Tag Archives: “Slow Server”

DELL, Fujitsu, HP, Microsoft, ML110 G5, ML110 G6, ML350 G5, ML350 G6, Norton Anti-virus, Norton antivirus, Norton Internet Security, Primergy, ProLiant, SBS 2008, SBS 2011, Service Pack 1, Service Pack 1, Service Pack 1, Service Pack 1, Service Pack 1, Service Pack 1, Service Pack 1, Service Pack 1, Service Pack 2, Service Pack 2, Service Pack 2, Service Pack 2, Small Business Server 2008, Small Business Server 2011, Symantec, Windows, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Vista

[RESOLVED] Your computer may stop responding when you run an application, Software Firewall or anti-virus package that uses the Windows Filtering Platform API

Your computer may stop responding when you run an application, Software Firewall or anti-virus package that uses the Windows Filtering Platform API

This issue affects the following operating systems:

  • Windows 7 – Service Pack 1
  • Windows Small Business Server 2011 – Service Pack 1
  • Windows SBS 2011 – Service Pack 1
  • Windows Server 2008 R2 – Service Pack 1
  • Windows Small Business Server 2008 – Service Pack 2
  • Windows SBS 2008 – Service Pack 2
  • Windows Server 2008 – Service Pack 2
  • Windows Vista – Service Pack 2

In this situation, the computer may perform slowly or stop responding and network activity may be affected.  You find that a system restart may resolve this issue in some instances.

This issue occurs because the FwpsStreamInjectAsync0 function causes the interrupt request level (IRQL) to leak.  You can resolve the issue by updating to the latest Netio.sys driver.  The download link can be found within Microsoft KB 2664888 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2664888

 

Windows Filtering Platform (WFP) General Description

Windows Filtering Platform (WFP) is a set of API and system services that provide a platform for creating network filtering applications. The WFP API allows developers to write code that interacts with the packet processing that takes place at several layers in the networking stack of the operating system. Network data can be filtered and also modified before it reaches its destination.

By providing a simpler development platform, WFP is designed to replace  previous packet filtering technologies such as Transport Driver Interface (TDI)  filters, Network Driver Interface Specification (NDIS) filters, and Winsock Layered Service Providers (LSP). Starting in Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista, the firewall hook and the filter hook drivers  are not available; applications that were using these drivers should use WFP instead.

With the WFP API, developers can implement firewalls, intrusion detection systems, antivirus programs, network monitoring tools, and parental controls. WFP integrates with and provides support for firewall features such as authenticated communication and dynamic firewall configuration based on applications’ use of sockets API (application-based policy). WFP also provides infrastructure for  IPsec policy management, change notifications, network diagnostics, and stateful filtering.

More info can be found here http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa366510(v=vs.85).aspx

 

SBS 2011, Small Business Server 2011, Windows Server 2008 R2

Windows Server 2008 R2 and SBS 2011 RTM or SP1 – You may experience disk I/O performance issues with certain Intel Xeon Processors

You may experience disk I/O performance issues if your server contains an Intel Xeon Westmere-EX (10 Core) processor

This can occur because some of the I/O completion port objects are not cache-aligned. This behavior is what causes poor disk I/O performance.

You can resolve the issue by updating Ntoskrnl.exe and Ntkrnlpa.exe updated versions are available for download from http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2545635

Microsoft, SBS 2011, Small Business Server 2011, Windows, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2

The Startup Process in Windows 7 – SP1 or Windows Server 2008 R2 – SP1 may be slower than expected

An issue that was identifed a few months ago is slow system startup with your Windows 7 Desktop/Laptop or Windows Server 2008 R2 Server.  This is related to a delay in the initilisation of the Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider (Deals with Shadow Copy, System Restore and Backup).

All is not lost as this issue can be fixed by applying the latest version of Volsnap.sys to your operating system

Currently the latest version can be found in the following Microsoft Hotfix (KB 2548124) and applies to Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 – RTM or Service Pack 1 installs.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2548124

Exchange, Exchange 2010, HP, Microsoft, ML350 G5, ML350 G6, ProLiant, SBS 2011, SharePoint, SharePoint 2010, SharePoint Foundation 2010, Small Business Server 2011, Windows, Windows Server 2008 R2

Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows Small Business Server 2011 is slow to respond or may stop responding for 10-20 seconds

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If your Server is running Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 or Windows Small Business Server 2011 Service Pack 1, you utilise RAID and have more than 4GB of memory then you are likely to be affected by this issue.  It seems to impact those servers running memory hungry applications such as Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft SQL Server/Express and Microsoft SharePoint the most.  It can cause the server to operate slowly and/or stop responding for 10-20 seconds to requests.

This issue is related to a limitation in the memory allocation of the storport.sys driver, this file is part of the Microsoft operating system.

All is not lost as Microsoft do provide a solution/fix. The first step is to ensure that your current RAID Controller driver is upto date, the latest version can usually be found on the server manufacturers support site or if you are not sure which update/driver applies to your system then contact the manufacturers technical support by phone or e-mail.

Please note that for HP Smart Array controllers you should be using Driver version 6.28.0.64 (Released 18th Feb 2014) or later for this change to take effect (Enables customers to make use of Microsoft HotFix which enables 64-bit command addressing described by MS KB2468345).

Now that we have the latest RAID controller driver installed lets ensure that we have the latest version of storport.sys installed, the latest version for Windows Server 2008 R2 to date is available from Microsoft using the following link http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2528357 we need this newer version of Storport because the version included with Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2008 R2 – Service Pack 1 does not correct the memory allocation limitation.  Once the storport.sys hotfix (KB 2528357) is installed on your server you can proceed to the final step of resolving the overall issue.

The final step is to create a registry entry under the RAID miniport driver to allow it to address more than 4GB Memory via the storport.sys driver that we have updated.

We need to add a registry key so lets open Registry Editor by either typing regedit in the Start Search box or the Run Command and then pressing “Enter”

You will need to browse and locate this registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\<MINIPORT>\Parameters

In place of <MINIPORT> in the example key above you need to enter the name of the Storport miniport driver that is in use on your particular server, i have attached a screenshot of where you can find this information, the example is based upon a HP Smart Array P410i Controller (HpCISSs2) but the principle is the same for most brands of server and RAID controller.

For the HP ProLiant server this Registry key would be: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\HpCISSs2\Parameters

Once in the correct key click on the “Edit” menu, click “New”, and then click “DWORD Value”

Type Supports64BitAddressing, and then press “Enter”.

Right-click Supports64BitAddressing, and then click “Modify”

In the “Value data” box, type a value of 1

Your entry should look like the screenshot below

Close the Registry Editor and Restart your Server.

Now the RAID miniport driver that uses the Storport.sys driver can access more than 4 GB of physical memory and it should resolve your performance issue.