Crashing Server

[dibekem]

Hi guys.

 

I have two different schools where we have a server 2008 R2 server installed and for a while now I have to keep restarting the server about every 2-3 weeks. I have been trying to look in to event viewer to see what is going on but haven't had much luck but Im 99% that it is to do with Windows Server Backup program.

We use this program to backup the server daily. It used to work okay but for the last two months when ever the server slows down I find that the daily backup failed for at least 3days.

 

The symptoms are the followings:

 

Cannot use RDC to remote in to the server. It just goes to a black screen.

 

Users print and it comes out about 10 minutes later and eventually people just can't print at all.

 

When I physically go to the server I cannot log in the screen freezes and I just have to do the hard reset pushing and holding the power button for 10sec.

 

The thing is that both servers are having the same issues.One is an HP server the other isn't. So can't be that. We use usb external drives for the backup. Both servers have different type of usb device. So can't blame that either. Could it be a bug on the Windows server backup program?

One point we thought the servers are might be out of date so we updated both servers.

 

Any of you guys having similar issues?

 

Thanks

 

[emoji4]

[Michael]

I wonder if it's possibly spooler related. Try creating a script that resets the spooler every 24 hours, say at 5am before the school day.

 

How much memory do these servers have? Sometimes if there's a problematic driver, it can eat all server resources bringing everything to a standstill.

 

I have numerous 2008 R2 servers and none of them behave like you're describing.

[sted]

have you tried using isolated mode on the printer drivers (cant remember if that's in 2008r2s print management console)

[Meldrew]

I wonder if it's possibly spooler related. Try creating a script that resets the spooler every 24 hours, say at 5am before the school day.

 

How much memory do these servers have? Sometimes if there's a problematic driver, it can eat all server resources bringing everything to a standstill.

 

I have numerous 2008 R2 servers and none of them behave like you're describing.

 

Agreed, back in the day when we had CC3, therefore printers on DCs, most issues were printer driver related.

 

Meldrew.

[CAWJames]

That's annoying, I was looking forward to a thread about jamming old servers into an industrial crusher, pros and cons

[dibekem]

Thanks all the replies!

I thought the issue was with the server backup program or something like that. I know the printers start 'jamming' but the issue was more like server slowing down and unable to use everything on it, not just the printers.

I get that one issue could cause other problems so it might be the printer drivers, still I find it odd to have the same issue in two different schools. Have to say that they both have different printers as well.