Slowness in opening or saving a file on win2003 server

I have just installed a server running on Windows 2003 SBS in a small
office with about 8 pcs (running winxp). It acts as a domain
controller, DNS as well as file server and it is the only single
server in the small office environment.

However, I notice when user from the pc tries opening or saving a
simple file (say DOC, XLS) on the server, it can take up more than
5-10 minutes to do the job which is not acceptable at all. The strange
thing is that user doesn't experience slower in performance when
navigating the folders or the sub-folders on the server.

Can anyone advise what went wrong? Could it be the DC or DNS not
configured properly?

Next, if I don't have a solution, I may want to consider putting the
DC machine to be a normal server (maybe it will solve the problem). If
I want to demote the DC to be normal file server, what I should do?

Thanks for any advice.

Hello,

any antivirus installed ? which version ?

Do you have installed the Service Pack 2 ? If so, checkup network driver
version

--
Cordialement,
Mathieu CHATEAU
English blog: http://lordoftheping.blogspot.com
French blog: http://www.lotp.fr


<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) oups.com...
>I have just installed a server running on Windows 2003 SBS in a small
> office with about 8 pcs (running winxp). It acts as a domain
> controller, DNS as well as file server and it is the only single
> server in the small office environment.
>
> However, I notice when user from the pc tries opening or saving a
> simple file (say DOC, XLS) on the server, it can take up more than
> 5-10 minutes to do the job which is not acceptable at all. The strange
> thing is that user doesn't experience slower in performance when
> navigating the folders or the sub-folders on the server.
>
> Can anyone advise what went wrong? Could it be the DC or DNS not
> configured properly?
>
> Next, if I don't have a solution, I may want to consider putting the
> DC machine to be a normal server (maybe it will solve the problem). If
> I want to demote the DC to be normal file server, what I should do?
>
> Thanks for any advice.
>

Hello,
(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
> I have just installed a server running on Windows 2003 SBS in a small
> office with about 8 pcs (running winxp). It acts as a domain
> controller, DNS as well as file server and it is the only single
> server in the small office environment.
>
> However, I notice when user from the pc tries opening or saving a
> simple file (say DOC, XLS) on the server, it can take up more than
> 5-10 minutes to do the job which is not acceptable at all. The strange
> thing is that user doesn't experience slower in performance when
> navigating the folders or the sub-folders on the server.
>
> Can anyone advise what went wrong? Could it be the DC or DNS not
> configured properly?
>
> Next, if I don't have a solution, I may want to consider putting the
> DC machine to be a normal server (maybe it will solve the problem). If
> I want to demote the DC to be normal file server, what I should do?
>
SBS cannot be used as a non DC.
Is Service Pack 2 already installed on the server?
Which OS is installed on the client PCs?
Ususally I have seen delays of the described kind, if there have been
different configurations between Server and client settings related to SMB
signing.
Check also
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/321098/en-us
Slow network performance occurs if you copy files to a domain controller
that is running Windows 2000 or Windows Server 2003
and
http://blogs.technet.com/askperf/arc...b-traffic.aspx

Best greetings from Germany
Olaf

On Oct 14, 9:41 pm, "Mathieu CHATEAU" <gollum...@free.fr> wrote:
> Hello,
>
> any antivirus installed ? which version ?
>
> Do you have installed the Service Pack 2 ? If so, checkup network driver
> version
>
> --
> Cordialement,
> Mathieu CHATEAU
> English blog:http://lordoftheping.blogspot.com
> French blog:http://www.lotp.fr
>
> <exy....@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:(E-Mail Removed) oups.com...
>
>
>
> >I have just installed a server running on Windows 2003 SBS in a small
> > office with about 8 pcs (running winxp). It acts as a domain
> > controller, DNS as well as file server and it is the only single
> > server in the small office environment.
>
> > However, I notice when user from the pc tries opening or saving a
> > simple file (say DOC, XLS) on the server, it can take up more than
> > 5-10 minutes to do the job which is not acceptable at all. The strange
> > thing is that user doesn't experience slower in performance when
> > navigating the folders or the sub-folders on the server.
>
> > Can anyone advise what went wrong? Could it be the DC or DNS not
> > configured properly?
>
> > Next, if I don't have a solution, I may want to consider putting the
> > DC machine to be a normal server (maybe it will solve the problem). If
> > I want to demote the DC to be normal file server, what I should do?
>
> > Thanks for any advice.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

The AV software for pcs is using McAfee Internet Security Suite 2007.
All winxp pcs are patched with sp2.

Thanks for u response.

Is this version of McAffee installed on the server ?
Try with the antivirus disabled on both server and workstation

--
Cordialement,
Mathieu CHATEAU
English blog: http://lordoftheping.blogspot.com
French blog: http://www.lotp.fr


<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) ups.com...
> On Oct 14, 9:41 pm, "Mathieu CHATEAU" <gollum...@free.fr> wrote:
>> Hello,
>>
>> any antivirus installed ? which version ?
>>
>> Do you have installed the Service Pack 2 ? If so, checkup network driver
>> version
>>
>> --
>> Cordialement,
>> Mathieu CHATEAU
>> English blog:http://lordoftheping.blogspot.com
>> French blog:http://www.lotp.fr
>>
>> <exy....@gmail.com> wrote in message
>>
>> news:(E-Mail Removed) oups.com...
>>
>>
>>
>> >I have just installed a server running on Windows 2003 SBS in a small
>> > office with about 8 pcs (running winxp). It acts as a domain
>> > controller, DNS as well as file server and it is the only single
>> > server in the small office environment.
>>
>> > However, I notice when user from the pc tries opening or saving a
>> > simple file (say DOC, XLS) on the server, it can take up more than
>> > 5-10 minutes to do the job which is not acceptable at all. The strange
>> > thing is that user doesn't experience slower in performance when
>> > navigating the folders or the sub-folders on the server.
>>
>> > Can anyone advise what went wrong? Could it be the DC or DNS not
>> > configured properly?
>>
>> > Next, if I don't have a solution, I may want to consider putting the
>> > DC machine to be a normal server (maybe it will solve the problem). If
>> > I want to demote the DC to be normal file server, what I should do?
>>
>> > Thanks for any advice.- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -
>
> The AV software for pcs is using McAfee Internet Security Suite 2007.
> All winxp pcs are patched with sp2.
>
> Thanks for u response.
>

On Oct 15, 2:15 am, "Olaf Engelke [MVP Windows Server]"
<oenew...@mvps.org> wrote:
> Hello,
>
>
>
> exy....@gmail.com wrote:
> > I have just installed a server running on Windows 2003 SBS in a small
> > office with about 8 pcs (running winxp). It acts as a domain
> > controller, DNS as well as file server and it is the only single
> > server in the small office environment.
>
> > However, I notice when user from the pc tries opening or saving a
> > simple file (say DOC, XLS) on the server, it can take up more than
> > 5-10 minutes to do the job which is not acceptable at all. The strange
> > thing is that user doesn't experience slower in performance when
> > navigating the folders or the sub-folders on the server.
>
> > Can anyone advise what went wrong? Could it be the DC or DNS not
> > configured properly?
>
> > Next, if I don't have a solution, I may want to consider putting the
> > DC machine to be a normal server (maybe it will solve the problem). If
> > I want to demote the DC to be normal file server, what I should do?
>
> SBS cannot be used as a non DC.
> Is Service Pack 2 already installed on the server?
> Which OS is installed on the client PCs?
> Ususally I have seen delays of the described kind, if there have been
> different configurations between Server and client settings related to SMB
> signing.
> Check alsohttp://support.microsoft.com/kb/321098/en-us
> Slow network performance occurs if you copy files to a domain controller
> that is running Windows 2000 or Windows Server 2003
> andhttp://blogs.technet.com/askperf/archive/2007/09/21/windows-explorer-...
>
> Best greetings from Germany
> Olaf- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

I have done another test just now.
At Windows Explorer, I open the file that is residing on server for
editing. When I save it, it takes too long time.

However, when I close the Windows Explorer before saving the file, the
time taken is so much shorter.

I suppose your answer is very close to my scenario here.

May I know what I should do now next? Disabling the SMB signing? What
is the implication?

By the way, the server is already running with SP2, and client pcs are
on Winxp SP2.
Thanks a lot for u advice.

Hello,
(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
> On Oct 15, 2:15 am, "Olaf Engelke [MVP Windows Server]"
> <oenew...@mvps.org> wrote:
>> exy....@gmail.com wrote:
>>> I have just installed a server running on Windows 2003 SBS in a
>>> small office with about 8 pcs (running winxp). It acts as a domain
>>> controller, DNS as well as file server and it is the only single
>>> server in the small office environment.
>>
>>> However, I notice when user from the pc tries opening or saving a
>>> simple file (say DOC, XLS) on the server, it can take up more than
>>> 5-10 minutes to do the job which is not acceptable at all. The
>>> strange thing is that user doesn't experience slower in performance
>>> when navigating the folders or the sub-folders on the server.
>>
>>> Can anyone advise what went wrong? Could it be the DC or DNS not
>>> configured properly?
>>
>>> Next, if I don't have a solution, I may want to consider putting the
>>> DC machine to be a normal server (maybe it will solve the problem).
>>> If I want to demote the DC to be normal file server, what I should
>>> do?
>>
>> SBS cannot be used as a non DC.
>> Is Service Pack 2 already installed on the server?
>> Which OS is installed on the client PCs?
>> Ususally I have seen delays of the described kind, if there have been
>> different configurations between Server and client settings related
>> to SMB signing.
>> Check also http://support.microsoft.com/kb/321098/en-us
>> Slow network performance occurs if you copy files to a domain
>> controller that is running Windows 2000 or Windows Server 2003
>> andhttp://blogs.technet.com/askperf/archive/2007/09/21/windows-explorer-...
>>
> I have done another test just now.
> At Windows Explorer, I open the file that is residing on server for
> editing. When I save it, it takes too long time.
>
> However, when I close the Windows Explorer before saving the file, the
> time taken is so much shorter.
>
> I suppose your answer is very close to my scenario here.
>
> May I know what I should do now next? Disabling the SMB signing? What
> is the implication?
>
> By the way, the server is already running with SP2, and client pcs are
> on Winxp SP2.
> Thanks a lot for u advice.

there are some settings, which seem to be often best practice, but sometimes
only work, if done locally on each machine. Usually it should be enough, to
apply them in Default Domain Policy + Default Domain Controllers Policy.

Microsoft network server: Digitally sign communications (always) - Disabled
Microsoft network server: Digitally sign communications (if client
agrees) - Enabled

Microsoft network client: Digitally sign communications (always) - Disabled
Microsoft network client: Digitally sign communications (if server
agrees) - Enabled

Hope this helps
Olaf