Windows Server 2003 Standard: Console Frozen

Michichael · 08-31-2007, 03:28 PM

Alrighty then. Got a bit of a stumper for yall here! We have a Windows Server 2003 Standard running Xeon 2.8 GHZ, with 1 gig of 266mhz RAM (I'll be upgrading it to 2 gig's tonight... don't ask me, I didn't set any of this up, I'm just admining it now). It's got a two disk RAID 1 setup IIRC, but I'm not familiar with RAID... as well as a tape backup drive. Standard file server, also one of our main DCs.

Here's the issue: The system works perfectly fine. Can remote desktop into it, access all shares just fine, Symatec Corporate Server works fine... everything seems peachy. However the console session is frozen. I try to log in via console, and the "Locked" authentication window goes away... and nothing comes up. Ever. It doesn't automatically lock itself out or go to screensaver either. I try rpd into console, same problem. I rpd normally? Loads fine. Same account any everything. The remote sessions work fine, but connecting to console it just sits at the desktop background with no right click, ctrl-alt-del, windows key responsiveness... nothing.

I've tried initiating a remote restart, to no avail. It just doesn't do it. I try a remote disconnect and logoff of the console session. Nothing. I try having another administrative account access the account. It warns that this will log off the other user, comes up with the window stating "Remote logoff in process" but after a while it returns to the locked screen for the original account.

I'm a bit baffled. The server works fine except for the console. This is the second time in two weeks it's happened. It works fine after a reboot, but the unlocking becomes progressively slower as time goes on. You authenticate, and the window "wipes" away slower and slower as the days go by. To me this seems a performance or memory issue, however the rest of the system has no problem, JUST console. So that makes me wonder if it is not hardware related.

Any ideas folks?

Christopher Crabtree
Systems Administrator
Triumph Actuation Systems - Valencia

Michichael · 09-10-2007, 11:15 AM

*sneak sneak sneak* >.>
*sneak sneak sneak* <.<
*bump* ^.^

ecrocombe · 09-12-2007, 12:49 AM

I would be very suspicous of your memory usage, regarding RAM and Page File.
Is there alot of HDD activity?
Check RAM and Page File Usage and post it in here.

Michichael · 09-12-2007, 09:20 AM

That's what I expected at first as well, hence why I upgraded the RAM to 2 gigs. The pagefile was sitting at 4 gigs. We have this configured in RAID 1, my major concern was thus: if it's memory related, why would a remote session, and all shares operate fine, but not console? Either way since we restarted it's working fine...

Edit:

Oh and the usage at the time according to the remote connection was 536 MB page file used with roughly 40k physical available out of ~ 100k. Now we're up to 140k available out of 200k.

ecrocombe · 09-13-2007, 08:59 AM

Ok well physical memory seems ok but Page file; not so.
i would try deleting the page file and recreating it to terminate the change of a fragmented and/or corrupt page file.
This beleive can be done with one of the tools that come inside the SYSINTERNALS SUITE provided by microsoft (Don't think it was made by microsft but they seem to reccommend it!)
Getting late here in Australia (Yawns) if you need further instruction on how to do this just PM me or ask me on this thread

Michichael · 09-13-2007, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ecrocombe

Ok well physical memory seems ok but Page file; not so.
i would try deleting the page file and recreating it to terminate the change of a fragmented and/or corrupt page file.
This beleive can be done with one of the tools that come inside the SYSINTERNALS SUITE provided by microsoft (Don't think it was made by microsft but they seem to reccommend it!)
Getting late here in Australia (Yawns) if you need further instruction on how to do this just PM me or ask me on this thread

Sorry if I misinterpretted what you were saying. The Available size of the pagefile was at 4 gigs. The used was less than 800 MB.

ecrocombe · 09-15-2007, 07:47 PM

I would still try either deleting or defragmenting the page file and see if that does anything.
that will require a reboot though.

08-31-2007, 03:28 PM	#1 (permalink)
Michichael Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 21 OS: WS2003, XP, 2000	Windows Server 2003 Standard: Console Frozen Alrighty then. Got a bit of a stumper for yall here! We have a Windows Server 2003 Standard running Xeon 2.8 GHZ, with 1 gig of 266mhz RAM (I'll be upgrading it to 2 gig's tonight... don't ask me, I didn't set any of this up, I'm just admining it now). It's got a two disk RAID 1 setup IIRC, but I'm not familiar with RAID... as well as a tape backup drive. Standard file server, also one of our main DCs. Here's the issue: The system works perfectly fine. Can remote desktop into it, access all shares just fine, Symatec Corporate Server works fine... everything seems peachy. However the console session is frozen. I try to log in via console, and the "Locked" authentication window goes away... and nothing comes up. Ever. It doesn't automatically lock itself out or go to screensaver either. I try rpd into console, same problem. I rpd normally? Loads fine. Same account any everything. The remote sessions work fine, but connecting to console it just sits at the desktop background with no right click, ctrl-alt-del, windows key responsiveness... nothing. I've tried initiating a remote restart, to no avail. It just doesn't do it. I try a remote disconnect and logoff of the console session. Nothing. I try having another administrative account access the account. It warns that this will log off the other user, comes up with the window stating "Remote logoff in process" but after a while it returns to the locked screen for the original account. I'm a bit baffled. The server works fine except for the console. This is the second time in two weeks it's happened. It works fine after a reboot, but the unlocking becomes progressively slower as time goes on. You authenticate, and the window "wipes" away slower and slower as the days go by. To me this seems a performance or memory issue, however the rest of the system has no problem, JUST console. So that makes me wonder if it is not hardware related. Any ideas folks? Christopher Crabtree Systems Administrator Triumph Actuation Systems - Valencia

09-10-2007, 11:15 AM	#2 (permalink)
Michichael Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 21 OS: WS2003, XP, 2000	Re: Windows Server 2003 Standard: Console Frozen sneak sneak sneak >.> sneak sneak sneak <.< bump ^.^

09-12-2007, 12:49 AM	#3 (permalink)
ecrocombe Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 109 OS: SBS2k3R2, WIN2k3, XP, 2000, NT My System	Re: Windows Server 2003 Standard: Console Frozen I would be very suspicous of your memory usage, regarding RAM and Page File. Is there alot of HDD activity? Check RAM and Page File Usage and post it in here.

09-12-2007, 09:20 AM	#4 (permalink)
Michichael Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 21 OS: WS2003, XP, 2000	Re: Windows Server 2003 Standard: Console Frozen That's what I expected at first as well, hence why I upgraded the RAM to 2 gigs. The pagefile was sitting at 4 gigs. We have this configured in RAID 1, my major concern was thus: if it's memory related, why would a remote session, and all shares operate fine, but not console? Either way since we restarted it's working fine... Edit: Oh and the usage at the time according to the remote connection was 536 MB page file used with roughly 40k physical available out of ~ 100k. Now we're up to 140k available out of 200k. Last edited by Michichael; 09-12-2007 at 09:27 AM.

09-13-2007, 08:59 AM	#5 (permalink)
ecrocombe Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 109 OS: SBS2k3R2, WIN2k3, XP, 2000, NT My System	Re: Windows Server 2003 Standard: Console Frozen Ok well physical memory seems ok but Page file; not so. i would try deleting the page file and recreating it to terminate the change of a fragmented and/or corrupt page file. This beleive can be done with one of the tools that come inside the SYSINTERNALS SUITE provided by microsoft (Don't think it was made by microsft but they seem to reccommend it!) Getting late here in Australia (Yawns) if you need further instruction on how to do this just PM me or ask me on this thread

09-15-2007, 07:47 PM	#7 (permalink)
ecrocombe Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 109 OS: SBS2k3R2, WIN2k3, XP, 2000, NT My System	Re: Windows Server 2003 Standard: Console Frozen I would still try either deleting or defragmenting the page file and see if that does anything. that will require a reboot though.