Still need help with freezing XP/SBS fax clients :(

  • Thread starter Thread starter JamesH
  • Start date Start date
J

JamesH

We're having a problem with our network where the Fax Console is
"freezing" our Win XP boxes when faxing from an XP SP2 client out
through a Small Business 2003 SP1 server. The freezing initially was
happening on one workstation, with others able to use the Fax console,
but now other workstations are having the same issues. Sending a fax
with the fax printer driver does not cause the freezing--only opening
the fax console causes it.

It looks to me like what's happening is the Fax system is taking over
the network connection and preventing any other network traffic from
getting through. When a user opens the fax console a few seconds later
Outlook spits up a message that the connection has been lost to the
Exchange server. When it's locked I can't get in to the machine via
RDP. The local user can still open the start menu, etc, but any
programs that use network communications are non-responsive. This lasts

for at least 10 minutes and typically requires us to restart the
machine, although we did leave once and when we came back several hours

later the machine was responding.


The workstation is Windows XP SP2, the server is Windows Small Business

Server 2003 with SP1, fully updated including the patches to install
SP2 to XP clients. On the XP client, after these problems started, I
went to Add/Remove Programs > Windows Components and uninstalled XP's
Fax software, then re-pushed the Fax client out from the server using
SBS 2003's Install Client Software feature.


The following are logged in the application log on the client when the
computer is booted, but I'm not sure if these are only displayed
because there is no modem in the local workstation.:


=================================
Event Type: Warning
Event Source: Microsoft Fax
Event Category: Initialization/Termination
Event ID: 32026
Date: 1/24/2006
Time: 9:01:22 AM
User: N/A
Computer: BMWKS03
Description:
Fax Service failed to initialize any assigned fax devices (virtual or
TAPI). No faxes can be sent or received until a fax device is
installed.
==================================
Event Type: Warning
Event Source: Microsoft Fax
Event Category: Initialization/Termination
Event ID: 32068
Date: 1/24/2006
Time: 9:01:22 AM
User: N/A
Computer: BMWKS03
Description:
The outgoing routing rule is not valid because it cannot find a valid
device. The outgoing faxes that use this rule will not be routed.
Verify that the targeted device or devices (if routed to a group of
devices) is connected and installed correctly, and turned on. If routed

to a group, verify that the group is configured correctly.
Country/region code: '*' Area code: '*'
==================================


Note that we are having some other fax issues (some incoming faxes are
failing to be received, and fax notifications are failing to be sent to

exchange mailboxes) but so far I'm treating this as a seperate issue.
This is a previously unused fax installation and I hadn't yet got the
other server features working correctly.


Anyone have suggestions on fixing the freezing on the clients?
 
Thanks for the link Russ,

Yes. Unfortunately I've already been through that document and followed
the steps without help.

I'm about to just wipe the hard drives on the machines and reinstall
Windows, unless someone can point me to some good tips on advanced
troubleshooting of processes that are locking up a machine?

Thanks again,

James
 
I can send you some information on how to enable PSS and debug logging of
fax transmissions on the PC. It's pretty laborious.
Are these freezes modem specific?
 
The freezes are happening on the client machines, which do not have
modems in them.

I've been assuming the clients just send the fax file (tiff) to a
spooler on the SBS 2003 server, which then handles the fax
transmission. Am I wrong on this? Does the client talk directly via
some pipe to the modem and even though the modem is on the server I
should suspect it as a possible cause? Is there a good technical
treatise available on the guts of this system?

And yes, I'd love any debug info you have. Anything to give me clues to
what's going on inside would be helpful.

Thanks,

James
I can send you some information on how to enable PSS and debug logging of
fax transmissions on the PC. It's pretty laborious.
Are these freezes modem specific?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
JamesH said:
Thanks for the link Russ,

Yes. Unfortunately I've already been through that document and followed
the steps without help.

I'm about to just wipe the hard drives on the machines and reinstall
Windows, unless someone can point me to some good tips on advanced
troubleshooting of processes that are locking up a machine?

Thanks again,

James
 
The debug files only log the transmission. I doubt the they will help with
this. Send me (offline) a valid email address which can accept attachments
and I'll send you the instructions.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
JamesH said:
The freezes are happening on the client machines, which do not have
modems in them.

I've been assuming the clients just send the fax file (tiff) to a
spooler on the SBS 2003 server, which then handles the fax
transmission. Am I wrong on this? Does the client talk directly via
some pipe to the modem and even though the modem is on the server I
should suspect it as a possible cause? Is there a good technical
treatise available on the guts of this system?

And yes, I'd love any debug info you have. Anything to give me clues to
what's going on inside would be helpful.

Thanks,

James
I can send you some information on how to enable PSS and debug logging of
fax transmissions on the PC. It's pretty laborious.
Are these freezes modem specific?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
JamesH said:
Thanks for the link Russ,

Yes. Unfortunately I've already been through that document and followed
the steps without help.

I'm about to just wipe the hard drives on the machines and reinstall
Windows, unless someone can point me to some good tips on advanced
troubleshooting of processes that are locking up a machine?

Thanks again,

James
 
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