26-step improvement plan for: Windows runs too slowly, hangs or freezes. I
know it's a lot but your answer is bound to be in here somewhere!
1. Check system uptime (pagefile.sys modified date or in Task Manager: CPU
Time, or remotely with Uptime.exe). A reboot may be needed if the system
has been up for several days.
2. Check free disk space; delete Temp files/ Temporary Internet files &
Netscape cache
3. Check then clear the Event Viewer
4. Check size of user's profile
5. Turn off unneeded services
6. Check Virtual memory (pagefile size) locally (Control Panel > System >
Performance tab > Change) or remotely: (Remotely: Regedt32 to \\computername
then navigate to: HKey Local Machine\System\ CurrentControlSet\ Control\
SessionManager\Memory Management. The pagefile size may need to be
increased.
7. Open Task Manager, click Processes then CPU column to sort by processes
using the highest percentage of CPU time in descending order (highest at the
top). A common culprit is NTVDM.exe. DOS-based and 16-bit applications
have to run inside NTVDM.exe. As they may try to access the hardware
continually, such as non-stop keyboard polling, CPU cycles will be used up
quickly. There are very few good solutions to this problem, other than
upgrading the application to 32-bit. Also, a scheduled task invoking a CMD
or BAT file which is running continuously in the background due to script
logic error or a resource the script is calling cannot be found.
8. Lower video resolution via Control Panel > Display > Settings tab > lower
Refresh Frequency
9. Turn off any OpenGL screensaver or change to a system default screensaver
10. Check for real-time Anti-virus running (no need to run more than one
type of AV engine simultaneously)
11. Turn off FindFast (via Control Panel & "All Users" Startup folder)
12. Remove unnecessary network protocols (NWLink IPX/SPX is often at fault
in networks no longer running Novell NetWare)
13. Defragment (and ensure not defragmentation is not running in the
background as a process - DiskKeeper is notorious for this. A badly
fragmented hard drive or MFT, a corrupted MFT or FAT, or physical damage to
the drive (particularly if the MFT or page file is trying to use a bad
sector) are possible causes of slow performance
14. Check Control Panel > System > Performance > and verify that the total
amount of paging is equal to at least 12MB greater than physical RAM.
Determine how much RAM is installed via Control Panel > System > Performance
General. Setting the MIN and MAX size of the pagefile to the same number
will prevent pagefile fragmentation.
14. Recreate the user's profile
15. Investigate a possible Network problem (is there a broadcast storm
somewhere, is someone copying large files (such as movie files), over the
network, or from the Internet? Is a deployment team or a Helpdesk
downloading or copying images (such as those built using Norton Ghost) over
the network, are backing up large amounts of user data during production
hours?
16. Ensure client NIC speed is equals the same setting as all switches and
servers in the network (for example, every client workstation and network
device set to 100mbs/full duplex)
16. Look into a Wiring closet problem
17. Add more RAM (open Task Manager, verify that the Total Physical Memory
is greater than Total Commit Charge during normal system operation. If it
isn't, more RAM is needed)
18. Hard drive is slow or there is a mainboard problem
19. Verify proper SCSI termination
20. Run CHKDSK to verify the physical integrity of the disk. A bad sector
in an area used by a critical file - such as pagefile.sys - can slow the
system to a crawl
21. Stop and restart the Spooler service
22. Investigate whether this could be a poorly-written, unsigned, or
out-dated device driver which is not releasing the CPU. Each device
interacts with the computer by interrupting the processor so that the device
can send or retrieve data or carry out a function. A device must have a
method for telling the computer's processor that it needs attention. A
hardware device must have a method for telling the computer's processor that
it needs attention. A hardware device tells the CPU it needs attention
through an interrupt request (IRQ) line. By using this method of
interruption, the CPU can function without the need to ask a device every
few seconds whether it needs service. When a device interrupts a CPU, the
CPU stops what it is doing and handles the service request. Because each
device is assigned an IRQ number when the device is configured, the system
knows which device needs attention. After the CPU has attended to the
device, it returns to the function it was performing before the
interruption. Now, what if a device is constrantly requesting the attention
of the CPU? Other devices would not get attention and hence the apparence
of a "freeze". A technician can investigate wheter an unsigned driver is
the source of the problem by running the File Signature Verification
utility. To run this, go to Start > Run > enter Sigverif then click OK.
After pressing Start on the resulting dialog window, the process will notify
you if it finds any unsigned drivers on the system. Note, this can also be
outputted to a log. Remove any unsigned drivers and replace with devices
which have signed drivers (such hardware is sold with a Microsoft Windows
compatible logo on it).
23. The problem may be SMB signing or LAN Manager authentication level. In
Windows 2003, default server policy forces all SMB traffic to be digitally
signed which seems to cause a problem in some configurations of XP Pro. In
Local Security Policy (Start > Run > secpol.msc > OK) navigate to security
options (Security settings > Local policies > Security) and try disabling
the option for Microsoft network server:digitally sign
communications(always). Ensure you do this on all machines involved (such
as via a GPO for an OU). Run gpupdate /force on the server after making the
change and do the same on the client machine afterwards.
321169 Slow SMB performance when you copy files from Windows XP to a Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=321169
Security settings that can cause a problem with downlevel client access:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[LN];811497
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;823659
24. Or this, if XP and/or Windows 2003 computers are involved:
New registry entry for controlling the TCP Acknowledgment (ACK) behavior in
Windows XP and in Windows Server 2003:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=328890
25. Possible problem with Lsass.exe.
Windows Server 2003-Based Computer Becomes Slow and Unresponsive After
Running for Several Days:
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;821008
Computer Does Not Respond to Client Requests After Lsass.exe Stops
Responding:
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;821265
The Server Stops Responding and an Access Violation Occurs in Lsass.exe When
the Server Reloads Certain Policy Parameters:
http://support.microsoft.com/Default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;826819
26. Have you run an adware/spyware scan?
Dealing with Unwanted Malware, Parasites, Toolbars and Search Engines:
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
See also:
http://www.Microsoft.com/spyware
Free online spyware scanner:
http://download.zonelabs.com/bin/promotions/spywaredetector/index_email.html
28. If none of the above resolves the problem, perform the following:
1. Click Start->Run->Msconfig
2. Goto the Startup tab, and click the Disable All button.
3. Goto the Services tab, click to check "Hide All Microsoft
Services" and click the Disable All button.
4. Click Ok to exit and reboot your machine.
Check to see if this resolves the problem. If so, then the cause is among
the disabled startup programs and services. Enable them one by one to find
out which one is slowing the machine down.
http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=822219 "You Experience Slow File Server
Performance and Delays Occur When You Work With Files That Are Located on a
File Server "
--
Todd J Heron, MCSE
Windows Server 2003/2000/NT; CCA
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
This posting is provided "as is" with no warranties and confers no rights.
Hi,
We have an application that uses CSocket to send and receive messages,
(written in VC++6).
We have one 'server' application where all the messages are send to, and
from time to time the server does send messages to the 'clients'.
The system has been working for quite sometime so we know there is no
memory/handle leaks of any sort, (24hours a day 7 days a week).
All the machines are WinNT(SP6) and Win2000(SP2), (one server and 9
clients).
The problem we are having is that from time to time, (on a daily basis), the
server slows to a crawl. It is as if there are so many messages to deal with
that the server is battling to handles them all.
And to make it worse, the clients are programmed to ensure that the server
is still running and start sending messages if the server takes too long to
get back to them.
But after some time the server seems to get back on it's feet and back to
speed. So the server does get out of the mess once all the messages are
handled.
I now have to go on client site and investigate, (it's in another country
where technology is a bit behind to say the least).
But before I go there, I was wondering if some of you could give me some
pointers.
How can I test the network traffic between the server and the clients.
How could I log that the server is getting itself into a mess?
Is there a way to log if another program is using the network? and if so,
can I log what it is and what share of the network they are using.
How can I test if there are collisions?
How can I log if the server is working too long on a certain message?
And, the server also uses ODBC, (MS Access), to log important messages.
Could that cause a problem on a daily basis? Maybe the table backs itself
up?
Many thanks for any help you can give me.
Simon
