PC slow to startup to log on, slow to log on, and slow to load apps and get

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I got a call from one of our customers (and it’s not the first such call our company has gotten from them about this) that has me and the rest of my coworkers stumped. When users start up their PC’s it takes a long time to get started up to reach the log in screen, then when logging on it takes more time than normal. Once logged on and Windows has loaded (again, taking way longer than usual) and they try to open an application (any application — Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.) and begin working, again they face lengthy delays before things start working normally.

This behavior occurs randomly; i.e. there’s no set pattern as to when it occurs or which individuals are affected other than it only happens with the desktop workstations, laptop users aren’t affected. The workstations are a mix of Dells, Compaq/HP’s, Acer, and “home-brews.” The OS’s used are XP Pro w/SP2 & 3 and Windows 7 and none are more than 4 years old, or so. The only exposure we have had to all this has primarily been over the phone. Once, one of us tried to get to the customer’s site hoping to see this problem first-hand. but by the time they got there everything was finally up and running normally.

The network infrastructure is a Windows 2003 SB domain with a DLINK DES1250G switch and 3 WAP’s. IP address are a mix of 10.0.0.xxx and 192.168.0 (or 1).xxx. One of the WAP is pulling a 192.168.1.xxx address with the rest at a 10.0.0.xxx addresses, and the switch is at a 192.168.0.xxx address. Not really sure what IP the workstations are pulling but I have a hunch that it might be a 10.0.0.xxx address as the server is at a 10.0.0.xxx address.

Does anyone out there have any idea what might be going on? Is this an issue with the workstations, the server, switch, cabling? I would really appreciate some feed back on this from some of the savviest computer people around.

Thanks for your help!

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A couple of things:

there’s no set pattern as to when it occurs or which individuals are affected other than it only happens with the desktop workstations, laptop users aren’t affected.

What’s different about the laptop’s? If it never happens on those machines, it may help you understand the cause.

IP address are a mix of 10.0.0.xxx and 192.168.0 (or 1).xxx. One of the WAP is pulling a 192.168.1.xxx address with the rest at a 10.0.0.xxx addresses, and the switch is at a 192.168.0.xxx address. Not really sure what IP the workstations are pulling but I have a hunch that it might be a 10.0.0.xxx address as the server is at a 10.0.0.xxx address.

How many DHCP servers do you have on the network? I’m not really sure the reason for a Class A and a Class C address range on your network. The inference is that one of the wireless access points is running a DHCP server to allocate Class C addresses, while the Server is running another DHCP server to allocate Class A. If that’s the case, there should be only one DHCP server on the network.

Are the laptops exclusively connected to the wireless? If so, are they always getting a Class C IP addresses and from where? How does that compare with the workstations?

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Tinto Tech,

Thanks for the suggestions as to what to look at. I’ll try and check to see what IP’s the laptops pull and if they always connect wirelessly, as well as to what IP’s the workstations are pulling. It’s my understanding that the wireless AP’s do not have the capability of issuing IP addresses, so that will be something to look at. You’re right,two DHCP servers on the same network issuing two different subnet addresses can hinder things quite a bit.

Thanks!

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Are they running virtual desktops?

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Maudibe,

No, no one is running a Virtual Desktop.

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