Slow Desktop Icon Delivery/Redirection

[CHR1S]

I recently moved the location of my mandatory desktop for students, since this time its taking ages for it to be delivered to the desktop. It was originally on the old DC, then I moved it to the DFS (nightmare) then to a share on the new DC.

I use redirected desktops for staff too but at this time not moved it to its new location (new DC) and this has no issues.

 

Is there something obvious that would cause slow desktop redirection? There don't seem to be any errors on client or server and obviously staff redirection is working on the same PCs so it cant be DNS.

 

Thanks

[CHR1S]

Ok, I have given my DNS a once over, all perfect, no errors passes dcdiag on the servers and dcdiag /test:dns on clients.

 

I have checked folder redirection, checked access rights, got my DC back onto 1gb link speed.

 

I have defragged a client HDD, removed all programs from startup, still slow.

 

Its the delay in the desktop icons being delivered that still remains.

[Brpilot99]

Have you set your DNS servers ip address (assuming one of your DC's is a DNS server!!) in your workstsions DNS options box? This can make a huge difference to logging on/folder redirection speeds

[CHR1S]

Both servers are DNS. What do you mean when you say workstations DNS options box? The DNS servers are set in DHCP and are issued via that.

[Brpilot99]

I did some testing and found that although your dns servers address is set in DHCP ... if you add the same address to local area connection properties ... internet protocol/ tcip properties on the workstations this made a huge difference in communication times ... try it on one workststation that has the setting and log in at the same time as one next to it that doesnt .... I did this and the one with the setting logged in twice as fast as the one without ... I think its because the workstation doesnt have to communicate with anybody to find out where the closest DNS server is .... Its similar to the old days when we put IP addresses and host names in the hosts file to make access to sites quicker. I have redirection configured no roaming profiles and my login times are under 5 secs ....

[CHR1S]

But my DNS servers are in the LAN config on the local machines, the DHCP is putting them there.

 

Am I missing your point or do you mean if you were setting a manual IP but just DNS settings?

[Brpilot99]

 

Am I missing your point or do you mean if you were setting a manual IP but just DNS settings?

 

Yes thats it .. I dont know why it makes a difference but it does!!

[CHR1S]

Right, I will give that a go when im in next. Thanks

[Brpilot99]

Your welcome !!

[CHR1S]

Right, the DNS setting idea made no difference.

 

Does anyone know any user logon logging software so I can see whats happening?

 

Thanks

[CHR1S]

The only error during logon is -

 

Event Type: Error

Event Source: Folder Redirection

Event Category: None

Event ID: 107

Date: 18/01/2011

Time: 10:52:05

User: Domain\Class3

Computer: PC-005

Description:

Failed to perform redirection of folder My Pictures. The folder is configured to be redirected from to <\\server\dfs\Home\students\class3\My Pictures>. The following error occurred:

The directory name is invalid.

 

But then a few minutes later -

 

Event Type: Information

Event Source: Folder Redirection

Event Category: None

Event ID: 401

Date: 18/01/2011

Time: 10:55:54

User: Domain\Class3

Computer: PC-005

Description:

Successfully redirected folder My Pictures. The folder was redirected from to <\\server\dfs\Home\students\class3\My Pictures>.

 

How can it fail then wait almost 4 minutes then redirect?

[CHR1S]

Cant get my head round it, its taking ages when more than one logon happens with the same account (i.e - class1)

Every test I run passes, there is minimal use on the server NICs, minimal disk use, I have reduced the size of the desktop, checked permissions, the works!

 

DCDIAG passes with no errors.

[CHR1S]

The only thing I can really see is that my admin server is very sluggish (10 second delays on right click) and I cant see why.

[CHR1S]

Am I talking to myself?

 

It seems like any logon that is processed by DC2 is slow and any any by DC1 quite a bit faster.... any ideas?

[CHR1S]

I think I have cracked it, when you assign a JPG as a desktop background Windows converts it to a BMP. On this occasion it was turning a 60kb JPG file into a 25Mb BMP and making 2 copies of it for every profile. So each profile was getting close to 60Mb and in conjunction with old profiles not being deleted by delprof it was a mess of merged junk!