Need help speeding up Windows SBS2003...

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Dew itt right

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Oct 28, 2005
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I'll have to admit this was my first server project. I did it for a family friend who owns a body shop. First time I installed Server 2003 for Small Businesses and it was pretty quick, then ran the "Continue Setup" shortcut (or something like that) on the desktop and that finished setting up the server and really slowed things down. So I reformatted, reinstalled SBS2003, and didn't run the "Continue Setup" this time. I setup his estimate and claim writting software and the server and all connected workstations work beautifully!

Then I found out the hard way that SBS2003 only lets the server operate for 7 days without running that "Continue Setup" and after that it starts shutting down the server automatically every 2 hours or so. So naturally I ran it again and it's back to it's full slow installation.

My question is which processes and services can I cut out to speed it back up again. It connects to the workstations via a switch and simply holds the database that stores all the vehicle info and claim/estimate archives. It's only purpose is essentially network storage. It's not used for anything else and it sits in a closet so it's not used by anybody on a regular basis.

Server Specs:
Asus P5BV-E
Xeon X3220
2 x 2Gb DDR2-1066
2 x 500Gb Samsung F3's in RAID 1
Intel PWLA8391GT 10/100/1000Mbps PCI PRO/1000 GT NIC
Cooler Master 460W PSU
 
"SBS2003 only lets the server operate for 7 days without running that 'Continue Setup'"

Is it activated? A security vulnerability? Try it again, don't continue setup, but make sure you (a) activate and (b) install EVERY update/service pack you can, and see if it still does it.

As for the slowness, you probably added a bunch of server roles you don't need and that's what slowed it down. Or it's the OS. If you have the chance, I'd move them to SBS 2008 if you're going to start again from scratch.
 
Continuing SBS setup installs exchange, sql server, share point, and a bunch of other stuff. If you don't need them, take em off.

It really shouldn't be slowing that system down though unless you have some other problems. I used to run SBS 2003 with everything installed on a dual PIII-1.0 for a small business. If all you're doing is running a file server, SBS wasn't really the right choice for the server OS.
 
darkpaw said:
Continuing SBS setup installs exchange, sql server, share point, and a bunch of other stuff.
Click to expand...

Yep, so it sounds as if the "upgrade" to SBS failed and your truly only sitting on a Server 2003 box for now.
 
djBon2112 said:
"SBS2003 only lets the server operate for 7 days without running that 'Continue Setup'"

Is it activated? A security vulnerability? Try it again, don't continue setup, but make sure you (a) activate and (b) install EVERY update/service pack you can, and see if it still does it.
Click to expand...

It's a little known fact SBS will start shutting down if you don't complete the integrated wizard.
 
The automatic shutdown after 7 days is a know issue. It has to do with not setting up the server as a domain controller being a violation of the EULA. Something like that anyway.

Unfortunately the only OS supported by the claim/estimate writing software on the server is Server 2003. No other OS is supported.

darkpaw said:
Continuing SBS setup installs exchange, sql server, share point, and a bunch of other stuff. If you don't need them, take em off.

It really shouldn't be slowing that system down though unless you have some other problems. I used to run SBS 2003 with everything installed on a dual PIII-1.0 for a small business. If all you're doing is running a file server, SBS wasn't really the right choice for the server OS.
Click to expand...

I guess that's what I'm asking. I'm not sure of exactly what the second setup process installed. I'm just trying to find out what processes/services I can stop without losing functionality and without causing the random shut-downs again.
 
You should be able to remove any of the programs you are not using. The licensing requirement is that the SBS server is the main domain controller. It is sold as a package deal with the other server programs to get a small business up and off the ground. You don't have to run those programs (exchange, sql sever, etc), but it does have to be a domain controller (and specifically the first domain controller in a new forest IIRC).
 
There is 1 service you can disable which will prevent that automatic shutdown if you have not completed SBS Setup. "SBCore"

But then of course you're probably getting tangled up in the licensing agreement and breaking it.

That being said, dunno why anyone would want to not complete SBS Setup, if you just wanted a workstation OS should have stuck with XP or vanilla server in workgroup mode.

FYI, SQL Server only comes with SBS Premium, it is not included in SBS Standard.

If you just wanted a barebones server such as Server 2003, to run lean and mean, SBS is the wrong server OS for you, as it has a ton of other cool features which are great for a small business, such as Exchange mail, Sharepoint, Remote Web Workplace portal, shared fax from desktop, etc. But a speedy lean and mean server it is not. Esp on desktop SATA drives, you want 15krpm SCSI/SAS drives, and you want to split those up in a few arrays, RAID1 for the OS, RAID 1 or 5 or 10 array for the data/infostore/etc.
 
YeOldeStonecat said:
There is 1 service you can disable which will prevent that automatic shutdown if you have not completed SBS Setup. "SBCore"

But then of course you're probably getting tangled up in the licensing agreement and breaking it.

That being said, dunno why anyone would want to not complete SBS Setup, if you just wanted a workstation OS should have stuck with XP or vanilla server in workgroup mode.

FYI, SQL Server only comes with SBS Premium, it is not included in SBS Standard.
Click to expand...

Again, the program required Server 2003 on the server. I would have LOVED to use XP but I didn't have a choice. I guess I'll just start pulling the plug on some programs and stop when it gets unstable/unusable. Thanks...
 
Dew itt right said:
Again, the program required Server 2003 on the server.
Click to expand...

And that's fine..many do. But Server 03 is simply a component in the suite of SBS. SBS is a suite of servers. It appears you want Server 03 all by itself...that's a different product than SBS.
 
YeOldeStonecat said:
And that's fine..many do. But Server 03 is simply a component in the suite of SBS. SBS is a suite of servers. It appears you want Server 03 all by itself...that's a different product than SBS.
Click to expand...

I guess I should've mentioned that I was rebuilding a new server to replace an existing one which had SBS2003. The owner wanted me to reuse the SBS2003 instead of buying a new OS so I really had no option. I wish the original builder had been smart enough not to use the SBS suite...
 
Dew itt right said:
I guess I should've mentioned that I was rebuilding a new server to replace an existing one which had SBS2003. The owner wanted me to reuse the SBS2003 instead of buying a new OS so I really had no option. I wish the original builder had been smart enough not to use the SBS suite...
Click to expand...

Take this as a learning lesson then. You DO have a choice, you can either choose to do things the right way for customers or the hacked up, band-aided method. It's up to you to *research* your options and decide the most prudent option that will result in the least amount of problems.

Don't be so quick to judge whoever setup the first time, maybe there was an idea to utilize the full capabilities of SBS in the future, you simply don't know what they had in mind.

And as a final tidbit of advice, you can't have two SBS servers on the same domain on the same network. Otherwise you'll get very similiar shutdown messages after a few days as you've already experienced.
 
SJConsultant said:
Take this as a learning lesson then. You DO have a choice, you can either choose to do things the right way for customers or the hacked up, band-aided method. It's up to you to *research* your options and decide the most prudent option that will result in the least amount of problems.

Don't be so quick to judge whoever setup the first time, maybe there was an idea to utilize the full capabilities of SBS in the future, you simply don't know what they had in mind.

And as a final tidbit of advice, you can't have two SBS servers on the same domain on the same network. Otherwise you'll get very similiar shutdown messages after a few days as you've already experienced.
Click to expand...

Not sure where that's coming from. Per the owner's orders I had no choice but to use the SBS2003 he already had. The server has never been used for any other purpose and was never meant to be used for any other purpose. We've spoken at length about the purpose of the server and about the original builder's incompetence. The guy tried to set up a RAID 1 setup by copy-and-pasting the system files on to 3 drives! :D Sad thing is he runs his own PC shop and charges a fortune (I saw the invoices). He also setup the owner up with a file backup process that didn't even backup the correct claim/estimate files. I can assure you that 90% of the issues I've been dealing with were existing issues. I have no problem admitting that the other 10% is due to my inexperience in servers and office networking. It's worked out great however because I'm charging the owner a very small amount because I want to use this as a learning experience.

The office only has 1 server so the dual SBS server issue isn't a problem. Thanks for the advice anyway though...
 
Dew itt right said:
Not sure where that's coming from. Per the owner's orders I had no choice but to use the SBS2003 he already had. The server has never been used for any other purpose and was never meant to be used for any other purpose. We've spoken at length about the purpose of the server and about the original builder's incompetence. The guy tried to set up a RAID 1 setup by copy-and-pasting the system files on to 3 drives! :D Sad thing is he runs his own PC shop and charges a fortune (I saw the invoices). He also setup the owner up with a file backup process that didn't even backup the correct claim/estimate files. I can assure you that 90% of the issues I've been dealing with were existing issues. I have no problem admitting that the other 10% is due to my inexperience in servers and office networking. It's worked out great however because I'm charging the owner a very small amount because I want to use this as a learning experience.

The office only has 1 server so the dual SBS server issue isn't a problem. Thanks for the advice anyway though...
Click to expand...

It's coming from years of experience with dealing with business owners. Business owners are not right all the time and sometimes you have to point out in a very graceful manner the errors of their "demands".

I've walked away from clients who insist on doing things that I know for a fact are going to cause problems. You don't want to find yourself in a position where the owner paid you to do something he/she demanded to be done in a certain way, then bitch at you because what you did didn't work.

Just trying to impart some experience that you'll eventually figure out for yourself when you've had enough time under your belt.;)
 
Thanks, I do appreciate the advice (aside from the pat-on-the-head at the end there). I'm definitely learning more about servers and small office networks, which is why I told him I'd do this for him in the first place. He knows I'd redo it with basic server 2003 if he wanted to pay for the OS but he doesn't want to spend that extra money right now so I guess it's back to trimming down our current setup...
 
Heres a thought, you said this was your first server project...... so this means you have zero experience with setting up a domain controller? Could you describe in more detail exactly what is slow?
 
Correct, zero experience with domain controllers. I'll be heading over there on Saturday to finish up some other work so I can get more details on the sluggishness then...
 
On the Small Business Server, learn to do everything with the "Server Management" panel that SBS has.

Configure the network settings using the "CEICW"...Configure EMail and Internet Connection Wizard....found in the "Things to do" list at the top of the Server Management control panel

Pretty much everything you need to do on a server you do in this Server Management panel in SBS.

Here's an old guide I wrote a few years ago to help with servers on a little network
http://www.speedguide.net/read_articles.php?id=1660

It's old, needs to be updated..but the general points are still valid .the focus on DNS on yoru network so active directory works.
 
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