Windows Server grinds to halt, despite using no resources

[mikes]

Hi I have a problem with one of our servers (running as a Windows Print Server) - the machine basically runs very slowly - installing a driver will take 20 - 30 minutes, stopping a service will take 5 minutes etc etc - checking Resmon shows hardly any CPU, Memory, HDD usage etc - no problems with high handle usage, etc. While this is happening, users can still print to the printser, but after a few days it will show an "RPC service is unavailable" error and the server needs to be restarted (which takes about an hour).

This is a virtual server in Vsphere; we have moved it from one vhost to another with no success (the other servers are all fine)

 

I have seen this a few times with MS Windows - it will just grind to a halt and the only solution is to reinstall the OS (putting it down to Windows Rot) - has anyone seen this and might know what causes it?

[ranj]

This isnt a virtual machine in VMware is it? If so what version is it?

[googlemad]

Try disabling the Windows Update service on it temporarily and see if that helps, although if that was the cause it would likely be showing 100% CPU for one of the services in Task Manager

[mistersparky]

A few follow-up questions:

1. What OS iis the server?
   
2. How behind (if at all) are you on Windows Updates?
   
3. What version of VMware tools are installed?
   
4. Is the server running anything else other than print services?
   
5. For the drivers already installed, what driver isolation is configured?
   
6. Where is the OS getting stuck during the long restarts? (check via vSphere console)
   

Edited November 11, 2016 by mistersparky