Windows 2003 server - explorer unstable?

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voteMash

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Feb 19, 2005
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I've been having this problem with windows 2003 server explorer.exe... Every half an hour the active explorer window will freeze up and the whole system will slow to a crawl. It's easily rectified by closing it through task manager and running it again, but it happens several times every night so I find I can't live with it too much longer...

I've not been able to spot any sort of pattern either. I'll just be using explorer in a totally acceptable fashion and then it freezes.

I don't have any funky shell extensions installed apart from a patched uxtheme.dll, and the only other thing I can think of is I have a fair few services disabled. It's nothing to do with movie or image previews either as I turned them off (the ones in the left panel). I don't have any microsoft updates or service packs installed either (though I like to think I run a pretty clean system).

Can anyone help?

Cheers

edit: system information:
xp 2400+, 1gb ram, Soltek 75frn motherboard, I doubt this comes into it.
It's not the graphics card/drivers as I just upgraded from an old nvidia to a newer ATI and still have the problem.
 
voteMash said:
I don't have any funky shell extensions installed apart from a patched uxtheme.dll, and the only other thing I can think of is I have a fair few services disabled. It's nothing to do with movie or image previews either as I turned them off (the ones in the left panel). I don't have any microsoft updates or service packs installed either (though I like to think I run a pretty clean system).
Click to expand...

I see quite a possible causes right there. Disabling services is almost always a bad idea. Hacking the uxtheme.dll or any other system file on a Server is not a good idea either. Lastly, and definitely most incorrect is avoided updates and patches. It's possible you have a security hole that was exploited by some malware, and since you haven't patched the system, it's exploiting it.
 
The above is correct. NT-based systems are rock-solid if properly maintained.
 
Thing is, I've run this OS for a couple of years and I havn't always had this problem, tho I have always disabled services, never updated, and run the hacked uxtheme.dll... But I am going to try to get some updates to see if it makes a difference.

Here's a list of the services I run, perhaps it will hold clues:

services.png
 
Can I ask why the hell you would ever EVER run a server and NOT update it?
 
I'm not really running a server. I just prefer 2k3 to XP.

And I've had great luck doing without updates, I just run Sygate PF and (more recently) Nod32 AV. I can't see the benefit of endlessly updating my system. I doubt there are speed increases to be had and I doubt that it would improve the windows half-life. Perhaps I am wrong (hense going to try updates as stated in last post).
 
voteMash said:
I'm not really running a server. I just prefer 2k3 to XP.

And I've had great luck doing without updates, I just run Sygate PF and (more recently) Nod32 AV. I can't see the benefit of endlessly updating my system. I doubt there are speed increases to be had and I doubt that it would improve the windows half-life. Perhaps I am wrong (hense going to try updates as stated in last post).
Click to expand...

Yes, your very wrong in your thinking. I don't know how to put that delicately. Any PC connected to any network needs to be updated. There's a reason why you have updates available.

I'm not even going to touch to debate (you can search for yourself if you want) on how ridiculous it is to use 2003 as a non-server OS. Not that it's a bad OS, it's just that the more you strip out of it to make it a non-server, the closer it is to being XP....so common sense tells you to save the time and use XP.

We could debate it all you want, if need be, but given your desire not to do any updating, your probably not going to win much credibility on here.
 
I have a few questions, why exactly do you have the server service disabled, network dde, network dde dsdm, com+ system application, cryptographic services, and ipsec services disabled.

I have all of these enabled on my systems, The server service is used for file sharing, printing and other services. Do not disable the print spooler, if you are using this machine to print from, disabling the print spooler will lessen you chances to print correctly.

The other services listed in this post also help out your networking and protocols. Please read up on the services before you disable them, not knowing what you have disabled, will bring more harm to your system than you know.

Turn on the computer browser, it might solve some of your problems.
 
Server service: No local network. Thus all this would amount to is a potential security risk (as I do not run windows updates, but even then...).

Network DDE - No apps that need this.

COM+ - is set to manual, so if anything needs it (like System Event Notification), then they will start...

Cryptographic service: I get my drivers from sources I trust, and that's good enough for me. Sure I get boxes to tell me that windows could not verify a digital signiture, but then I save on resources. I may set it to manual.

IPSEC - I'm not running a wireless network or a VPN or anything like that. Nothing I run uses it.

Print Spooler - Please don't insult my intelligence. I don't have a printer.

Computer Browser - Again, no Windows Network thus no need. And I only have one problem, and it's nothing to do with network connectivity, it happens even if I'm not connected.
 
Since this thread is really down the tube quick, I have two words for you:

Format, Reload

If your computer is hooked up to either dsl, cable or dialup it will get connected to a network of dialup servers, dns and dhcp servers. So if your machine is a standalone machine or a computer hooked up to a network, you will still need to activate the server service and computer browser service.

It helps to have your computer updated with the latest service packs and fixes. I see that you are very worried about security on your computer. Try to learn about setting attributes on folders and drives, learn about every feature in 2003 server, even the cryptographic services.

I have been taking classes lately for my MCSE in windows 2000. Each thing I learn I apply toward learning 2003 server, I have small business edition server on half of my computers. I had my troubles in understanding this os, but most of my troubleshooting it has come from knowing which services to disable from which ones not to disable.

At the top of the list of disabled items, start enabling services till you find out your problems. If that don't work do like I said at the top of this reply, format the drive and reload the operating system.
 
I have the same problem with XP, BRAND NEW INSTALL as in yesterday. Every little while the processor will crank up to 100% and I can't click anything. Three finger salute is the only thing I can do. This happens to my laptop as well designed for another system, but not my Shuttle box :confused:

I'm thinking a chipset driver or a windows update that is the culprit :rolleyes:
 
Our mail server at work has been doing this shit lately. It's pretty much impossible to browse across the network to put files on the fileserver.
 
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