Win2003 losing network connectivity

Hello,

I'm encountering a very strange problem with a Windows 2003 server since
late Dec 2007. Periodically the server will lose internet connecivity
and will not connect to other PC's on the LAN. Some PC's can access
this server, some can not.

I noticed this by checking our online backup logs which show the program
failing to connect. When this happens, I am unable to browse the web. I
am unable to connect to other PC's on the net. I can ping any internet
site using ip address or dns name. I am able to remote control the
server (RDP) from the internet. Client workstations can connect to the
server. Other servers can not.

This is a Dell Poweredge 1900
Not running AD or DNS.
All machines have fixed IP address and using DNS servers from ISP.
Workstations have no problem accessing internet.

This server has worked great for over a year.

Broadcom NIC Diagnostics pass.

No obvious services are stopped.

Spyware and Virus scan are clean.

I can restart the server and everything works great for a couple more
weeks. I can even restart it remotely.

There is nothing I can see in the event logs that would indicate what is
happening.

I'm stuck.. Any ideas where next to look?

Thanks
Bryan

Revised...

The other server CAN connect to this problem server. In fact all
computers can connect to this server.

I've stopped and restarted the workstation service which didn't help.

Basically, this server is losing network connectivity except pinging
other computers on the LAN or Internet. It still functions as a server
though.

Typing Net View at the command prompt results in System Error 31


Bryan



Bryan <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
news:Xns9A6F9640D2459999@66.250.146.128:

> Hello,
>
> I'm encountering a very strange problem with a Windows 2003 server
> since late Dec 2007. Periodically the server will lose internet
> connecivity and will not connect to other PC's on the LAN. Some PC's
> can access this server, some can not.
>
> I noticed this by checking our online backup logs which show the
> program failing to connect. When this happens, I am unable to browse
> the web. I am unable to connect to other PC's on the net. I can ping
> any internet site using ip address or dns name. I am able to remote
> control the server (RDP) from the internet. Client workstations can
> connect to the server. Other servers can not.
>
> This is a Dell Poweredge 1900
> Not running AD or DNS.
> All machines have fixed IP address and using DNS servers from ISP.
> Workstations have no problem accessing internet.
>
> This server has worked great for over a year.
>
> Broadcom NIC Diagnostics pass.
>
> No obvious services are stopped.
>
> Spyware and Virus scan are clean.
>
> I can restart the server and everything works great for a couple more
> weeks. I can even restart it remotely.
>
> There is nothing I can see in the event logs that would indicate what
> is happening.
>
> I'm stuck.. Any ideas where next to look?
>
> Thanks
> Bryan
>

You do not give enough info.

Are you running a domain or a workgroup?
What roles does the problem server have?
What do you mean by 'connect to the server'?

My guess is that you should have DNS running on one of your servers.
Your ISP should only be the forwarder where DNS queries that cannot be
resolved locally are sent.

You are probably 'connecting' in your LAN by NetBios. Nothing wrong with
that. We have AD-integrated domain but run a WINS server.
--
Regards,
Newell White


"Bryan" wrote:

> Revised...
>
> The other server CAN connect to this problem server. In fact all
> computers can connect to this server.
>
> I've stopped and restarted the workstation service which didn't help.
>
> Basically, this server is losing network connectivity except pinging
> other computers on the LAN or Internet. It still functions as a server
> though.
>
> Typing Net View at the command prompt results in System Error 31
>
>
> Bryan
>
>
>
> Bryan <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
> news:Xns9A6F9640D2459999@66.250.146.128:
>
> > Hello,
> >
> > I'm encountering a very strange problem with a Windows 2003 server
> > since late Dec 2007. Periodically the server will lose internet
> > connecivity and will not connect to other PC's on the LAN. Some PC's
> > can access this server, some can not.
> >
> > I noticed this by checking our online backup logs which show the
> > program failing to connect. When this happens, I am unable to browse
> > the web. I am unable to connect to other PC's on the net. I can ping
> > any internet site using ip address or dns name. I am able to remote
> > control the server (RDP) from the internet. Client workstations can
> > connect to the server. Other servers can not.
> >
> > This is a Dell Poweredge 1900
> > Not running AD or DNS.
> > All machines have fixed IP address and using DNS servers from ISP.
> > Workstations have no problem accessing internet.
> >
> > This server has worked great for over a year.
> >
> > Broadcom NIC Diagnostics pass.
> >
> > No obvious services are stopped.
> >
> > Spyware and Virus scan are clean.
> >
> > I can restart the server and everything works great for a couple more
> > weeks. I can even restart it remotely.
> >
> > There is nothing I can see in the event logs that would indicate what
> > is happening.
> >
> > I'm stuck.. Any ideas where next to look?
> >
> > Thanks
> > Bryan
> >
>
>

My apologies.. I thought I was pretty clear by stating that it's not
running AD or DNS (That's Active Directly and Dynamic Naming Server)..
I'm not running WINS either. This is a very small network. 6-7
workstations & 2 servers.

All PC's are static IP addresses and have manually configured DNS
servers which are the DNS servers of our ISP. They work. The server
works then quits..

Without those "roles" the server can be nothing more than a workgroup
server in a peer-to-peer environment.

My client workstations can connect to the server - this means they can
map drives and connect to the sever using UNC paths..

My problem Server CAN NOT connect to any workstations via netbios NOR
can it connect to the internet. I can ping any workstation and internet
site using IP address OR DNS name. I would think that DNS is working if
this is possible.

The error I receive at the command prompt when typing NET View is System
Error 31.


Restarting the server will clear this problem up for 2-3 weeks then it
returns.

IS this enough information? Anyone else have any ideas?

Thanks
Bryan




=?Utf-8?B?TmV3ZWxsIFdoaXRl?= <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote in news:9499E87D-0F3B-4393-8AAE-(E-Mail Removed):

> You do not give enough info.
>
> Are you running a domain or a workgroup?
> What roles does the problem server have?
> What do you mean by 'connect to the server'?
>
> My guess is that you should have DNS running on one of your servers.
> Your ISP should only be the forwarder where DNS queries that cannot
> be resolved locally are sent.
>
> You are probably 'connecting' in your LAN by NetBios. Nothing wrong
> with that. We have AD-integrated domain but run a WINS server.

My apology for not reading your first post thoroughly enough!

Can you post ipconfig /all results for the good server and the dodgy one?

Things which stop working after a few weeks are usually the result of a
resource leak or constraint e.g. memory leak, failure to purge or expand
files.
Monitor running processes on the problem server in task manager, checking
RAM, virtual memory, handles etc.

I assume you have searched all of microsoft (and beyond) for System Error 31
- any clues?
--
Regards,
Newell White


"Bryan" wrote:

> My apologies.. I thought I was pretty clear by stating that it's not
> running AD or DNS (That's Active Directly and Dynamic Naming Server)..
> I'm not running WINS either. This is a very small network. 6-7
> workstations & 2 servers.
>
> All PC's are static IP addresses and have manually configured DNS
> servers which are the DNS servers of our ISP. They work. The server
> works then quits..
>
> Without those "roles" the server can be nothing more than a workgroup
> server in a peer-to-peer environment.
>
> My client workstations can connect to the server - this means they can
> map drives and connect to the sever using UNC paths..
>
> My problem Server CAN NOT connect to any workstations via netbios NOR
> can it connect to the internet. I can ping any workstation and internet
> site using IP address OR DNS name. I would think that DNS is working if
> this is possible.
>
> The error I receive at the command prompt when typing NET View is System
> Error 31.
>
>
> Restarting the server will clear this problem up for 2-3 weeks then it
> returns.
>
> IS this enough information? Anyone else have any ideas?
>
> Thanks
> Bryan
>
>
>
>