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XP freezing when browsing network shares

We have a forest including 3 domains, each domain having a number of domain controllers, file servers, and client pcs. In late February users began experiencing random workstation freezing when trying to access files on mapped network drives. The freezing appears to be off and on, and is cross domain/file server.

Server details:
Server 2003 R2 SP2 - Virtual
MS Patches up to date as of 3/9/2010
VMWare tools up to date

Client details:
XP SP3
MS Patches up to date as of 2/23/2010
Various image versions across various HP hardware models

Server actions (all taken without creating or remediating issues)
Verified DNS is resolving properly
SCOM/Event logs are not reporting any NetBios alerts
Was running w/o NetBios over TCP/IP, and now changed
Currently running wireshark and perfmon logging
Perfmon, SCOM, and other performance tools not showing any spike or contention in resources at known times of freezing
VSS Volume Shadow Copy disabled on all servers. Known 2/2010 hotfix deployed to primary data servers before disabling of service w/o luck.
Server is unaccessible when client is freezing up. (e.g. User A freezing while trying to browse drive D:<Server A>. At the same time, user B cannot browse to "\\<ServerA>\. Once User A stops freezing, user A and B can both access the server without a problem.

Network Actions:
Switches monitored and no visible issues
Routers monitored and no visible issues
Verified no abnormal network traffic increases
Verified typical offenders (WSUS, SMS/SCCM, Virus Scan) were under control

Any suggestions?

sublifer

Do you have WINS server up and running? This is the netbios DNS counterpart and if not running then each PC is left to its own ends to resolve netbios across the entire network.

If it is only a few clients, or consistently happens to a few clients, you might want to go into the network adapter settings and turn netbios over tcp on (adapter properties, tcp/ip properties, advanced, wins, enable)

While netbios can work anyways, its default setting is for automatic which isn't exactly reliable.

Good luck!

RMRHelpDesk

ASKER

Forgot to mention, thanks. WINS is Not present in our environment. The problem is occuring on 25% of our 4000+ machines, across many subnets. We'll continue to check dns and netbios, and will let you know if it resolves.

scrathcyboy

If the freezing is on CROSS domain shares -- you need to DELETE all of them. Something has changed in the X-domain sharing permissions that are causing the hang ups. Test on one machine. Delete all the X-domain shares. Now try to remake them by browsing for the shares. The permissions issue will very soon rear its ugly head, and from the errors you receive, you will be able to solve it.

RMRHelpDesk

ASKER

My statement of x domain was unclear. For domain a, they freeze to their shares, and users in domain b freeze to theirs. We don't have users in either domain going to shares in the other. There are 4000 shares, and all are randomly freezing, then working fine. I can attempt to recreate a few shares to verify security is not incorrect, and will post if that remediates the issue.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

RMRHelpDesk

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RMRHelpDesk

ASKER

I posted the resolution for future reference. Please do not delete this question, thank you.