Netware client slows down access to Windows server

Some of our clients login to both Novell and a Windows 2003 domain server.
The Novell client really slows down access to files on the 2003 server. It takes 15" to respond when clicking on a shortcut icon (the first time) on the windows server. Upgrading to the newest Novell client helps somewhat, but still slow. The built-in Netware client in Windows XP is not as slow.
We're wondering if anyone has seen this problem? We could remove Netware, to fix the problem but it would be nice to use both. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Much appreciate your suggestion. We tried that, and it does seem to help, on some network icons. However other icons are still slow.
I wonder if that has something to do with the Netware client, since removing it fixes the slowness.
We can get by with the slowness but it is a bit inconvenient sometimes!

 

Hi DLA

When this slowdown happens does winlogon show an inordinate amount of CPU usage?

Are there events in the event logs pointing to this problem or to Socket errors?

Do you actually have the Netware Client installed in 2k3 or the Microsoft Client service for Netware? Or (surely not) perhaps both???

If you have both get rid of one. I suggest that if the Users that have the Novell client can connect sucessfully to 3k3 server you are better of with the Microsoft client.

Other things that can cause these issues are bad dns records and bad or unnessesary winsock entries.

To do this from the command line use this
Netsh WinSock Reset

To flush DNS
ipconfig /flushdns
then to get fresh
ipconfig /registerdns

To clear NetBios use
nbtstat -RR

Here is a link that may help
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/811259

Another help could be Clearing ARP
netsh interface ip delete arpcache

Finally do a deep clean of the Temps using CCleaner and ATF-Cleaner.

Of course the above would be better done after hours or when users are offline for server maintenance.

Mike

 

I will be away traveling for the next week beginning tomorrow Tuesday after 3 PM.

Just checking is this issue resolved?

Mike

 

Much appreciate your help.
Actually the few workstations we need to login to Novel, are using the Novell Client 4.91, because of the need to run NWAdmin, (that isn't support by MS Client for Novell).
I would like to try those netsh commands etc., Just wondering if they are run on the server or client computers, or both?
Will do some more research too with that article you suggested.
It's not our highest priority issue now, but would be great to figure out eventually.

 

Those items should be run on the server.

Mike

 

Nice one Steve!

 

Yes this works great!
I ran all of your suggested commands, including running Ccleaner.
Then right after rebooting the server, the very first time clicking on a network icon, from a workstation, it still responded slow (15 "). However, after that one time, they all now respond almost instantaneous.
Then rebooted the workstation and verified they all respond fast.

I'm not sure what all the commands do, but it seems to have rebuilt the routing table much more efficiently. Interesting this problem happened only with Client32 but not MS Client. But we need Client32 for some advanced options.
Again much appreciate your help, this has helped our server run better too.

 

Fantastical!

Who wouda thunk it!

You didn't bleve I knowed bout machinery did you!

Mike

 

Yes your expertise on Windows servers is most helpful, especially since we've been a Novell based network for a long time, and have a lot to learn. We want to take good care of these so they'll last. Thanks again.
Dave