Topic:	Windows NT Server Tips
Document:	# 606
Product:	OM for DOS
Date:	12/20/97, 8:07AM
Last revised	8/22/98, 5:16PM

 

Installation/Configuration

 

Often SOS Office Manager and Case Manager install and run without any problem on NT Server based networks. On occasion, however, some problems with performance, system hangs, mysterious sharing violations, or bogus "invalid data file" messages have been reported.

 

Assuming that the integrity of the network itself is not an issue, SOS suggests the following (for both NT 3.51 and NT 4.0):

1. If using Windows 95 workstations, install the updated redirector from Microsoft on each station. The self-installing update is found in a file called VRDRUPD.EXE, which can be downloaded from the Microsoft web site or from the SOS BBS (352-242-9105). If you have difficulty finding it on the Microsoft site, search the KnowledgeBase for "Q142803". There is a link to the file in that article.
2. Related to the above is the registry key "DiscardCacheOnOpen", which should be set to true (1 hex). This key is not defined as part of standard Windows 95 installations, but will automatically be defined and set if you install the redirector update. To be safe, you might want to check it manually to be sure that the registry key is there and that it is set correctly by opening Regedit and querying this key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE / System / CurrentControlSet / Services / VxD / VREDIR "DiscardCacheOnOpen", which should be set to 01 hex.
3. If it is not there, you must enter it yourself:
4. Start the program: Regedit.exe
5. Choose: HKey_Local_Machine >System >Current Control Set >Services >VxD >VREDIR >
6. Right-Click or pull down Edit >New >Binary Value >Rename Value >
   Value name: DiscardCacheOnOpen
7. Modify Parameter value: 00 01
8. Check in Control Panel > Network to be sure that no irrelevant protocols are loaded and that the protocols that you are using are bound only to the appropriate adapters. By default, for example, Windows will install IPX (Novell) protocol drivers as well as its own NetBeui protocol and bind both to the network adapter as well as to the dialup adapter, if the latter has been installed. In most cases this will create additional overhead for the system, and in some cases can cause hangs or extremely slow performance. A typical installation would have the NetBeui protocol bound to the network interface card and TCP/IP bound to the dialup adapter to provide internet access. In this example, any protocol other than NetBeui should be removed from the network adapter and everything except TCP/IP should be removed from the dialup adapter. The specifics here will vary depending on the protocols you are actually using, but the point is that only the ones you are actually using on each adapter should be bound to the adapter.
9. There have been reported problems with a server setting called opportunistic locking. For an explanation of this setting, see Microsoft Knowledge Base article Q129202 (Explanation of Opportunistic Locking on Windows NT).
10. To see if opportunistic locking is set on your NT 4.0 server, select Start > Programs > Administrative > Windows NT Diagnostics. Click the Network tab, then the Settings button. Scroll down to "Use Opportunistic Locking". If it is set to TRUE, it is probably the source of your problem.
11. To disable opportunistic locking, you need to adjust two registry settings. NT turns this feature on by default, so if the following registry settings do not exist, you will have to add them. (It is always a good idea to backup your current registry settings before making any changes!)
12. Verify (and correct, if necessary) these NT Server parameters:
13. EnableOpLockForceClose REG_DWORD set to 1 (default=0)
    EnableOplocks REG_DWORD set to 0 (default=1)
14. This is done by starting the program:
15. ...\WINNT35\System32 \REGEDT32.exe. (If Regedt32 does not exist, try REGEDIT.)
16. Choose: HKey_Local_Machine >System >Current Control Set >Services >LanmanServer >Parameters
17. If the value EnableOpLockForceClose exists, double-click on it or select it, then pull down Edit and choose DWORD. In DWORD Editor, Hex selected, enter the value 1.
18. If it does not exist, you will need to add this DWord value. (The following steps may vary slightly by NT version.) Pull down Edit and choose Add Value.
    Value name: EnableOpLockForceClose
    Data type : REG_DWORD
    Press OK
    In DWORD Editor, Hex selected, enter the value 1
19.  
20. If the value EnableOpLocks exists, double-click on it or select it, then pull down "Edit" and choose DWORD.
21. In DWORD Editor, Hex selected, enter the value 0.
22. If it does not exist, you must add this DWord value. (The following steps may vary slightly by NT version.) Pull down Edit and choose Add value.
23. Value name: EnableOpLocks
    Data type : REG_DWORD
24. Press OK.
25. In DWORD Editor, Hex selected, enter the value 0.
26. Log off all users and reboot the server to be sure that the new settings are activated.

Performance

1. When using PCI network interface cards, be sure that they are inserted in the bus-master slot. Check your system documentation to determine which of the PCI slots is the correct one. We have at least two confirmed cases of major performance problems when the cards were in other PCI slots.
2. Do not run an animated screen saver on your NT Server. We have reports of 200MHz Pentium Pro servers being brought to their knees by a screen saver!
3. Be sure to configure your server to give preference to background (server) tasks.
4. Avoid running business applications on the server station. It should be dedicated to running server applications.

Interference from HP JetAdmin Software

More and more frequently, local area networks are being installed using the TCP/IP networking protocol rather than Novell's IPX or Microsoft's NetBeui protocols. If your network uses TCP/IP protocol and you have installed the Hewlett Packard JetAdmin printer control software, there is a chance that it is congesting your network with unnecessary messages. The latest versions of this software now come with this feature disabled by default, but if your network seems sluggish, you should definitely check to be sure:

1. Run the JetAdmin program.
2. Select the TCP/IP Discovery tab.
3. Uncheck the Broadcast option.

The latest version of the JetAdmin software is available on the HP web site (www.hp.com).