Slow to access file server.

Discussion in 'Networks' started by nugget, Mar 6, 2008.

  1. nugget
    Honorary Member

    nugget Junior toady

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    At the start of the year we had a network with 2 companies on it. We then did some rearranging of the network and split it up so that each company was on its own separate network. Since then our (my network, not the other company) has some access problems. Some, but not all, of the computers are very slow to access files on the server. For example if I open a network share and navigate to a file and right click to see the context menu, it takes up to 2 minutes for this to show. The same thing if I want to open a file, double click and 2-3 minutes later it opens.

    The funny thing is it only happens on some pcs and not others. Some pcs are also worse than others too (takes longer).

    At the same time we did this network split there were also updates from MS released (lsass and tcp/ip). This is the same time that the problems also started. As we run the fileserver on a SLES server I thought this might have something to do with it. I uninstalled the patches from the server (DC and exchange) but the problem is still there, probably because they are still installed on all the pcs.

    Just wondering if someone else has experienced anything similar.
     
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  2. C4sper

    C4sper Byte Poster

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    1. check DNS settings on 'slow' PCs
    2. ipconfig /flushdns
    3. on 'slow' PCs try mapping share to \\IP_addres_of_server\share rather than \\Server_Name\share

    I had similar problem and that was the reason.
    some computers were set to DHCP and some had static IPs and DNS settings pointing to external DNS servers.
     
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  3. nugget
    Honorary Member

    nugget Junior toady

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    Thanks for the suggestions mate.

    Nothing really helped though.

    Somehow I think it's to do with authentication and permissions. I went to the guy that has a badly affected pc and made a couple more tests. I tried accessing the properties (via right click) of a file on the desktop and it took up to 2 minutes for the context menu to show. I disconnected the network connection and tried the same thing again and the context menu opened immediately.

    Just to clarify, we have a rather unusual setup. We have a DC (win2K3) which is also runs the DNS. We have a Suse linux server setup as the fileserver with a RAID system attached to it (formatted in EXT3 filesystem). The linux server also provides DHCP (set via dhcpd.conf file). All clients are set to pick up their network settings via DHCP and there are no static IP addresses.

    I don't know if anyone else occasionally has a problem with user profiles but I seem to be having quite a few, in that users delete files from the desktop, log off, log on and the files are back on the desktop. Quite often the system cannot find my profile and logs me on with a temporary profile or when logging off cannot find the path and therefore does no save my settings etc. I also had these problems with our old setup (linux server and win2K clients) but as we transition to a windows fileserver (and a full windows environment) I expect these profile problems to be less.


    Where I think the problem is, is the systems are always contacting the servers to authenticate and find the permissions for the files and folders every time but I'm at a loss to be able to pinpoint the problem. As usual I get complaints about this every day and the users think I'm doing nothing about it.

    Any thoughts??
     
    Certifications: A+ | Network+ | Security+ | MCP (270,271,272,290,620) | MCDST | MCTS:Vista
    WIP: MCSA, 70-622,680,685
  4. Stoney

    Stoney Megabyte Poster

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    Are any of the servers multi-homed (2 NIC's installed)?
     
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    WIP: MCSA - Exam 70-270
  5. nugget
    Honorary Member

    nugget Junior toady

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    Both servers have 2 onboard and a card with 2 ports. We use one to connet them to the network and 1 for a connection to a KVM over IP switch. The connections that aren't being used are also disabled.
     
    Certifications: A+ | Network+ | Security+ | MCP (270,271,272,290,620) | MCDST | MCTS:Vista
    WIP: MCSA, 70-622,680,685
  6. Stoney

    Stoney Megabyte Poster

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    If you go to Network Connections > Advanced settings and look on the Adapters and Bindings tab.

    Is the NIC connection that is used to connect to the LAN set to the top of the list in 'Connections are listed in the order that they are accessed by network services'?

    If not, use the arrow on the right to bump the LAN NIC up to the top.
     
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    WIP: MCSA - Exam 70-270
  7. C4sper

    C4sper Byte Poster

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    thx Stoney !!!!!!!!!!
    you just helped mi with one of my file servers :)
    I had a massive problem with it since one NIC went down and was replaced with the PCI one.


    nugget what if you login with Administrator permissions?
     
    Certifications: ECDL, A+, MCP, MCDST
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  8. Stoney

    Stoney Megabyte Poster

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    Glad I could help :biggrin

    I found this out recently with one of my DC's not being able to read the GPO's. After spending a day working on it it boiled down to that poxy little setting!!
     
    Certifications: 25 + 50 metre front crawl
    WIP: MCSA - Exam 70-270

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