Network Connections service hanging

Hi,

We have one Compaq ProLiant ML370 G2 and one G3 server with Windows Server
2003, SE + SP1 installed (the SP was included in the installation). There
are no extra Microsoft updates installed, only the HP drivers from their HP
Support Pack CD.

Those two servers were normally restarted a few times during the next
several weeks (for no reason of some malfunction). Then they were promoted
to Domain Controller role and restarted during that task so the replication
of AD data could take place after the reboot. After a couple of days we had
to restart them because of some application maintenance issues. On the next
boot-up and after the "Windows Server 2003" screen ("Preparing network
connections") they established network connection (we pinged them
continually). But when the "Applying computer settings" screen appeared,
they've lost it and could not regain it. Those two screens took almost 10
minutes to pass and when we finally got the desktop (the domain user was
logged in because it's credentials were in cache), I opened the Services MMC
and saw that the Network Connections service was in the status of starting
and obviously hanging in it. The RPC service was started. After next reboot,
the same thing (on both servers). They only managed to have stable network
connection when started in "Safe mode with networking".

What should we do?

Thanks in advance.

Hey eagle,

The hanging is usually DNS problems. Make sure the servers have themselves
point as the DNS server (if they host DNS) or pointed to the correct
Internal DNS server first. You also might want to make sure that there is no
conflicts with DHCP.

Hope this helps,
--
Louis Vitiello Jr.
------------------------------
MCSE, MCSA, MCP, A+/N+
ERCP XP Pro / Net Concepts

"resident_eagle" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:e4ae02$mbo$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi,
>
> We have one Compaq ProLiant ML370 G2 and one G3 server with Windows Server
> 2003, SE + SP1 installed (the SP was included in the installation). There
> are no extra Microsoft updates installed, only the HP drivers from their
> HP Support Pack CD.
>
> Those two servers were normally restarted a few times during the next
> several weeks (for no reason of some malfunction). Then they were promoted
> to Domain Controller role and restarted during that task so the
> replication of AD data could take place after the reboot. After a couple
> of days we had to restart them because of some application maintenance
> issues. On the next boot-up and after the "Windows Server 2003" screen
> ("Preparing network connections") they established network connection (we
> pinged them continually). But when the "Applying computer settings" screen
> appeared, they've lost it and could not regain it. Those two screens took
> almost 10 minutes to pass and when we finally got the desktop (the domain
> user was logged in because it's credentials were in cache), I opened the
> Services MMC and saw that the Network Connections service was in the
> status of starting and obviously hanging in it. The RPC service was
> started. After next reboot, the same thing (on both servers). They only
> managed to have stable network connection when started in "Safe mode with
> networking".
>
> What should we do?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>

Hi and thanks for answering.

The servers do not host DNS service themselves, but point to different and
correct DNS servers. They were successfully made DCs and they couldn't have
done so if there were major DNS issues in our domain or those subnets.

Network connections through adapters on those servers were configured by
assigning them static IP addresses with gateways and DNS servers. DHCP
wasn't used, that can be guaranteed. When workstations ask for dynamic
addresses, our network software assignes them addresses in specific range
that doesn't collide with our standard subnets.

If you start one server up at a time, do they still hang when loading? If
not then we can atleast say it's a conflict between the two machines and go
from there.

Let me know the results!

--
Louis Vitiello Jr.
------------------------------
MCSE, MCSA, MCP, A+/N+
ERCP XP Pro / Net Concepts

"resident_eagle" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:e4aih7$349$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi and thanks for answering.
>
> The servers do not host DNS service themselves, but point to different and
> correct DNS servers. They were successfully made DCs and they couldn't
> have done so if there were major DNS issues in our domain or those
> subnets.
>
> Network connections through adapters on those servers were configured by
> assigning them static IP addresses with gateways and DNS servers. DHCP
> wasn't used, that can be guaranteed. When workstations ask for dynamic
> addresses, our network software assignes them addresses in specific range
> that doesn't collide with our standard subnets.
>

Those two servers aren't on the same location nor on the same subnet. They
just act the same way and are in the same domain (together with the same
hardware and software on them which I mentioned earlier), they don't have
other similarities.

I've got some new information. I was testing one of the mentioned servers
and while it was in "Safe mode with networking", I browsed through System
and Application Logs and they were utterly loaded with errors of many kinds,
but most of them directly connected to the network issue. One of the entries
said that the IPSec service blocked all of the incoming and outcoming
traffic via that LAN connection. It must've been because of all the errors
before that. When I set the servce from Automatic to Manual and restarted
the system, it was loading for about 15 minutes just like before (it would
take him less than 5 minutes when everything was normal). But this time
connectivity "survived" and was functional when the system got up. That was
great except for "Network Connections" service still stuck in Starting state
and all of the errors still present in Logs.

Now I could address the KB825826 from Microsoft that was describing the
situation in which there is connectivity, but the NetMan service is left
hanging. There are 17 steps of which I passed maybe 10 (the rest is
definitely either not relevant or not in any way connected to our
situation). There hasn't been any improvement. So, I've reinstalled the
server. I've lost too many hours messing around with it and would like to
have some "cook book" for the future. There is always the second server...

I'd appreciate some opinions if You have any.

Thanks.

I would definately try to find a resolution to the problem if you can with
the second server, to protect you in the future. We discussed DNS before and
you ensured me that DNS is set up correctly. I would also make sure you have
the latest drivers and firmware for all your devices and make sure you have
the latest BIOS.

Also check the service: Logical Disk Manager Administrative Service and make
sure the startup type is Automatic.

If this fails, make the following Registry addition:

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\dmadmin]
"Start"=dword:00000003Hope this helps,-- Louis Vitiello
Jr.------------------------------MCSE, MCSA, MCP, A+/N+ERCP XP Pro / Net
Concepts"resident_eagle" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:e53mre$6jk$(E-Mail Removed)...> I've got some new information. I was
testing one of the mentioned servers
> and while it was in "Safe mode with networking", I browsed through System
> and Application Logs and they were utterly loaded with errors of many
> kinds, but most of them directly connected to the network issue. One of
> the entries said that the IPSec service blocked all of the incoming and
> outcoming traffic via that LAN connection. It must've been because of all
> the errors before that. When I set the servce from Automatic to Manual and
> restarted the system, it was loading for about 15 minutes just like before
> (it would take him less than 5 minutes when everything was normal). But
> this time connectivity "survived" and was functional when the system got
> up. That was great except for "Network Connections" service still stuck in
> Starting state and all of the errors still present in Logs.
>
> Now I could address the KB825826 from Microsoft that was describing the
> situation in which there is connectivity, but the NetMan service is left
> hanging. There are 17 steps of which I passed maybe 10 (the rest is
> definitely either not relevant or not in any way connected to our
> situation). There hasn't been any improvement. So, I've reinstalled the
> server. I've lost too many hours messing around with it and would like to
> have some "cook book" for the future. There is always the second server...
>
> I'd appreciate some opinions if You have any.
>
> Thanks.
>