folder list delayed on network drives - 2003 std srvr

We have a DELL PowerEdge 1600SC running Windows 2003 Standard. It is a DC,
DNS, WINS, DHCP and file server.

All the workstations are Windows XP with SP2.

Sometimes (not allways, and not constantly with the same folders) we get the
following problem: user tries to access a network ressource (a word file or
so), connects through a shared drive (there are private drive and common
drive, + some users have two more, all represented by letters - and added
during the startup, persistant - NO), and everything works fine.

All of the sudden, when working in Windows Explorer, there is a long pause
from the moment an user doubleclick a folder to the moment when the folders
content is shown (no matter how many objects are in the folder, and no
matter how big or small they are).

The same happens if one works in for example Word: when trying to open a
file, sometimes the "Look in to:" dialog box takes up to 30 seconds or even
a minute to show the content of the folder that is being opened. If you
click "Back" and click on the same folder again, it comes up quickly (as if
it was "cached").

The thing happens on all computers, so it is either server or network.

I checked a lot of things, from physical network (switch, cables), through
network settings ("optimize the performance for file sharing"), through view
mode in "open" dialog box (not showing previews, but detailed view), to the
application level (fx turning AntiVirus off, turning firewall off, ...).

Are there some other things that I should have been testing, but forgot? Any
good advices?

The server is new-installed, with the newest drivers, and all updates. There
is DFS and Previous Versions installed, by the way (I don't know if this
could be the problem, I have it on other servers in another company and they
are causing no problems...)

Thanx in advance.

Regards, Zoran

"Zoran Pantic" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> We have a DELL PowerEdge 1600SC running Windows 2003 Standard. It is a DC,
> DNS, WINS, DHCP and file server.
>
> All the workstations are Windows XP with SP2.
>
> Sometimes (not allways, and not constantly with the same folders) we get
> the following problem: user tries to access a network ressource (a word
> file or so), connects through a shared drive (there are private drive and
> common drive, + some users have two more, all represented by letters - and
> added during the startup, persistant - NO), and everything works fine.
>

With which username and password do you connect the network drives?
Try connecting with the server\Administrator username and it's password,
rather than just 'guest' access.


Martin

Hello Martin,

every user is using it's own username (we have a domain).

Regards, Zoran



"Martin Connolly" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:45212497$0$3675$(E-Mail Removed). ..
>
> "Zoran Pantic" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
>> We have a DELL PowerEdge 1600SC running Windows 2003 Standard. It is a
>> DC, DNS, WINS, DHCP and file server.
>>
>> All the workstations are Windows XP with SP2.
>>
>> Sometimes (not allways, and not constantly with the same folders) we get
>> the following problem: user tries to access a network ressource (a word
>> file or so), connects through a shared drive (there are private drive and
>> common drive, + some users have two more, all represented by letters -
>> and added during the startup, persistant - NO), and everything works
>> fine.
>>
>
> With which username and password do you connect the network drives?
> Try connecting with the server\Administrator username and it's password,
> rather than just 'guest' access.
>
>
> Martin
>