Connect to the network and computer slows down. 1

[StNixon]

Hi all: I have a bunch of latop users that are constintantly in and out of the office. We just started upgrading to Lenovo T61s. They are all XP Pro, 3 GB Ram, 1Gb NICs, good machines.

The problem is when thay are out at client sites and Connect to the cliet network ALL the applications slow down. I.E. won't even get to the internet. The user does get all the correct IP information from the local DHCP server.
If they unplug the network cable then everything goes back to normal speeds. This ONLY happens when they are out of the office.
The big problem for me is I have been unable to duplicate the problem to do any testing.

 

[wahnula]

How are the NICs configured? Auto-DHCP or defined? What about DNS? Are they configured to point to a particular DNS server?

Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[linney]

Anything showing up in the Event Viewer?

When on-site can they connect via Safe Mode With Networking?

You might have to do a bit of traveling to diagnose the fault, or can you connect remotely to the laptops and do something that way What about if you liaise with the Client's Management and set things up so you can test a connection from one of the laptops to the "Clients Network"?

Similar machine, but running Vista, but the solution might be worth noting for you?

Hard Disk Thrashing - related to CPU 100%
thread1583-1477176

 

[Zen216]

Also, do you have any apps for work installed that may be using unc paths..?
(I had an issue once where the shortcuts for some apps were \\machinename\app.exe and when it was off the network or on a different network it would look for the apps that the shortcuts pointed to and timed out,, causing huge delays...
Also had issues with network printers causing delays as well when off the network...

 

[StNixon]

All are set to DHCP, and to pick up DNS from DHCP (so far all the client sites are set to DHCP).

The weird thing is that the CPU doesn't spike. It's like something is throtling the CPU to a slower base speed and ignoring all the RAM above 1 GB. (All these problems have happened in the field when plugged in and all the power settings are set to maximize speed over battery life).

I'll check the Hard Drive thrashing, but I don't thank that is it.

I'll also look for unc paths. The problem with that is the people with Dell laptops use the same apps accessed in the same way and they don't show the slow down.
But now that I think about it Mapped drives? Printers?
I am going out with a team week after next to observe this in person maybe I'll have moe answers.

 

[linney]

We are all interested in the outcome, so let us know what you find out.

 

[StNixon]

Now the problem has spread to one of the Dell Laptops. This is really weird. The Laptop was Ghosted with an image from last August and then Updated to everything but SP3. I just did another and DID not do any of the updates, so I have a comparison.
So if the updates are the problem it is something between November 07 (when the Lenovos were setup) and now.

I still need to check the Mapped Drive Issue.

 

[linney]

Are there any commonly appearing errors in the Event Viewers?

High rate of collisions on 100-megabit networks

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=315237

In Windows XP, when I copy files from a network share to my computer, I get a very slow transfer rate. How can I speed the copying of files?

http://www.petri.co.il/speed_up_network_file_copying_in_windows_xp.htm

Please help - no one seems to know
thread779-494796

 

[StNixon]

Linney:
I don't think it is because of collisions, but I will check.
All the laptops involved are 10/100/1000 and the test environment is 10/100/1000, but I don't know what the customer site is .....

Okay I'll set up an old switch I have and test for 10/100 and collisions.

Thanks

 

[StNixon]

GOT IT!!!!!!! Still needs more fine tuning, but it was the MAPPED drives!!!

I have all mapped drives scripted and set to persistant, I am going to stop making them persistant. For the users out in the field I will try to attach a script to the VPN clinet that will map only what is needed.

 

[linney]

Glad you finally solved that one, well done.

 

[PRPhx]

And those mapped drives, I would bet, show as being disconnected.

I've seen this where i work. To test, map a drive to a pc you have access to. Once you have the drive mapped, turn off that pc and reboot the pc you are testing. Bet it'll take some time to reboot, as it's trying to connect to a pc that the test machine can not see.

Boot the pc that was turned off, and your network speed will come back.

Here's a MS link that stats you should disconnect unused network connections:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/expert/northrup_restoreperf.mspx

Here's some more help: (Altho I'm not really sure how much)

http://www.ss64.com/nt/slow_browsing.html

Also, if you do a google search for such terms as:
slow network connection winxp you'll get a lot of responses. (Like >400,000!)