SBS 2003 SP2 locks up seemingly randomly, keyboard and mouse unresponsive on new server
I have a client with a SBS 2003 SP2 HP ML350 G5 server that was swing migrated from an older server (which wasn't experiencing problems). It randomly locks up under load (during 9-5 business hours), sometimes 2-3 times a day, sometimes it goes two days without needing reboot. Most of the time, the keyboard and mouse become unresponsive and the machine has to be power cycled via power button.
When the server locks up, client computers can still use the server for DNS resolution for Internet browsing, but they lose access to Exchange. Sometimes upon reboot, the server hangs at "Applying Computer Settings" and it has to be restarted again to fully boot.
The event logs don't indicate anything before the server crashes. I have updated all HP drivers. Antivirus is disabled. There is tons of free space on system partition and partition where Exchange DBs live. I ran CHKDSK on both partitions and they both said they fixed minor inconsistencies. Also, Microsoft has had me upload perfmon and perfwiz logs to them and they can't figure it out. Their suggestion right now is to mount blank databases and see if it still happens. And this is the recommendation of a Senior Engineer. Also, they had me run "isinteg s <exchangeservername> -fix test alltests" on Exchange DBs and everything looks normal to them there.
I'm at a loss and I am hoping one of you might have an answer. You guys have been invaluable thus far. Let me know what details you'd like and I'll provide them as soon as I can.
Thank you.
When the server locks up, client computers can still use the server for DNS resolution for Internet browsing, but they lose access to Exchange. Sometimes upon reboot, the server hangs at "Applying Computer Settings" and it has to be restarted again to fully boot.
The event logs don't indicate anything before the server crashes. I have updated all HP drivers. Antivirus is disabled. There is tons of free space on system partition and partition where Exchange DBs live. I ran CHKDSK on both partitions and they both said they fixed minor inconsistencies. Also, Microsoft has had me upload perfmon and perfwiz logs to them and they can't figure it out. Their suggestion right now is to mount blank databases and see if it still happens. And this is the recommendation of a Senior Engineer. Also, they had me run "isinteg s <exchangeservername> -fix test alltests" on Exchange DBs and everything looks normal to them there.
I'm at a loss and I am hoping one of you might have an answer. You guys have been invaluable thus far. Let me know what details you'd like and I'll provide them as soon as I can.
Thank you.
Also... if it's hanging at "applying computer settings" while booting... then you have a networking configuration problem. Please post a COMPLETE ipconfig /all from the SBS.
Jeff
TechSoEasy
Jeff
TechSoEasy
ASKER
Thanks very much for the response Jeff.
There is currently 4GB of RAM in this system. There are about 25 users in this mixed PC and Mac environment.
Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : servername
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . : companyname.local
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : companyname.local
Ethernet adapter Server Local Area Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : HP NC373i Multifunction Gigabit Server Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1C-C4-13-D1-DA
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.2
Primary WINS Server . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.2
There is no APC software installed.
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Backup Exec 11d
SQL Server 2005
I have no regular critical events. I see this System Event log error daily, but I don't think it's probably relevant?
Event Type: Warning
Event Source: EXCDO
Event Category: General
Event ID: 8260
Date: 12/2/2007
Time: 9:57:01 AM
User: N/A
Computer: servernameDescription:
An attempt was made to save an appointment with the subject "Lunch with Pippy" to mailbox username@domain.com. The duration of the appointment was too large, so it was not saved.
For more information, click http://www.microsoft.com/contentredirect.asp.
There is currently 4GB of RAM in this system. There are about 25 users in this mixed PC and Mac environment.
Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : servername
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . : companyname.local
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : companyname.local
Ethernet adapter Server Local Area Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : HP NC373i Multifunction Gigabit Server Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1C-C4-13-D1-DA
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.2
Primary WINS Server . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.2
There is no APC software installed.
Ninja Spam Filter
Backup Exec 11d
SQL Server 2005
I have no regular critical events. I see this System Event log error daily, but I don't think it's probably relevant?
Event Type: Warning
Event Source: EXCDO
Event Category: General
Event ID: 8260
Date: 12/2/2007
Time: 9:57:01 AM
User: N/A
Computer: servernameDescription:
An attempt was made to save an appointment with the subject "Lunch with Pippy" to mailbox username@domain.com. The duration of the appointment was too large, so it was not saved.
For more information, click http://www.microsoft.com/contentredirect.asp.
well, for the Event 8260, see http://eventid.net/display.asp?eventid=8260&eventno=5270&source=EXCDO&phase=1
But I doubt that is what's causing your problem.
You say you have SQL Server 2005 installed? The full version? Or is this SBS Premium with SQL 2005 for Workgroups?
Any Anti-virus software?
Jeff
TechSoEasy
But I doubt that is what's causing your problem.
You say you have SQL Server 2005 installed? The full version? Or is this SBS Premium with SQL 2005 for Workgroups?
Any Anti-virus software?
Jeff
TechSoEasy
ASKER
This is SBS Premium with SQL 2005 for Workgroups. There is not currently any anti-virus software installed, which is scary, but not as scary as these continuing problems.
Thanks Jeff.
Thanks Jeff.
The next step I'd take is to run the SBS Best Practices Analyzer and see what it turns up. http://sbsurl.com/bpa
Jeff
TechSoEasy
Jeff
TechSoEasy
ASKER
I'll give that a try and report back. Thanks.
Here is the fix: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/932755/en-us
I have battled this for weeks and in the small hours of the morning last night i foudn this.
Also in a related article another user found it also.
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/22933504/W2003-HP-Proliant-ML350-Locks.html?sfQueryTermInfo=1+g5+ml350
I have battled this for weeks and in the small hours of the morning last night i foudn this.
Also in a related article another user found it also.
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/22933504/W2003-HP-Proliant-ML350-Locks.html?sfQueryTermInfo=1+g5+ml350
ASKER
PowerNet,
I really appreciate the suggestion. We've been running "blank" Exchange databases for almost 2 full days now and the freezing has stopped. Time will tell if it was corrupt Exchange databases causng this. New mail is flowing to these databases and clients are connecting without issue. I will be sure to report back with results and results of SBS BPA tool.
Thanks.
I really appreciate the suggestion. We've been running "blank" Exchange databases for almost 2 full days now and the freezing has stopped. Time will tell if it was corrupt Exchange databases causng this. New mail is flowing to these databases and clients are connecting without issue. I will be sure to report back with results and results of SBS BPA tool.
Thanks.
I could induce the freezing by running a defrag of the exchange or running a full backup, i too thought it was exchange at one point and did the same as what you are doing. I am now able to run the defrag on the store start to finish without missing a beat. The BPA tool is handy and helped me tune other things as well.
Good luck
Good luck
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ASKER
Interesting. We've been running full backup of Exchange and having no problems. This is day 5 with no freezes since we've mounted blank databases. We're going to keep them running until end of this week. We've never been able to go more than one business day without lockups before now.
Trust me this is the fix http://support.microsoft.com/kb/932755/en-us
Once the stores get to the size they were or when you import the old stores back you will still have the problem. I have a 45GB exchange store running, backing up and defragging (is that a word?) since applying this patch.
Once the stores get to the size they were or when you import the old stores back you will still have the problem. I have a 45GB exchange store running, backing up and defragging (is that a word?) since applying this patch.
ASKER
I will definetly apply the patch. Thanks for your help with this.
Is SQL Server running on this server? Any other Line of Business Apps?
What critical events are showing up in your daily server status report that you get each morning?
Jeff
TechSoEasy