Re: Windows Home Server performance - very slow.. any ideas?

["simon.wellborne" <simon.wellborne@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,

I have around 6TB of disk space in my WHS and not a single problem with
disk performance (that's not meant to sound like 'nah-nah-na-na-nahh!') -
so I don't think it is a WHS issue.

I have experienced similar system slow downs when the following issues are
at the root:
* memory, and/or
* marginal system/boot disk.

Without knowing your level of expertise on HW troubleshooting (so I
apologise if there is a 'suck-eggs' component to this reply), can I suggest
removing all but a single stick of memory and see what the performance is
like.  If it is the same, swap the stick for another just in case the first
stick is the faulty one.

If you have the ability to swap the system/boot disk out for another one
then try that.  Normally disk errors are reported in the event log, but
I've had a system with almost identical slow tendencies and a system disk
swap was the solution.

I assume there is nothing on the Asus support forums about similar issues
with the same MB?

Maybe try a side-by-side install of W2K3 Svr to see if another OS install
suffers the same issue.  If it does, then you can open a can of whoop-ass
on your HW.



--- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx, "keyvan2r" <k1@...> wrote:
>
> Hi All
>
> I moved my DVDs and Blu-rays from my old Buffalo 3.5Tb NAS box to a
self-build WHS box. I am using a fairly high performance MB (ASUS), cpu
(E4600) with 6gb of ram. I have currently 4 hd's connected via the MB sata
ports. these consist of 2xWD 1.5tb and 2x Hitachi 2Tb drives. This shows up
as 6.37tb with 3.15tb free after I copied my movies & music.
> I am getting really really sluggish performance from this setup.
> I know (think)its all related to physical disk I/O. The performance is
so bad that it virtually makes it useless for streaming DVD or blu-ray
movies. In fact on most occasions it takes the best part of 1 to 2 minutes
to either run WHS console or RDP into the server. Sometimes it times
out...Also opening things like explorer or even double clicking shortcuts
takes ages to respond.
> When running the performance monitor (from server admin tools) it
looks like when any of the shares are being accessed by client pc's all
physical disk activity indicators go to full / 100% usaged. The cpu load
remains ok (between 3% to 20%) but all indicators such as:
> current disk queue length
> avg disk queue length
> avg disk write queue length
> avg disk read queue length
> These all go to 100% or full usage every 2 or 3 seconds during any
form of disk access.
> Is this normal?? If so then it seems WHS is not that good for large
disk managment. I am sure this can not be the case.
> Is there any way I can improve disk performance. Is there anywhere
were settings can be altered to sort this problem?
> Is there anyone else with this issue with similar type of HD capacity?
> I have looked on a few forums for WHS and no joy so far.
> Any help, advice, or even pointing to a good resource to research this
issue would be most appreciated.
> If I can not resolve this I will have to scrap the WHS solution and
look at alternatives which work like unRAID or other disk-server solutions
- that would be a real pain..!!
>
> Thank you
>




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