Server 2008 R2 w/ Exchange 2010 rebooting every night....
Here's the server:
Server 2008 R2 Enterprise
Exchange 2010 Standard
Server is domain controller
Every evening at a few minutes after 1am, the server will simply reboot itself. I have searched the logs multiple times and cannot identify any errors that occur just before the reboot. I also do not see any schedule tasks or backup jobs that occur at that time. However, at 1-3 minutes after 1am (the time still remained the same even after the daylight savings change) the server simply reboots. Can anyone offer any insight as to what might be happening?
Server 2008 R2 Enterprise
Exchange 2010 Standard
Server is domain controller
Every evening at a few minutes after 1am, the server will simply reboot itself. I have searched the logs multiple times and cannot identify any errors that occur just before the reboot. I also do not see any schedule tasks or backup jobs that occur at that time. However, at 1-3 minutes after 1am (the time still remained the same even after the daylight savings change) the server simply reboots. Can anyone offer any insight as to what might be happening?
Peter Hutchison
USe Task Manager, Performance Monitor and REsource Manager tools to determine issues. With such big apps on it, I suspect it will be running out of memory every quickly.
ASKER
So, look to see what, if anything, is hogging all of the memory? Do you think it's a memory issue that causes the crash every night at 1am?
Does your server AV run a scan at this time?
ASKER
Let me check.
ASKER
No. It looks like I have a quick scan schedule Sunday nights at 2am. That appears to be it.
The first issue I notice is that you are running Exchange on a Domain Controller:
Exchange Server and Active Directory are both resource-intensive applications. There are performance implications to be considered when both are running on the same computer.
If Exchange Server is running on a domain controller, you must also make that domain controller a global catalog server.
This configuration is less secure because Exchange administrators will have local administrative access to Active Directory, enabling them to elevate their own privileges. In addition, any security vulnerability found in either Exchange Server or Active Directory exposes the other to compromise.
Both the Domain Controller and Exchange Server use port 389 for LDAP queries, which creates a conflict.
Exchange Server and Active Directory are both resource-intensive applications. There are performance implications to be considered when both are running on the same computer.
If Exchange Server is running on a domain controller, you must also make that domain controller a global catalog server.
This configuration is less secure because Exchange administrators will have local administrative access to Active Directory, enabling them to elevate their own privileges. In addition, any security vulnerability found in either Exchange Server or Active Directory exposes the other to compromise.
Both the Domain Controller and Exchange Server use port 389 for LDAP queries, which creates a conflict.
ASKER
How does it work in a MS Small Business Server environment then?
There is a large difference between SBS and Server 2008 R2 Enterprise.
With that said, This setup can and does happen, it is just not a best practice and is not recommended.
With all of that aside, have you looked into Task Scheduler? Is there anything setup around that time or within 1 hour prior to that time?
One other option is to forcibly change the time on the server and watch it shutdown...
With that said, This setup can and does happen, it is just not a best practice and is not recommended.
With all of that aside, have you looked into Task Scheduler? Is there anything setup around that time or within 1 hour prior to that time?
One other option is to forcibly change the time on the server and watch it shutdown...
ASKER
Under the Task Scheduler library, there does not appear to be any. However, under the Microsoft section, there are a few that run at around 12am. Should I start disabling those?
The server does a lot of things itself at midnight that are related to system maintenance. I wouldn't disable them.
Is this a graceful reboot or a hard reboot? You can look in the logs for that. If it is graceful it should also tell you why.
Simon.
Is this a graceful reboot or a hard reboot? You can look in the logs for that. If it is graceful it should also tell you why.
Simon.
ASKER
Sorry. Stayed up and watched it. Looks like BSOD. I noticed that it referenced a particular driver file:
HpAHCIsr.sys
It's a file beloinging to the HP Smart Array SATA RAID adapter. I upgraded to the latest version of the driver and no dice. Weird development today: if the Internet is down at 1am when this normally happens, it won't reboot. However, it will crash later on in the day (yikes).
Any ideas?
HpAHCIsr.sys
It's a file beloinging to the HP Smart Array SATA RAID adapter. I upgraded to the latest version of the driver and no dice. Weird development today: if the Internet is down at 1am when this normally happens, it won't reboot. However, it will crash later on in the day (yikes).
Any ideas?
How is Windows update configured? Does that do a regular check or is it turned off?
ASKER
Off.
If you have identified it as a HP driver then I would call HP support for assistance.
You will probably have to remove the driver completely, reboot the machine, then install the latest support pack.
You may also have to update the firmware on the RAID card.
Simon.
You will probably have to remove the driver completely, reboot the machine, then install the latest support pack.
You may also have to update the firmware on the RAID card.
Simon.
ASKER
No dice. I tried removing/updating the driver and that does not seem to have fixed it. Perhaps I could create an image of the drive and install those images on new drives with a new controller?
Old question alert!
Do you have the HP diag tools installed?
I think you are looking at either a complete system rebuild (to rule out OS issues) or calling HP as it is hardware.
Simon.
Do you have the HP diag tools installed?
I think you are looking at either a complete system rebuild (to rule out OS issues) or calling HP as it is hardware.
Simon.
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ASKER
The controller was the issue. Replaced it myself.