Slow Windows 2003 Server Boot

V

Vertigo Acid

2(-log[H+])4u
Joined
May 31, 2003
Messages
12,410
Well, i've been using W2K3SRV for about a month now, and I really like it, except one thing: It takes *forever* to get through "Preparing network connections" I know it's not a speed issue, it's running on dualie 1.8s. Any ideas of what might be causing the slowdown?
 
If it's searching for a DHCP where there isn't one or where it is one, that could cause a major slow down.
 
Yeah, I thought about that but it is running DHCP, and so therefore has static IPs.
Click to expand...
If it has static IPs, it's not being assigned anything via DHCP.

And it takes as long as it does because it's starting up server services for the network connections, hence it being Windows Server 2003. If you're running it as a workstation, then you're already facing the issue of not using it how it was designed, so I don't see how much of a problem you're having there outside of wanting a great dane to behave like a chihuahua.
 
I don't think you understood my post. It is being used as a server, and is running a DHCP Server among other things. When it's not serving games tho at LAN parties, I use it for video editing and have to deal with the bootup.
 
That's just it, though. If you turn off those services (not recommended, but it's your box to play with), then you'll get a faster boot. However, since it's not even designed to be rebooted often, I don't think "fast boot" was on the list of priorities. If you want to play with the service settings, you'll get faster times. Just remember what you change and make sure to know why (this'll help if you forget what you changed and/or have to double-check).

I didn't misunderstand, but you're saying that you're using it as both a server (LAN parties) and workstation (video editing). It's doing exactly what it's supposed to be doing when you use it as a server, and it takes so long when you want to use it as a workstation because it's still working like a server. :)
 
:rolleyes:
Windows 2000 Server never took this long to boot, and I don't believe i'm running any more services now that I upgraded. I'll check today
 
Boot times are typically dependent on the number, type, and configuration of the system. Asking us to troubleshoot this problem without providing *alot* more details is at best a "shot in the dark".

For starters:

1. What does the server do in your environment? (please list *everything*)
2. What are the hardware specs on the system?
3. Is this a gradual slowdown or did this issue come on all of a sudden?
4. Define "forever" and if possible, time the boot process.
5. Any errors or warnings in the event logs?
 
1. OK here goes: It's running as a DHCP server, a Domain Controler for 4 other PCs at my home(so not much load there), DNS, FTP, Terminal Services for Remote Admin, and during the day mostly Folds, and at LAN parties every other weekend or so I run dedicated servers off of it. Also, when it's not servering, I rip DVDs and do some basic video editing. I could list all the services running if it would help.

2. See Sig, it's the second one listed. The boot drive is a 120gb WD 7200 RPM 8mb Cache, swap file is on 2x9gb RAID 0 10K RPM Cheetahs, and i'll probably be moving the OS over to that sometime, or the HD i'm picking up today which is 18gb, 15K RPM and U160 :D

3. The issue has been since I installed

4. Uptime reported is 2:30-ish by windowsuptime which starts right after log-on. It's forever compared to my other boxen running XP/2000 and yes that includes the previous install of Windows 2000 Server that I had before I upgraded.

5. Will clear and check event log again, but no not that I know of

Also, is there any reason why 2003 server is more suited to what i'm doing than 2K? If not, i'll probably switch back.
 
Active Directory in itself will slow down the whole startup process and quite honestly it doesn't matter if you've got 4 or 10 computers on your network, the time will be the same.

If the system starts up and the login prompt appears in 5 minutes or less then I'd say there isn't much of a problem there for a small domain controller. You have to remember it has to load a number of services before it can allow anyone to log in either remotely or via console. Furthermore, even after you log on via console, the system is still finishing loading the rest of the services, so it's kinda impossible to say *if* there is any problem at all considering you've experienced the same "slowness" since the day you installed it. Comparing 2K3 to 2K isn't exactly making a fair comparison either.

I'm very skeptical about any third party software that claims the ability to say *exactly* when a system boots, largely because Windows does not necessarily load services in the exact same order every time it boots. Furthermore I'm still not clear as to what your calling "forever" when waiting for the network connections portion of the GUI.


I've got a single P4 system with 1GB Ram, dual 80GB 7200 RPM 8MB cache HDDs mirrored with SBS 2003 Premium installed. Boot times for that server are around 5 minutes with all the services that are loaded on that box.
 
I am using forever as a relative comparison between previous 2000 Server installs on this same box, and to WXP (which I realize isn't too fair)

As for windowsuptime, it just reads the uptime reported by the system, so I guess it would be from the time Windows Time starts. Same if you would have used: http://www.microsoft.com/ntserver/nts/downloads/management/uptime/default.asp but with a nice pretty face.

What I don't understand is why you say that comparing 2K and 2K3 isn't fair. I'm running same setup, with the same services, but my boot time is almost 4 times longer, WUT used to report as 25 seconds and I know it feels much slower as well. Oh well, new thought: What am I getting from 2K3 that I don't get with 2K?
 
2K and 2K3 are not the same OS, which is why he said comparing the two isn't a fair comparison. Not only are different services starting, but the services themselves are different, and depending on how you set up what, as well as when you set them up relative to each other, the services are going to load differently. Running zero network services on both operating systems will probably yield you similar boot times, but once you turn on these services—especially the domain controller service—the differences between the OSes will begin to show to the trained eye. The layout of the operating system, while similar, is not the same. The subsystems are very different (more than the difference between 2K and XP). The kernel itself is loading slightly different (and more) things than the 2K Server kernel at boot time. More steps are taken in the boot process of 2003 to ensure the safe starting and securing of services before a terminal or a logon is even available than with 2000, which would easily account for the increased time to boot a machine that has multiple network services set up.

Also, you may want to double-check your configuration (especially for domain controller). If you simply set it up just like the older 2K config, you may have missed something that may be causing extra time to be taken when starting.

You see, there could be many different factors as to why it takes as long as it does, but complaining that it takes longer to boot than your 2K Server time is not a good enough explanation that something is wrong.
 
I just for giggles rebooted one of my 2k3 servers. It took just about 4 mins to fire back up and the other systems to log back in. What is your time?

Specs
Tyan 2x2000mp
1 gb mem ecc mode
80gb wd 8mb cache
RRAS, DNS, AD, DHCP, Exchange.

Excessive would be like 10 minutes
 
2K3 is somewhat derived from the XP code base so some of the baggage from XP also carries over like the "hidden" eye-candy, the 2 uPnP services (2K has none of that). AD service also undergoes some changes AFAIK.

And one thing that 2K3 definitely stands out: the .NET framework. It's a beast if you think 10 more seconds is "forever".
 
I use windows 2003 as a workstation (and it is a workstation OS, even MS have cinfirmed this for me) and the man thing i can see wrong is using AD on it will kicked it in the balls something major

Other than that i find it to be feaster booting that my tweaked winxp box

Have you tweaksed the sytem via one of the many 2k3server to workstation conversion guides?
 
Nope, I haven't because i'm still using it partially in a server roll. I think I will go back to 2000 Server this weekend, unless anyone can give me a good reason to stick w/ 2003.
 
I couldn't tell if you are running active directory... sorry, I read the posts fast.
Slow 'usually' means improperly configured DNS with active directory.
NetDiag.exe is another good tool to check out to get to the bottom of things.
ain't windows fun..
 
2K3 is somewhat derived from the XP code base so some of the baggage from XP also carries over like the "hidden" eye-candy, the 2 uPnP services (2K has none of that).
Click to expand...
There is no "hidden eye-candy" in 2003. In fact, if you want the "eye-candy" you see in XP, you have to turn a bunch of things on that are off by default in 2003.

And Vertigo:
I think I will go back to 2000 Server this weekend, unless anyone can give me a good reason to stick w/ 2003.
Click to expand...
Go ahead back to it. It sounds like you are treating 2K3 like and expecting it to behave like 2000 anyway.
 
GreNME said:
There is no "hidden eye-candy" in 2003. In fact, if you want the "eye-candy" you see in XP, you have to turn a bunch of things on that are off by default in 2003.
Click to expand...
At least uxtheme.dll is in 2003 but not in 2000? ;)
 
But there's nothing hidden about it, and as I already said, it doesn't work.
 
j4zzee said:
I couldn't tell if you are running active directory... sorry, I read the posts fast.
Slow 'usually' means improperly configured DNS with active directory.
NetDiag.exe is another good tool to check out to get to the bottom of things.
ain't windows fun..
Click to expand...

Just because it's slow booting up to a logon prompt does not mean something is wrong, besides that the poster still has not defined what "slow" is.
 
But I have defined why it's slower than 2K booting the same things: it loads and locks down those things before one ever gets to a logon prompt or a desktop, much unlike the 2K way of handling things. In 2K, the services would be loading even as the logon prompt would show up. Granted, it's not that much less secure, but the proofs-of-concepts behind injecting a virus on startup show that it can be done. Even XP—with the advent of SP2—will have this safer startup procedure. 2003 Server already has it. The down side to safer booting is that you're going to take a minute or two longer getting everything up and set before a human hand can even touch anything that can change it.

This is, in my opinion, a Good Thing™. If being more secure during boot time is something you value, then 2003 Server is a better option. If you aren't that concerned and absolutely demand a quicker boot, then go ahead and use 2000. For 99% of the people who use servers, boot times are not a huge issue because reboots are so few and far between as to be negligable on the list of considerations, while security and granularity are at the top.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top