Windows XP connection limit (Real Issue)

  • Thread starter Thread starter shudson
  • Start date Start date
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shudson

I've got a bank that's running 9 XP Pro SP2 machines. They attempt to
map a drive to and XP Pro SP2 machine
For some reason each pc is taking two connections, there fore I can't
keep the mapped drives up on more than 5 at a time.
One connection is always "user" on "computer"
The second is always "computer$" on "computer"

Any idea what could be holding the second connection open?
I am running an app(s) on the mapped drive.
I also have this config running in 16 locations with no problems, just
this site....

Thanks in advance

Steve
 
I'm still working on this issue after about 12 hours on the phone with
MS to no avail.
Any one have any ideas?

Thanks
Steve
 
I've got a bank that's running 9 XP Pro SP2 machines. They attempt to
map a drive to and XP Pro SP2 machine
For some reason each pc is taking two connections, there fore I can't
keep the mapped drives up on more than 5 at a time.
One connection is always "user" on "computer"
The second is always "computer$" on "computer"

Any idea what could be holding the second connection open?
I am running an app(s) on the mapped drive.
I also have this config running in 16 locations with no problems, just
this site....
Click to expand...

I don't have an answer for you re what is making the second connection,
but why don't you just put a server operating system on that XP Pro
box? You don't have to set up a domain if you don't want to, although
with 8 workstations it would make managing them easier. Or if it is
only being used as a file server, install Linux.

Malke
 
SteveH said:
I'm still working on this issue after about 12 hours on the phone with
MS to no avail.
Any one have any ideas?

Thanks
Steve
Click to expand...

Install a proper server. MS SBS 2003 is fairly cheap and easy with all the
wizards. If you don't need some of the features like Exchange then don't
install them. Linux is another good option. Cheap to install but the
learning curve is steeper. If you are just doing some simple file sharing
then the learning curve is not that steep. With 9 pc's you will run into
this problem whatever you do. Simply rebooting one pc can cause it not to
connect for up to fifteen minutes once you are close to the 10 connection
limit. You also have zero room for expansion.

As for the problem I don't know what computer$ is. If Microsoft doesn't know
either it must be something installed on all the pc's i.e. antivirus app,
malware etc. Are there any strange accounts under Documents and Settings?
Check the running services and see what account they are running under.

Kerry
 
Thanks All,
I will install a server OS on this box if I have to, just being
bullheaded I guess considering this is running successfuly in this
exact configuration in 16 other sites, without the second connection
issue.

Expansion is not a concern as these bank branches, specifically this
one, already have a pc on every desk possible.
Until this issue arose, our standard was <10 users no server, just XP
pro with mapped drive to app and db, >10 server class machine.

We have 40 sites currently, and being able to manage these "desktop OS"
servers, allows us to manage and patch them along with the rest of the
client pc's.
We also have space issues in thes small branches, so a small form
factor desktop works well.

We've disabled all third party services, and everything in startup and
it still happens.
Hard part about trouble shooting is that it's a little intemitent,
about 80%.
So every change I make, I have to test multiple times on multiple pc's
to make sure....

As of this morning, I'm actually leaning more towards a problem with a
group policy in that container causing the issue.
Rigth now I am making a dummy container, moving one pc into it, then
applying newly created policies to that container one at a time to try
and isolate it.

If I get all the way through and the problem doesn't reoccur, I'll move
all of the pc's into the new container, delete the old one, and rename
the new container to what the old one was...

Thanks for your ideas, and keep `em coming.
Someone has to have seen this before...

Steve
 
Just done a few tests with an XP Pro SP2 machine and an NT4 SP6 server, I
can duplicate this behaviour in that the initial conenction to the server
produces two connections as viewed at a NET SESSIONS commandline on the
server.

However, the redundant connection seems to disappear after a few seconds,
leaving just the one for the mapping.

I'm guessing that the inital connection may be something to do with the
authentication process. What may be happening in your case is that for some
reason (?) it's not being disconnected once its job is done.

In principle I don't see how a 'proper' server is going to solve this unless
he's prepared to pay over-the-odds for licences. Remember the basic server
allows only FIVE users, and you pay an arm and a leg for more than that.
 
Ian said:
Just done a few tests with an XP Pro SP2 machine and an NT4 SP6
server, I can duplicate this behaviour in that the initial conenction
to the server produces two connections as viewed at a NET SESSIONS
commandline on the server.

However, the redundant connection seems to disappear after a few
seconds,
leaving just the one for the mapping.

I'm guessing that the inital connection may be something to do with
the authentication process. What may be happening in your case is that
for some reason (?) it's not being disconnected once its job is done.

In principle I don't see how a 'proper' server is going to solve this
unless he's prepared to pay over-the-odds for licences. Remember the
basic server allows only FIVE users, and you pay an arm and a leg for
more than that.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure where you're coming up with the 5 users in the OP's
circumstance. Every XP Pro has one license to connect to a Windows
server. That's per computer, not user. The issue the OP is grappling
with is one of inbound concurrent connection limitations. Here is the
link and information about that:

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=314882 - Inbound connections limit in
XP

concurrent connections:

10 for XP Pro/Tablet/MCE
5 for XP Home
49 for SBS 2000
74 for SBS 2003
Unlimited for full Server O/Ses

These are *connection* limits, not *computer* or *user* limits. So
getting a Small Business Server would work perfectly for him (very
reasonably priced) or as I said before if the "server" is just a file
server and doesn't need to run a Windows program, put Linux on it.
Linux doesn't have any inbound connection limits.

Malke
 
Malke said:
Every XP Pro has one license to connect to a Windows
server. That's per computer, not user.
Click to expand...

In that case, why is it that if I go though the simulated process of
licensing a business on http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/mpla/ it tells me
that I need server CALs at $36.00 per seat, even if I specify XP Pro as the
desktop OS?
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=314882 - Inbound connections limit in
XP
Click to expand...

Which makes it clear that if one box makes two connections under different
credentials, then that counts as two licences. Which I suspect is what's
happening here, the first connection may be a named pipe set-up under the
system account. (I'm guessing here but it seems plausible)
 
Ian said:
In that case, why is it that if I go though the simulated process of
licensing a business on http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/mpla/ it
tells me that I need server CALs at $36.00 per seat, even if I specify
XP Pro as the desktop OS?
Click to expand...

I don't know. But the OP wasn't talking about terminal services
connections. He's just talking about accessing a computer on his
network. Personally, I find the whole MS licensing issue confusing, but
my information regarding licenses needed came from MS server support
when I was setting up a terminal services machine for a client. I was
told that Server came with 5 licenses plus each XP Pro carries its own
license. When you set up licensing on Server, you're given the choice
of doing it per seat or per user. So maybe you should just call server
support and ask them what you need.
Which makes it clear that if one box makes two connections under
different
credentials, then that counts as two licences. Which I suspect is
what's happening here, the first connection may be a named pipe set-up
under the system account. (I'm guessing here but it seems plausible)
Click to expand...

No, this isn't a licensing issue. Your issue is different than the OP's.
This is the inbound concurrent connections issue which also isn't about
making more than one connection under different credentials. People run
into it continually in small businesses where they have XP Home or even
Pro and don't have a real server operating system in place. They're not
connecting under different credentials; they are logged into one
account one one workstation which makes more than one inbound
connection to another machine which they are using as a file server or
to run (usually) specialized niche software. On a network with more
than (roughly) 7 or 8 machines, they'll hit the limit because one
computer can make more than one connection at a time.

Malke
 
Thanks folks, Malke is correct.
The computer$ connection, accroding to MS support (I'm now at their 4th
level advanced network support team), is what they call the "default"
connection that is made before files are accessed, it is supposed to
close and be replaced by another connection (usually "username" on
"computer" when files are accessed.
My problem is that the default connection doesn't drop, ever, even
after the fifteen minute default disconnect (we have now set it to
ten).
However, when the (now) ten minute idle time is reached on the
"username" on "computer" connection, both connections do finally drop.
I can by the way manually disconnect the $ connections, while the user
is running the app over the mapped drive without affecting them at all.
 
SteveH said:
Thanks folks, Malke is correct.
The computer$ connection, accroding to MS support (I'm now at their
4th level advanced network support team), is what they call the
"default" connection that is made before files are accessed, it is
supposed to close and be replaced by another connection (usually
"username" on "computer" when files are accessed.
My problem is that the default connection doesn't drop, ever, even
after the fifteen minute default disconnect (we have now set it to
ten).
However, when the (now) ten minute idle time is reached on the
"username" on "computer" connection, both connections do finally drop.
I can by the way manually disconnect the $ connections, while the user
is running the app over the mapped drive without affecting them at
all.
Click to expand...

Thanks for getting back on this, SteveH. Yes, it's funny how that works
and how buying a server operating system solves the issue. I don't know
why the connections don't drop and certainly you're working with the
people who *should* know. From a practical standpoint, the only way to
deal with it is to either install an MS server os on the "target"
computer or install Something Else From The Dark Side (I'm partial to
SuSE) if the target computer doesn't need to run Windows programs.

Good luck,

Malke
 
SteveH said:
Thanks folks, Malke is correct.
The computer$ connection, accroding to MS support (I'm now at their
4th level advanced network support team), is what they call the
"default" connection that is made before files are accessed, it is
supposed to close and be replaced by another connection (usually
"username" on "computer" when files are accessed.
My problem is that the default connection doesn't drop, ever, even
after the fifteen minute default disconnect (we have now set it to
ten).
However, when the (now) ten minute idle time is reached on the
"username" on "computer" connection, both connections do finally drop.
I can by the way manually disconnect the $ connections, while the user
is running the app over the mapped drive without affecting them at
all.
Click to expand...

Thanks for posting the update. I'd never heard of computer$ and all the
search engines including Microsoft's treat $ as a special character. If you
ever figure out the actual cause please let us know.

Kerry
 
Found the answer, just am not too happy with the solution...
It appears that a shortcut to an application running from a mapped
drive, will occasionally verify its vailidity (path I think),
if it is on the desktop.
The problem was resolved by placing the icon in the
\allusers\startmenu\programs folder instead of \allusers\desktop
folder.
When the icon is on the start menu, the issue does not occur.
I have some sites that do have the issue, and some that don't, but
after three weeks of troubleshooting, we just put server OS drives in
these boxes to make it go away...
MS support still says it's a possible profile issue, but I went with
what I knew was going to work.

Thanks for you're help here folks!

Steve
 
SteveH said:
Found the answer, just am not too happy with the solution...
It appears that a shortcut to an application running from a mapped
drive, will occasionally verify its vailidity (path I think),
if it is on the desktop.
The problem was resolved by placing the icon in the
\allusers\startmenu\programs folder instead of \allusers\desktop
folder.
When the icon is on the start menu, the issue does not occur.
I have some sites that do have the issue, and some that don't, but
after three weeks of troubleshooting, we just put server OS drives in
these boxes to make it go away...
MS support still says it's a possible profile issue, but I went with
what I knew was going to work.

Thanks for you're help here folks!

Steve
Click to expand...

Thanks for the update. That's one to remember. XP seems to have lots of
weird problems with mapped drives. It really likes UNC names.

Kerry
 
Funny part about it, using the UNC name on a desktop shortcut did
exactly the same thing.

Steve
 
SteveH said:
Funny part about it, using the UNC name on a desktop shortcut did
exactly the same thing.

Steve
Click to expand...

That's even stranger. Good to know though.

Kerry
 
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