XP SMB problem with 2003 Server...caused by 2008 server?

[BudmanWV]

Hi everyone, I'm having a weird problem with slow file transfers from XP Pro to Server 2003...but I think it might have something to do with Windows Server 2008. I'll try to be detailed in my descriptions...please ask if I've left anything out. I have 3 sites to describe with the same problem:

Site 1: This is the original site where I found the problem. Basic network setup:

-2 x Windows Server 2003 boxes, both SP2, both 32 bit, both with gigabit NIC's, both domain controllers (all updates and latest drivers applied)

-1 x Dell 2724 gigabit switch -XP Pro clients (mix of SP2 and SP3), 32 bit, mix of 10/100 and gigabit cards

-1 x Windows Server 2008 box, SP2, 32 bit, all updates and latest drivers applied, DOMAIN MEMBER

This customer site has a Windows 2003 file server and a Windows 2003/Exchange 2003 server. They were having some network file sharing speed issues so I began troubleshooting. After testing file transfer speeds (using BartStuffTest5), I found that the XP clients were “downloading” from the 2003 server fine…but upload speed was about 512kb/s. But, from my laptop (Windows 7), the transfer speeds were fine. I tested both Server 2003 boxes with the same results…slow XP upload, Windows 7 fine. I then tested 2003 to 2003 speeds and 2008 to 2003 speeds – both fine. I also tested XP to 2003 with another network utility called JPERF (both TCP and UDP) – and both upload and download speeds are FINE. So the problem appears to be with SMB file shares…but only between XP 32 bit and 2003 server and only on XP upload to 2003. The XP client upload/download speeds to the 2008 server were outstandingly good. We did not notice this issue until after adding the 2008 server as a DOMAIN MEMBER.

Site 2: This is a different customer site, same problem, similar setup:

-Windows Server 2003, SP2, 32 bit, gigabit, domain controller

-Windows Server 2008, SP2, 32 bit, gigabit, domain member

This customer site has a very similar setup to the first site but with many more clients, many gigabit switches, and a mix of XP and Vista clients. The main difference is that at this site, the 2008 server is the file server and the 2003 server is AD and anti-virus only. I tested an XP client at this site yesterday, out of curiosity, and found the same speed issues as listed above.

Site 3: Our office, different setup, same issue:

-Windows Server 2008, SP1, 64 bit, domain controller, Exchange 2007, file server (Dell 2900 server with 16GB memory)

-Windows Server 2003, SP2, 32 bit, domain controller, temporary server

-Windows Server 2003, SP2, 32 bit, SEPARATE DOMAIN

Our site has the 2008 server as the main server with our file shares and Exchange. The 2003 server was just set up this week as a temporary server for some data migration we need to complete. I tested the temporary 2003 server here and found the same speed issues as above…slow XP 32 bit client upload to the 2003 server. All server to server transfers and other clients (Windows 7, Vista, XP 64 bit) are fine. Interestingly, on the same network, we have another 2003 server as a DC for a completely separate domain (which is going away soon). The XP 32 bit uploads to the SEPARATE DOMAIN DC are FINE!

Attempted resolutions:

-Disable TCP Chimney

-Disable SMB signing

-Updated NIC drivers

-Crossover cable direct connection between client and server

-Remove SP2 from 2003 server

-Build another 2003 server for Site 1 – speeds were fine until I joined it to the domain, then it had the same problem

-KB949316 patch applied to Server 2003

-Many other things which I can barely remember because I spent so many hours on this and got a little frazzled

So, my questions are, has anyone else seen this? If so, do you have any resolution(s) other than going to 2008 server exclusively? Have I missed something in my troubleshooting or do you have any other ideas I can try?

Thanks for any help, questions, and/or suggestions,

Budman

[Tripredacus]

I ran into a similar problem. Take a look at this:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?s=&amp...st&p=818425

[BudmanWV]

Tripredacus,

I had seen that thread before in my research and tried to make those changes. I have set the registry keys both ways (to enable and to disable SMB digital signatures). I tested it again today - and it has made a difference (went from ~750kb/s upload to 3Mb/s). But that upload speed is still a fraction of what it should be.

Thank you for the suggestion,

Budman

[Noise]

OpLocks?

From somewhere on the internet I copied a long time ago:

Disable opportunistic locking on either the client or on the server. To disable opportunistic locking on the client, set the following registry value to 1:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\MRXSmb\Parameters\OplocksDisabled
To disable opportunistic locking on the server, set the following registry value to 0:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanServer\Parameters\EnableOplocks
For more information about how to disable opportunistic locking, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 296264  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/296264/ ) Configuring opportunistic locking in Windows

Interesting that we had a similar problem Monday; Coping large files (>4GB) to a Isilon NAS. We ended up using ESEUTIL from the Exchange reskit to do the copy.

[Mr Snrub]

Our site has the 2008 server as the main server with our file shares and Exchange. The 2003 server was just set up this week as a temporary server for some data migration we need to complete. I tested the temporary 2003 server here and found the same speed issues as above…slow XP 32 bit client upload to the 2003 server. All server to server transfers and other clients (Windows 7, Vista, XP 64 bit) are fine. Interestingly, on the same network, we have another 2003 server as a DC for a completely separate domain (which is going away soon). The XP 32 bit uploads to the SEPARATE DOMAIN DC are FINE!

Okay, if you have an XP client that uploads via SMB to one W2K3 server slowly, but the same client to a different W2K3 server on the same LAN fast, then we have a scenario we can compare.

(If one of the servers is via a gateway then we don't have a like-for-like test, but maybe something useful anyway.)

Use NetMon or WireShark to capture 2 traces whilst copying a dummy ~20MB file to the 2 servers.

Use the command prompt to do the copy to rule out Explorer overhead, and let us know the times the same transfer took.

(Hint: use a batch file to echo %time% before and after the copy command to get accurate timings.)

Use a dummy user account and non-sensitive file contents and zip the files & upload them somewhere for me to take a look.

It's been a few years since I dealt with this kind of thing, so I might be a bit rusty, but we can look for delayed ACKs, retransmissions, dodgy MTUs, etc.