Strange problem disconnecting old server

[Doug]

I have a Windows network with 5 Windows Server 2003 servers, recently
upgraded from Windows 200 Server. We have one old server running Windows
2000 that we're trying to get rid of. This box is quite old, it was once the
domain controller with Windows NT Server. It was upgraded to Windows 2000
server 3-4 years ago (& demoted). Point being that this machine has been
around on the network for a long time. It was most recently a file and print
server. I've removed all the shares. Computer Management shows no active
sessions or open files, and Netstat shows no connections to client
computers. But when I unplug the network cable, Windows Explorer on the
client computers slows to a crawl -- eg, 45 seconds if you right-click a
folder before the shortcut menu appears. Netstat on the client doesn't show
any connections to the server.

When I search for the server name in the registry on the clients, I find
dozens of references -- printers that have been deleted, software that has
been uninstalled, MRU lists, etc. Maybe I need to scrub the registry with a
good registry cleaner, but that's going to be a pain if I have to do it on
every clients.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks,

Doug

 

[Robert L [MVP - Networking]]

Assuming this is DC, have you demoted it?

Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
"Doug" <dougATloweNOSPAMwriterDOTyou-know-what> wrote in message I have a Windows network with 5 Windows Server 2003 servers, recently
upgraded from Windows 200 Server. We have one old server running Windows
2000 that we're trying to get rid of. This box is quite old, it was once the
domain controller with Windows NT Server. It was upgraded to Windows 2000
server 3-4 years ago (& demoted). Point being that this machine has been
around on the network for a long time. It was most recently a file and print
server. I've removed all the shares. Computer Management shows no active
sessions or open files, and Netstat shows no connections to client
computers. But when I unplug the network cable, Windows Explorer on the
client computers slows to a crawl -- eg, 45 seconds if you right-click a
folder before the shortcut menu appears. Netstat on the client doesn't show
any connections to the server.

When I search for the server name in the registry on the clients, I find
dozens of references -- printers that have been deleted, software that has
been uninstalled, MRU lists, etc. Maybe I need to scrub the registry with a
good registry cleaner, but that's going to be a pain if I have to do it on
every clients.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks,

Doug

 

[Doug]

Yes, long ago. It was a domain controller years ago, when it was NT. But it hasn't been a domain controller for 3-4 years now.

Assuming this is DC, have you demoted it?

Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
"Doug" <dougATloweNOSPAMwriterDOTyou-know-what> wrote in message I have a Windows network with 5 Windows Server 2003 servers, recently
upgraded from Windows 200 Server. We have one old server running Windows
2000 that we're trying to get rid of. This box is quite old, it was once the
domain controller with Windows NT Server. It was upgraded to Windows 2000
server 3-4 years ago (& demoted). Point being that this machine has been
around on the network for a long time. It was most recently a file and print
server. I've removed all the shares. Computer Management shows no active
sessions or open files, and Netstat shows no connections to client
computers. But when I unplug the network cable, Windows Explorer on the
client computers slows to a crawl -- eg, 45 seconds if you right-click a
folder before the shortcut menu appears. Netstat on the client doesn't show
any connections to the server.

When I search for the server name in the registry on the clients, I find
dozens of references -- printers that have been deleted, software that has
been uninstalled, MRU lists, etc. Maybe I need to scrub the registry with a
good registry cleaner, but that's going to be a pain if I have to do it on
every clients.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks,

Doug

 

[Robert L [MVP - Networking]]

You may try to use NTDSUTIL to fix it.

Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
"Doug" <dougATloweNOSPAMwriterDOTyou-know-what> wrote in message Yes, long ago. It was a domain controller years ago, when it was NT. But it hasn't been a domain controller for 3-4 years now.

Assuming this is DC, have you demoted it?

Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
"Doug" <dougATloweNOSPAMwriterDOTyou-know-what> wrote in message I have a Windows network with 5 Windows Server 2003 servers, recently
upgraded from Windows 200 Server. We have one old server running Windows
2000 that we're trying to get rid of. This box is quite old, it was once the
domain controller with Windows NT Server. It was upgraded to Windows 2000
server 3-4 years ago (& demoted). Point being that this machine has been
around on the network for a long time. It was most recently a file and print
server. I've removed all the shares. Computer Management shows no active
sessions or open files, and Netstat shows no connections to client
computers. But when I unplug the network cable, Windows Explorer on the
client computers slows to a crawl -- eg, 45 seconds if you right-click a
folder before the shortcut menu appears. Netstat on the client doesn't show
any connections to the server.

When I search for the server name in the registry on the clients, I find
dozens of references -- printers that have been deleted, software that has
been uninstalled, MRU lists, etc. Maybe I need to scrub the registry with a
good registry cleaner, but that's going to be a pain if I have to do it on
every clients.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks,

Doug