Windows 2000 Slow startup

  • Thread starter Thread starter Don Eilenberger
  • Start date Start date
D

Don Eilenberger

Folks, one of my W2K Servers (running DNS and AD) has started taking 30
minutes to complete the "Starting Windows 2000" screen. The activity bar at
the bottom moves at normal speed to about 2/3rds done - then it sits there
for almost exactly 30 minutes and finally completes and W2K starts.

Any ideas? It didn't always do this.

BTW - configuration includes 2 network cards, one for our internal network
(192.168.0.subnet) the other for outside connectivity to our T1 connection.
The server runs one basic program - MailTraq - which is our mail server
software.

Any ideas?
 
Hello Don,

Multihoming a DC is not recommended by MS and can cause a lot of problems.
So please post an unedited ipconfig /all from the machine here.

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers
no rights.
** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

> Folks, one of my W2K Servers (running DNS and AD) has started taking
> 30 minutes to complete the "Starting Windows 2000" screen. The
> activity bar at the bottom moves at normal speed to about 2/3rds done
> - then it sits there for almost exactly 30 minutes and finally
> completes and W2K starts.
>
> Any ideas? It didn't always do this.
>
> BTW - configuration includes 2 network cards, one for our internal
> network (192.168.0.subnet) the other for outside connectivity to our
> T1 connection. The server runs one basic program - MailTraq - which is
> our mail server software.
>
> Any ideas?
>
 
Have you deployed any new software lately using GPO's? Check the event logs.
Any interesting logs there? Try running DCDIAG and check that all is well.

"Don Eilenberger" wrote:

> Folks, one of my W2K Servers (running DNS and AD) has started taking 30
> minutes to complete the "Starting Windows 2000" screen. The activity bar at
> the bottom moves at normal speed to about 2/3rds done - then it sits there
> for almost exactly 30 minutes and finally completes and W2K starts.
>
> Any ideas? It didn't always do this.
>
> BTW - configuration includes 2 network cards, one for our internal network
> (192.168.0.subnet) the other for outside connectivity to our T1 connection.
> The server runs one basic program - MailTraq - which is our mail server
> software.
>
> Any ideas?
 
I would take out hardware pci cards etc. out one by one and see if that
helps.
Could be as simple as needing uncorrupted driver- meaning reinstall

or just come to work 30 minutes sooner

"Pete B" . wrote in message
news:C1B27492-977A-40CA-A7F9-CDB615FA3D8C@microsoft.com...
> Have you deployed any new software lately using GPO's? Check the event
logs.
> Any interesting logs there? Try running DCDIAG and check that all is well.
>
> "Don Eilenberger" wrote:
>
> > Folks, one of my W2K Servers (running DNS and AD) has started taking 30
> > minutes to complete the "Starting Windows 2000" screen. The activity bar
at
> > the bottom moves at normal speed to about 2/3rds done - then it sits
there
> > for almost exactly 30 minutes and finally completes and W2K starts.
> >
> > Any ideas? It didn't always do this.
> >
> > BTW - configuration includes 2 network cards, one for our internal
network
> > (192.168.0.subnet) the other for outside connectivity to our T1
connection.
> > The server runs one basic program - MailTraq - which is our mail server
> > software.
> >
> > Any ideas?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Meinolf, thanks.

I ran DCPROMO to demote this server (it didn't really have to be a DC) - and
of course it now is taking forever (several hours so far) to demote it.

I ran IPCONFIG /ALL and here are the results:

Windows 2000 IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : MAIL_BIDSERVICE
Primary DNS Suffix . . . . . . . : int.bidservice.com
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : int.bidservice.com
bidservice.com

Ethernet adapter WAN Connection 64.19.188.12:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : HP NC7761 Gigabit Server Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-13-21-FB-XX-XX
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 64.19.###.##
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.240
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 64.19.###.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.190
192.168.0.151
209.191.0.1
209.191.0.2
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

Ethernet adapter LAN Connection 192.168.0.2:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : HP NC7771 Gigabit Server Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-10-18-10-YY-YY
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.190
192.168.0.151


NOTE - I did change the physical addresses and the outside IP# listed just
so they can't be used for spam or hacking..

Thanks much for the help.. I suspect I'll be doing a hard reboot of the
server shortly to get the DCPROMO to end (in looking at the domain on another
DC - the server has been demoted to a member machine..)


"Meinolf Weber" wrote:

> Hello Don,
>
> Multihoming a DC is not recommended by MS and can cause a lot of problems.
> So please post an unedited ipconfig /all from the machine here.
>
> Best regards
>
> Meinolf Weber
> Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers
> no rights.
> ** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
> ** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
>
> > Folks, one of my W2K Servers (running DNS and AD) has started taking
> > 30 minutes to complete the "Starting Windows 2000" screen. The
> > activity bar at the bottom moves at normal speed to about 2/3rds done
> > - then it sits there for almost exactly 30 minutes and finally
> > completes and W2K starts.
> >
> > Any ideas? It didn't always do this.
> >
> > BTW - configuration includes 2 network cards, one for our internal
> > network (192.168.0.subnet) the other for outside connectivity to our
> > T1 connection. The server runs one basic program - MailTraq - which is
> > our mail server software.
> >
> > Any ideas?
> >
>
>
>
 
Update: After about 2 hours - with the DCPROMO sitting at the same screen
(removing SMS and something else..) I finally killed the process, and then
rebooted the machine. When I did - I got a message that sounds as if DCPROMO
was waiting for input from me - but hadn't displayed it (probably asking to
reboot the server..)

Instead of taking 30 minutes at the Starting Windows 2000 Server screen - it
took about 6-7 minutes. It then took another 5-6 minutes to apply security
settings (which I assume it was doing to all the files on the drives since
the floppy drive lit up several times during this..) - and then it was up and
running.

I haven't tried rebooting it again - since it is a working server and people
get pissed when they can't send/receive email - but I'll try it next week
after they forget :-) And report back.

Thanks for the hints.. I think it being a DC was the problem.

"Don Eilenberger" wrote:

> Meinolf, thanks.
>
> I ran DCPROMO to demote this server (it didn't really have to be a DC) - and
> of course it now is taking forever (several hours so far) to demote it.
 
Hello Don,

The slow startup is the problem because you are using a public ip 64.X.X.X.
for the machine and external and internal ip addresses for DNS servers.
So the best solution is take a router (with the external public ip), connected
it via switch and use private ip addresses for internal only. Configure the
external DNS server addresses as forwarders on the DNS server properties
in DNS management console.

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers
no rights.
** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

> Meinolf, thanks.
>
> I ran DCPROMO to demote this server (it didn't really have to be a DC)
> - and of course it now is taking forever (several hours so far) to
> demote it.
>
> I ran IPCONFIG /ALL and here are the results:
>
> Windows 2000 IP Configuration
>
> Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : MAIL_BIDSERVICE
> Primary DNS Suffix . . . . . . . : int.bidservice.com
> Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
> IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
> WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
> DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : int.bidservice.com
> bidservice.com
> Ethernet adapter WAN Connection 64.19.188.12:
>
> Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
> Description . . . . . . . . . . . : HP NC7761 Gigabit Server Adapter
> Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-13-21-FB-XX-XX
> DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
> IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 64.19.###.##
> Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.240
> Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 64.19.###.1
> DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.190
> 192.168.0.151
> 209.191.0.1
> 209.191.0.2
> NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled
> Ethernet adapter LAN Connection 192.168.0.2:
> Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
> Description . . . . . . . . . . . : HP NC7771 Gigabit Server Adapter
> Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-10-18-10-YY-YY
> DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
> IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.2
> Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
> Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
> DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.190
> 192.168.0.151
> NOTE - I did change the physical addresses and the outside IP# listed
> just so they can't be used for spam or hacking..
>
> Thanks much for the help.. I suspect I'll be doing a hard reboot of
> the server shortly to get the DCPROMO to end (in looking at the domain
> on another DC - the server has been demoted to a member machine..)
>
> "Meinolf Weber" wrote:
>
>> Hello Don,
>>
>> Multihoming a DC is not recommended by MS and can cause a lot of
>> problems. So please post an unedited ipconfig /all from the machine
>> here.
>>
>> Best regards
>>
>> Meinolf Weber
>> Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and
>> confers
>> no rights.
>> ** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
>> ** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
>>> Folks, one of my W2K Servers (running DNS and AD) has started taking
>>> 30 minutes to complete the "Starting Windows 2000" screen. The
>>> activity bar at the bottom moves at normal speed to about 2/3rds
>>> done - then it sits there for almost exactly 30 minutes and finally
>>> completes and W2K starts.
>>>
>>> Any ideas? It didn't always do this.
>>>
>>> BTW - configuration includes 2 network cards, one for our internal
>>> network (192.168.0.subnet) the other for outside connectivity to our
>>> T1 connection. The server runs one basic program - MailTraq - which
>>> is our mail server software.
>>>
>>> Any ideas?
>>>
 
Dear Meinolf,

Thanks much again -

Can you point me to a source of info on how to do this? My brain is
particularly fuzzy on Monday mornings (not helped by a bad head cold that had
me awake last night.)

I should probably clarify - this machine is running mail server software -
from MailTraq. It has the external IP address 64.19.###.### to receive and
send mail on (actually incoming mail is accepted by a Barracuda spam filter
on an external address and then forwarded to this address.. but effectively -
it's accepting the incoming mail on 64.19..) And my users - who are behind
our Router - on the 192.168.###.### subnet - access and send email using the
192.168 connection.

The DNS server on this machine refuses to work - I get the error message
"Cannot contact the DNS Server" (with the long explaination - including it
not running.) If I look in services - it is running, and if I do "Properties"
on it - and run the DNS tests - both Simple and recursive pass (as does
NSLOOKUP from a DOS prompt.)

Any help is gratefully appreciated!

Thanks!

"Meinolf Weber" wrote:

> Hello Don,
>
> The slow startup is the problem because you are using a public ip 64.X.X.X.
> for the machine and external and internal ip addresses for DNS servers.
> So the best solution is take a router (with the external public ip), connected
> it via switch and use private ip addresses for internal only. Configure the
> external DNS server addresses as forwarders on the DNS server properties
> in DNS management console.
>
> Best regards
>
> Meinolf Weber
> Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers
> no rights.
> ** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
> ** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
>
> > Meinolf, thanks.
> >
> > I ran DCPROMO to demote this server (it didn't really have to be a DC)
> > - and of course it now is taking forever (several hours so far) to
> > demote it.
> >
> > I ran IPCONFIG /ALL and here are the results:
> >
> > Windows 2000 IP Configuration
> >
> > Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : MAIL_BIDSERVICE
> > Primary DNS Suffix . . . . . . . : int.bidservice.com
> > Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
> > IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
> > WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
> > DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : int.bidservice.com
> > bidservice.com
> > Ethernet adapter WAN Connection 64.19.188.12:
> >
> > Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
> > Description . . . . . . . . . . . : HP NC7761 Gigabit Server Adapter
> > Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-13-21-FB-XX-XX
> > DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
> > IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 64.19.###.##
> > Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.240
> > Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 64.19.###.1
> > DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.190
> > 192.168.0.151
> > 209.191.0.1
> > 209.191.0.2
> > NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled
> > Ethernet adapter LAN Connection 192.168.0.2:
> > Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
> > Description . . . . . . . . . . . : HP NC7771 Gigabit Server Adapter
> > Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-10-18-10-YY-YY
> > DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
> > IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.2
> > Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
> > Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
> > DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.190
> > 192.168.0.151
> > NOTE - I did change the physical addresses and the outside IP# listed
> > just so they can't be used for spam or hacking..
> >
> > Thanks much for the help.. I suspect I'll be doing a hard reboot of
> > the server shortly to get the DCPROMO to end (in looking at the domain
> > on another DC - the server has been demoted to a member machine..)
> >
> > "Meinolf Weber" wrote:
> >
> >> Hello Don,
> >>
> >> Multihoming a DC is not recommended by MS and can cause a lot of
> >> problems. So please post an unedited ipconfig /all from the machine
> >> here.
> >>
> >> Best regards
> >>
> >> Meinolf Weber
> >> Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and
> >> confers
> >> no rights.
> >> ** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
> >> ** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
> >>> Folks, one of my W2K Servers (running DNS and AD) has started taking
> >>> 30 minutes to complete the "Starting Windows 2000" screen. The
> >>> activity bar at the bottom moves at normal speed to about 2/3rds
> >>> done - then it sits there for almost exactly 30 minutes and finally
> >>> completes and W2K starts.
> >>>
> >>> Any ideas? It didn't always do this.
> >>>
> >>> BTW - configuration includes 2 network cards, one for our internal
> >>> network (192.168.0.subnet) the other for outside connectivity to our
> >>> T1 connection. The server runs one basic program - MailTraq - which
> >>> is our mail server software.
> >>>
> >>> Any ideas?
> >>>
>
>
>
 
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