of space for the temp database + 2GB or 10 percent.

If disk space is at a premium, the temporary database created during the defrag can be redirected to a drive with more space or a network drive. The following 3 Scenarios describe the different options.

Scenario A.

If you have the disk space requirements, to run an offline defragmentation, go to a command prompt and change to your Exchsrvr\bin folder. The syntax would be

Eseutil /d <database path>

Eseutil /d “c:\program files\exchsrvr\mdbdata\priv1.edb”


Repeat the steps for the public database (pub1.edb file)

*****Note the priv1.stm and pub1.stm files do NOT need to be defragmented******

*Database path needs to be in quotes if located in “program files\exchsrvr\mdbdata” if path is exchsrvr\mdbdata the path does not need quotes.


Scenario B.

If because of disk space, you need to redirect the temp database to another drive on the same server use the syntax below. In this example, a folder created for the temp database on the F drive is called Defrag the syntax would be

Eseutil /d “c:\program files\exchsrvr\mdbdata\priv1.edb” /tF:\defrag\tempdfrg.edb



Or


Scenario C.

To redirect the temp database to a mapped network drive the following syntax would be used



For example we mapped a drive Z to a folder called Defrag on a network share

Eseutil /d <path> /tz:\tempdfrg.edb


Eseutil /d c:\exchsrvr\mdbdata\priv1.edb /tz:\tempdfrg.edb

***when redirecting the temp database to a network drive the defrag will take significantly longer*****

 

[PerryMc]

Hi,

If it's all of a sudden running slow, it could be infected with a virus. I presume you have anti-virus software, how often do you update your definitions? New ones can get through before your definitions are updated. Try using FAQ

http://www.tek-tips.com/gfaqs.cfm/lev2/67/lev3/74/pid/608/fid/4650,

it has some excellent advice and locations of free software tools to run to locate and eradicate corruptions that could be slowing you down. Also pay to check Windows Update for critical security updates you might need to apply.

Smile anyway,
Perry.

 

[saddatabid]

I have similar problem with exactly same symptoms. Exchange 2000 Standard, 2K Server SP4. Where are edb files located, and where is BadMail folder located?

Can I delete these? What is BadMail? Please help. The C drive has only 100Mb left (9.6GB Capacity).

Thanks

 

[2cornot2c]

To find your EDB files, open Exchange Manager, right click on your Mailbox Store and select Properties. Click on the Database tab and it will show you the path to your EDB Files.

You should be able to find the Bad Mail folder in the same directory.

We configured our server with 2X18GB SCSI HDD on a seperated controller Mirrored and 8X36GB SCSI HDD on a secondary controller with RAID 5. We installed Exchange on C: drive then change the Database, Logs and Badmail it point to our RAID 5 Partition.

You can change and check the path to you bad mail folder by expanding the SMTP under Protocals in Exchange. You will see your SMTP connector, right click on it and select properties. Click on the Messages tab and you will be able to change or view the directory where the Bad Mail is being saved.

 

[Regulluz]

I just read all of the answers, million thanks for that, you have no clue how much I appreaciate your time...

Here's an update. I called Dell and they gave me a DSET tool that would create a report so that they can start figuring out what is going on. It never did it. Seems like it was too slow for that. Then, I manage to get the TaskManager running, and it showed me that winmgmt.exe was eating all of my CPU resources (99%). I tried to stop it and it didn't but after the sign that it cannot be stopped, the system started running fine! I then got some advice to set the WMI to ... man I'm at home, now and forgot what to set it to... but it seems it was set to log in, although I could never confirm that, since when I tried to see WMI properties, it would stay forever in &quot;Connecting to Windows Managent&quot;.

So, what I did was to leave the server like that (tried restarting and the story repeated againg) so that people could have access to anything they need, since Its my only server, everything runs from it.. and its not too much (to me) Exchange, Company Files and Peachtree. I have about 18 users.

And yes, I had CA eTrust runniing until all this happened (I then found out about the new virus) so I uninstalled since it was the last application I installed not long ago.
Today I will try all of your advices and will install back the Anti-Virus since I need the protection. Please post back any infor regarding to WMI... this thing had gave me such a big head ache that I came yesterday and when to bed right away and with pills.

Appreciate your time...

Reg.

 

[Regulluz]

Hi guys.. an update!

Did what Perry told me on stopping teh Exchange services and restarted. Server works like a charm. Just that I have no access to the Small Busines Administrator console. It pops up the &quot;Server Busy.... Switch... Retry... Cancel&quot; box and the Event viewer is showing this:

Source: LoadPerf
Event ID: 3011
Type: Error
Category: 3011
Unloading the performance counter strings for FileReplicaSet failed. The Error code is DWORD 0 of the Record Data.

and...

Source: LoadPerf
Category: None
Type: Error
EventID: 3012
The performance strings in the Performance registry value is corrupted. The Record Data contains BaseIndex value from Performance registry in DWORD 0, LastCounter value in DWORD 1, and LastHelp value in DWORD 2.

Also..

EventID: 60
Source: WinMgmt
Type: Warning
WMI ADAP was unable to process the performance libraries: 0x80041001.

EventID: 46
Source: WinMgmt
Type: Warning
WMI ADAP was unable to retrieve data from the PerfLib localization subkey: , error code: 0x0.

Will try installing now the Service Pack 4 and I don't have a clue of what to do in Exchange... Will post something in the Exchange forum.. but please stay tuned.

Million Thanks....
Reg

 

[saddatabid]

2cornot2c,

Thanks a lot for your advice. However, the edb files are only about 2MB so that's not causing the server to be slow.

It runs at 100% CPU utilization - no idea why?

Sorry to ask again but what is BadMail? Can I delete it? Will moving all users' inboxs to *.pst files help?

I have about 30 users.

Thanks a billion for your advice.

 

[saddatabid]

Perrymc,

Thank you sir for your valuable link. Will check and update.

Thanks once again.

Saddat

 

[frl]

Just one wild guess. I had a 100% CPU problem on our Domino server. At the end I found out it was some print job stuck in the print spooler. I had to delete file from the spool directory manually and CPU % dropped.

 

[Regulluz]

Update!

When stopping the Microsoft Exchange Management and the Windows Management Instrumentatino services, everything works super fine. i cannot be either one, it has to be both.

Now I found 47 warnings on the Apps Event Viewer of WMI, that happened when both were running yesterday at 4:40PM. (It's 12:50PM of next day). Bad mail folder, is less than 2MB and don't know where else to go!

Any comments?

 

[2cornot2c]

You can delete the contents of the BAD Mail folder without worries. Also, if you haven't done so you should be helping users setup local or remote archive folders or else you will hit you limit on your exchange server.

Another point, you cannot setup one policy on your Exchange server to address mailbox limits, deleted items and other settings. You need to setup seperate policies for each setting and apply them to the store. We made the mistake of creating one policy and setting everyones mailbox to 50MB along with other settings. What happens is only one policy will take affect and the mailbox limit setting wasn't the one. Therefore, we maxed out our Exchange Server and it took us 4-5 hours to defrag the EDB filesb before we could restart the services and mount the store.

From the instructions I gave before you can find the setting for the Badmail folder and specify who copies of Badmail will be sent to.

 

[Regulluz]

Hello!

Dindn't have time to do all of the defragment and stuff, since I cannot stop people from woring. It seems this week has been really busy for them.

What happened was that after installing the Exchange Service Pack 3, the system started working fine, or almost, since now i have a bunch of WMI errors. I stil need to install the Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 and see if WMI errors stops. But the difference now is that WMI and Exchange System Manager can run together with no problem. The problem was (or seemed to be) that Exchange System Manager and the Windows Management Interface Services could not start together at starup or run together for a long period of time. At least they start together now.

Next week, I will install the Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 and will let you know what happens...

Million Thanks!

Cheers
Reg.