Windows 2003 System freezes when copying large files

[grunchlk]

Hi,
I've got some problem I've already asked at the harddrive forum section but as this far I don't have a solution.
Maybe it is O.S. related.

The situation:

I've build a simple Win2003 server, asrock mobo, one maxtor IDE harddisk, one IDE cd/dvd reader, celeron 3?GHz processor.
Onboard video, sound (unused) and 1Gb network and one additional 1Gb network card.

The problem:

Whenever I copy a few large files or a lot of small files from or to the internal harddisk, the system freezes for several seconds.
The copy process starts, it is ok for 20 or so seconds, and then a freeze of a few seconds.
After the freeze, the copy process continues until the next freeze.
There is no data corruption: the end-result is ok.

However, this freeze is very agressive.
Everything stops except the mouse pointer.
I can't click on any button on any open programs, start menu doesn't respond, animations on web sites stop and even ctrl-alt-delete doesn't work.
I've already tested the harddisk with one of the seagate/maxtor test tools: no errors at all.

The reason why I now think it could be O.S. related is because this problem doesn't appear when I install windows 2000 or windows xp on the same machine.
I've installed all three operating systems at least two times now and in every test, the problem only shows up on server 2003. Before and after installing mobo drivers.
Bios update and newer drivers didn't fix it at all.

I've disabled/enabled harddisk write (behind) caching and all other options I could find that could be related to the harddisk.
The drive itself is running in DMA mode so that should be ok.

Note that I don't have any system freezes when I copy the same set of files from one external source to another (both being on the network).

All ideas are welcome.

Thanks!
Grunchlk

 

[riser]

Disable Indexing in the services.msc and see if that helps out.

 

[grunchlk]

Riser,
thanks for your reaction.

I'd already disabled the indexing option on both partitions of the drive.
Just disabled the indexing service and some other unnecessary ones.
Reboot and test: no luck here.

So far I've found only two KB articles on msdn with about the same symptoms.
Both are somewhat vague about the origin of the problem.
One describes the problem in combination with the Symantec Virusscanner, which I don't have.
The other talks about programs using an outdated kernal-mode filter driver or a problem with an 'opportunistic locking' algorithm.

They (msdn) also suggested a registry tweaks to 'troubleshoot' the problem but this tweak was LAN related.
It didn't solve anything, as expected.

So far, I haven't been able to find anything usefull.
Guess I'm the only one in the world with this problem ..sod...

 

[ericaling]

HI,

I have a similar problem. When copy from or to the 2003 server, the system is periodically not responding (even the mouse is not responding) and network throughput is slow. I have no clue since when this is happening. I deinstalled SP2 which i had installed recently, but same thing. Disabled everythin, reset tcpip stack. Still no go. Can't find any info on the web so far. Can you give me the KB numbers?

Thanx

- Eric

 

[ericaling]

Hmmm, I read your post again. I thought it was network related, but it also happens when copying large files from one dir to another. So I disabled write cache on the disks and speed is back to normal, no freezes anymore. Looks even quicker than before. Sorry can't be of any help for but wanted to thank you leading me to the solution.

Cheers

- Eric, the Netherlands

 

[grunchlk]

Hehe, nice.
Maybe the write cache isn't the only thing caching in my system.
Is it possible the bios is caching anything? Hmm.. doesn't think so.
Have to take another look at it.

Proost!
Grunchlk, also from the Netherlands

 

[Mousemonkey]

This topic has been closed by Mousemonkey