Extremely slow access to Domain/ Network locations/ Exchange server - everything else (including Internet) all fine
I provide (some) IT support to a company that has 3 x servers (each running Windows Server 2008 x86) - 1 x shared hard drive + 1 x Exchange Server + 1 x Terminal Services, with approximately 22 users on a Domain running either Windows XP x86 or Windows 7 x86. Recently, I had upgraded a laptop from Windows 7 to Windows 7 SP1, and performed a clean install on a desktop that was previously running Windows XP, to Windows 7, then installed the SP1 update. Both the laptop and desktop computers then became extremely slow when trying to connect to any of the domain resources, taking approximately 30-60 seconds to open a folder that would open instantly on any of the other computers. MS Outlook 2007 turns white while attempting to open, and the 'Online icon' in the bottom right hand corner continually flashes up an hourglass symbol (somethign I've never seen Outlook do before) and I eventually have to force it closed through Task Manager. In an attempt to resolve the problem, I rolled back both computers to a restore point before SP1 was installed, which thankfully fixed the laptop that was upgraded from 7 > SP1, but not the desktop that received a clean install of 7, then the upgrade to SP1. The desktop computer is definitely connected to the domain, has no issues accessing local files/ folders, no issues accessing the Internet, and no issues using Remote Desktop. I've made sure that Network Discovery is on, disabled IPv6, turned off Windows Firewall, uninstalled all virus software, and updated the NIC. I have hidden the SP1 update from the laptop computer, but my goal is to resolve this problem on the desktop computer before I can successfully rollout Windows 7 + SP1 on all remaining computers. As I'm sure you can understand, this is the only way that I can rid myself of the complaining and whining from the XP users. Oh... and YES, I have already tried turning it off and on again.
June 14th, 2011 12:32am

I would start by checking the event logs of the offending machine. They may give you a clue as to what's causing the delays.
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June 14th, 2011 2:39am

When you are connected to the domain the more GPO's that you have that effect the machine or user may in fact slow down it's response to what should be a standard domain function, such as accesing settings or browing folders or drives that may have rules applied to them at different levels of the GPO tree. Are the new machines or users located in whatever was your traditional group with mapped GPO's that didn't have issues prior to this clean install? The second thing that I would look at is the prior suggestion, locate the event logs associated with the new machine as it attempts access to the domain recources. If you are using Windows Server 2008 R2 try enabling IPv6 on the client machine, natively IPv6 is being used in communication with the server to the client if running Win7 to Server2008. Server 2008 R2 is already by nature going to work more effeciently with Windows 7 - Vs. Server 2008. One last suggestion as I'm sure all this troubleshooting is time consuming. Have you considered upgrading to Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1?
June 14th, 2011 3:28pm

Thanks Bigteddy. I've had a look into the Event Viewer and saw many warnings and errors... but nothing that meant anything to me. It may also just be that I didn't understand much of it. I'm probably at more of an 'Intermediate/ taught myself' level when it comes to the IT world. I've seen this one a few times... not sure if it means anything... The time service detected a time difference of greater than 5000 milliseconds for 900 seconds. The time difference might be caused by synchronization with low-accuracy time sources or by suboptimal network conditions. The time service is no longer synchronized and cannot provide the time to other clients or update the system clock. When a valid time stamp is received from a time service provider, the time service will correct itself.
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June 14th, 2011 9:41pm

Thanks Mark. I haven't actually added any new computers to the domain, just upgraded two of the existing ones... so I don't see how this should affect the GPOs. The computers worked fine on the domain before the upgrade... now... not so fine. I haven't changed either of their GPOs. See above for my response in regards to checking the event logs. I've enabled IPv6, but still no change to the problem. Upgraded to Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, but still no change to the problem.
June 14th, 2011 9:46pm

That message about the time difference is very telling. The client and the server must be within 5 minutes (I think) of each other for GPO processing to work. Please look at the error events for when the machine starts up and tries to log on to the domain. But start by setting the times on the client the same as the server!
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June 15th, 2011 2:20am

Update: After updating the BIOS and uninstalling every program and Windows update, I've managed to get the desktop computer to state where it boots up with the same problems as before, but if I disable then re-enable the network card, my access to domain folders works perfectly. So, for now, I'm using this as a temporary fix. Unfortunately, this method has no effect over MS Outlook, which continues to freeze up, display the hourglass, then require a forced shoutdown. As of this morning, another user in the office had installed SP1 on their Windows 7 computer, and immediately experienced the same problems as I had mentioned with the laptop above (which was fixed in the same way - doing a system restore to before the installation). So it seems that whatever SP1 is doing to the other computers in our domain, the same is occurring on my troublesome desktop computer, which doesn't have SP1 installed. I hope this gives further information to those looking to help me... at least we know that it isn't just a single anomoly.
June 15th, 2011 10:16pm

From what I can tell, the time on the client is the same as the time on the server, as is all other client computers in our domain. This is what I found in the Administrative Events of the Event Viewer this morning, as I tried to access the domain. Administrative Events Event ID: 1101 - Audit events have been dropped by the transport. 0 Event ID: 131 - NtpClient was unable to set a domain peer to use as a time source because of DNS resolution error on ''. NtpClient will try again in 3473457 minutes and double the reattempt interval thereafter. The error was: The requested name is valid, but no data of the requested type was found. (0x80072AFC). Event ID: 131 - NtpClient was unable to set a domain peer to use as a time source because of DNS resolution error on ''. NtpClient will try again in 3473457 minutes and double the reattempt interval thereafter. The error was: The requested name is valid, but no data of the requested type was found. (0x80072AFC). Event ID: 63 - A provider, OffProv12, has been registered in the Windows Management Instrumentation namespace Root\MSAPPS12 to use the LocalSystem account. This account is privileged and the provider may cause a security violation if it does not correctly impersonate user requests. Event ID: 63 - A provider, OffProv12, has been registered in the Windows Management Instrumentation namespace Root\MSAPPS12 to use the LocalSystem account. This account is privileged and the provider may cause a security violation if it does not correctly impersonate user requests. Hope this helps.
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June 15th, 2011 10:32pm

You are not the only one reporting problems with SP1 (for 7). I have been lucky, in that none of my machines gave any trouble when I did this upgrade. I am a bit stumped, but I have one question: Are all the pc's the same make and model, or is it a mixed bag?
June 16th, 2011 4:11am

Hi, It seems that it is a DNS resolution issue. You may try to check whether the domain controller and exchange server can be resolved properly. Also, please try to update the NIC driver to latest version.Please remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.
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June 16th, 2011 6:09am

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