Moving files causes network access failure

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I

inews

When I move files from computer B to computer C using mapped drives on
computer A, computer A loses network connectivity after about 10-15
minutes.

This has also once caused loss of network connectivity on computer C
once when left unattended,

A & B Win2K Pro. C is Win2K Server. Latest services packs and
patches.

Files being moved are a series of Access DB files, 84MB each, about 1.4
GB in total this time, but varying each time I perform this task.

Any thoughts please?
 
This almost always indicates a switch, cabling, or NIC problem. Usually switch. (Certain past models of 10/100 D-**** switches
seemed to exhibit this problem most often in my experience.) If you have older switches the power supply or cooling may have become
marginal.

You should make sure that in the device manager for the NIC adapters you do NOT have checked "allow Windows to turn off this device
to save power". I do not think power management is likely to be the problem here, but make sure all the same.

Steve Duff, MCSE, MVP
Ergodic Systems, Inc.
 
Thanks very much for that Steve.

I've turned that off, and you're right, it seems not to be at cause.
The problem had accelerated before I caught your reply, and there has
been no change out of turning off "allow Windows to turn off...." on
the NIC.

It feels like an OS issue... When I boot now on machine A, I open
Windows Explorer and get only a flashlight searching, searching
neverending. It's unable to list the mapped drives (there are 9, 8 to
Win2K workstations, 1 to a Win2K Server).

However, I can open a shortcut to a location on the mapped drive to the
server and look around in there with no problem whatsoever. If I then
change the address to use a UNC instead of mapped drive, then open the
folders in the Explorer bar, I can browse to my hearts content -
likewise to the content on the other workstations. IE, mapped drives
are failing to be listed in Windows Explorer, causing it to hang, but
"My Network Places" is hunky dory.

The subject of this message should be something like "Mapped drives -
can't list, hangs windows explorer" but my news interface won't allow
changing subjects.

All thoughts gratefully received.
 
OK, continuing weirdness.

I got rid of mapped drives from computer A to the Win2K workstations,
explicitly shared them and now access them through "My Network
Places\Entire Network\Microsoft Windows Network\<Domain>\<PC Name>"

No problems opening windows explorer - no mapped drives to iterate and
list.

Still moving files from B to C using console on A, but now computer A
tends to freeze and require a reboot. No great activity on the switch
LEDs. CPU on computer A reading close to 0% utillisation.

Additionally, overnight, the server now occaisonally freezes - can't
even log in to it, backup jobs fail - IE server completely
incapacitated. This server freeze can happen when there's no file
moving activity, so it appears to be an issue with the server itself,
though bad things happen when accessing it via the network.
 
Tried using the server console and - no problem!!!!

Any explanations? Current symptoms: moving files from B (Win2K
workstation) to C (win2K Server) using Computer A (Win2K Workstation)
freezes computer A. However, just doing it from the server (B to C
using console on C) is not a problem.

?related issue? server freezes up overnight while no file moving
activity is occurring.
 
Spoke too soon...

Problem is much diminished if using the server console - it took about
an hour for the problem to manifest instead of 10 minutes.

Please - any theories or suggestions?

Quote ===========
Tried using the server console and - no problem!!!!


Any explanations? Current symptoms: moving files from B (Win2K
workstation) to C (win2K Server) using Computer A (Win2K Workstation)
freezes computer A. However, just doing it from the server (B to C
using console on C) is not a problem.


?related issue? server freezes up overnight while no file moving
activity is occurring.
 
Installed NICs on computers A and C and problem went away. Waiting to
see if there's any mysterious server locks, but the reproducible part
of the issue is no longer reproducible.

Replaced onboard network interface (EPOX 8K9A motherboard) with
Skymaster Realtek chipset PCI NIC (same as on computer B).

Tested interim states as I stepped through the replacements and there
seemed to be a genuine correlation between the problems and the EPOX
onboard network interface. Can't say for sure whether it was an issue
specific to the mobo or an interop problem between the two interfaces.
Have had prior, different network weirdness on mobo interfaces and none
yet on the Realtek ones, so am leaning toward there being some kind of
problem in the onboard interfaces.

The thing that twigged was that disabling and re-enabling the onboard
NIC made the problem go away temporarily.

Hope someone benefits from the documentation here.

Quote ===========
Spoke too soon...


Problem is much diminished if using the server console - it took about
an hour for the problem to manifest instead of 10 minutes.


Please - any theories or suggestions?


Quote ===========
Tried using the server console and - no problem!!!!


Any explanations? Current symptoms: moving files from B (Win2K
workstation) to C (win2K Server) using Computer A (Win2K Workstation)
freezes computer A. However, just doing it from the server (B to C
using console on C) is not a problem.


?related issue? server freezes up overnight while no file moving
activity is occurring.
 
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