Windows Server 2003 File Server - Very Slow Performance

[markdavies1978]

Hi All,

I have had this problem for a few weeks now & it isn't going away.

I have come across many many threads on the this subject but not been able to find a solution.

I have a Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard Edition Service Pack 2 File Server which performs so slow it is ridiculous.

All my hardware is bang up to date as I have raised the issue with HP, this includes latest network drivers, raid (we are using RAID5) updates etc.

My symptoms are quite simply that when users are browsing any files on the server windows explorer will simply lock up & if they are in a word doc for example they will lose the cursor & cannot type.

When no one is on the server or only a few users it is fine.

Network activity is fine as we have a 4 port GB card connected to 1 of our 3Com GB Switches.

When looking at task manger etc the CPU spikes at regular intervals at around 80%.

Network utilization is well under 10%

Please help!

 

[cczarsty]

We had this exact same problem with a Windows 2003 Server just last week - directory browsing was dismally slow, Office Documents opened so slowly as to appear to be "hung", a real disaster. We tried almost all of the solutions mentioned above, and in the end, found that somehow the Windows Firewall had become enabled on this one server... Turned off the firewall and the problem instantly resolved itself (of course we have a Cisco ASA and much more serving as security on our internal network).

Hope yours has the same problem and is as easily resolved.

Good Luck - Curt Czarsty AZ Dept of Corrections

 

[markdavies1978]

Joe - Thanks for you input, I did kinda follow your advice a while back & moved all users home directories to another server, this helped alleviate the issue slightly as must users have an archive. This has left 6 pst files on this server I have 1 at just under 4G & 1GB the rest are quite small. I will see if I can move this & test the performance.

cczarsty - Thanks for your input but Windows Firewall isn't on.

 

[baddos]

Wow... A 4gb pst file is insanely large if I'm reading that right. You gotta break that thing up, it will fragment the hell out of your disk.

 

[Cstorms]

Umm and probably corrupt and screw your user out of some potentially important emails get that thing as far below the 2GB max supported (even half that is big)

Cory

 

[markdavies1978]

Ok, all .pst files are now off this server.

Performance has not improved.

 

[ktechit]

I also ran into this same issue shortly after bringing up a 2003 server and AD. I researched for weeks, finally swapped to a totally different switch coming off the server. All network latency, disconnects, etc. resolved. Just a thought.

 

[markdavies1978]

ktechit - Do you mean you replace 1 of your core switches?

We have 3 core (GB) switches. I have tried connecting our server to all 3, just 2 & just 1.

I have had an audit of our network done by 3com & yes we have some minor config issues but no major issues which would achieve my symptoms.

As mentioned above the disk idle times on this server is 5%!

On my other server it's about 90%!

The load really isn't that much.

I think I will move all data off & admit defeat & perhaps rebuld with new disks.

 

[baddos]

How much RAM do you have in this server? It shouldn't be hammering the disk that much constantly.

 

[markdavies1978]

3.5GB of RAM

I'm now thinking of upgrading our RAID controllor as M$ have just suggested that it is nothing to do with the OS having looked at this for 2 weeks for me.

 

[snootalope]

Gunner - how many servers/workstations do you have in your network? How many domain controllers?

Your users experience any delay when logging on/logging off the network/machines?

 

[markdavies1978]

We have 1 PDC & 1 BDC.

I have around 20 servers & about 150 workstations.

Logging on/off the domain isn't necessarily that quick but it has never been super fast.

My other file server is fine.

 

[snootalope]

so you have two dc's in the same site then..

your file server isn't a dc is it?

 

[markdavies1978]

Correct.

I have 2 DC's & the file server is just a file server.

 

[baddos]

Can you check the configuration of your RAID controller to see if it's write cache has been disabled. (Make sure you are connected to a UPS before enabling it though)

 

[markdavies1978]

This isn't an option on our RAID controllor.

We only have 100% read as an option.

 

[technome]

Which raid adapter do you have?


........................................
Chernobyl disaster..a must see pictorial

http://www.kiddofspeed.com/default.htm

 

[markdavies1978]

Smart Array 642.

 

[snootalope]

Maybe I missed it above, but did you determine the process that is making your processor bounce to 80%? How regular is the interval?

 

[baddos]

This isn't an option on our RAID controllor.

We only have 100% read as an option.

Oh my, check your performance monitor and add READ and WRITE counters to the chart. See if your disk is heavily read or written to. If it has a ton of writes, you may want to go with a new raid controller that enables write caching.

 

[technome]

Have not used a Smart Array 642, but from the HP site a cache "enabler" module is an option.
If the controller works like most, without write back cached enabled, raid 5 produces truely dismsal performance,like roughly 1/6th the throughput of what it could be.

http://cgi.ebay.com/HP-128MB-BAT-CA...VQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el1247

........................................
Chernobyl disaster..a must see pictorial

http://www.kiddofspeed.com/default.htm