Win2k3 Shared Files Disappear, but still there!

[Betray]

We have a AD running on win2k3. We have many shared folders. Ive noticed that once in a while users will call up and report the folders missing. To fix the issue i would reboot the system. And vola files visable to all users. Just recently i found another soloution and that was to disconnect all users on the shared folders in my admin panel. Again, vola users can see the folders!

What kinda issue is this? Seems like when to many users try to access files?
around 13 users, max open files is roughly 20-30. seems really low for a problem like this. Any suggestions will help, thank you!

[Betray]

How come no one can help me on this subject?

[jg007]

please have some patience!, not everybody checks this constantly :)

please advise when the files vanish what happens if they navigate to the folder and then go to 'tools' , select synchronise and resynch with the server?

if the files re-appear then it is probably a network issue which caused temporary loss of connection to the server.

the other question is whether you can see the files that they cannot as if you can it narrows down the possibilities a bit

[questionit]

AD profiles comes in the mind. Is profile setting setup right - it might be the thing to look at if the files you are referring to are stored in a particular user's profile folder

Qi

[Betray]

thank you for answering.

it doesnt seem to be a disconnect issue, because some files are visable in differant folders


d:\share
d:\everyone
example i might be able to see the files in share. but not in d:\everyone\files\ all users have the same problem when it does go missing randomly.. it will work for 1-3weeks with out problems. Im not sure if its home path related, cause that is left on default and the share folders are located on another drive

[questionit]

Sound like a strange problem.

You can try any of the following:

1- See that d:\everyone folder has not set to 'private folder' or someone possibly be changing the settings occasionaly of his folder without you notcing it?

2- The folder's sharing property might be getting changed to "do not share.." by someone


To understand more, please let me know where the D drive is located, on a server or on a particular workstation.

Is it a normal drive or a "Home drive" for all the users?

Qi

thank you for answering.

it doesnt seem to be a disconnect issue, because some files are visable in differant folders


d:\share
d:\everyone
example i might be able to see the files in share. but not in d:\everyone\files\ all users have the same problem when it does go missing randomly.. it will work for 1-3weeks with out problems. Im not sure if its home path related, cause that is left on default and the share folders are located on another drive

[Betray]

Thank you for your response.

Im 100% positive its no one with access to the server. The share permisions are set to everyone. But the only possible fix is, rebooting the system, which will reveal the files again or to close user sessions via the Admin Panel(MMC). It seems to be more of an issue when a random user is working on a random file. I take it as the amount of files shared via our active directory is too high?(24 max files being shared at a time, still seems kind of low!)

Is there a max limit of files that can be shared off a windows 2003 AD server at one time?

[questionit]

Hi

I am not very sure with the information you have so far provided as to what might be the cause of the problem be.

Here is the limit for simaltaneous file share:

Window Server (Web Edition) : 10 connections

Windows Server (all other editions): 100000 connections - efficiently with 1 GB RAM.

If your users are likely to open more than 100000 files open at the same time, split this load accross 2 servers.

Qi

Thank you for your response.

Im 100% positive its no one with access to the server. The share permisions are set to everyone. But the only possible fix is, rebooting the system, which will reveal the files again or to close user sessions via the Admin Panel(MMC). It seems to be more of an issue when a random user is working on a random file. I take it as the amount of files shared via our active directory is too high?(24 max files being shared at a time, still seems kind of low!)

Is there a max limit of files that can be shared off a windows 2003 AD server at one time?

[Betray]

im using windows 2003k Standard Editiom, with a 15 Key licence. we have 12 users. I checked on how many files open right now, and its around 30-50.

I guess this is not the issue then.


We share over 30-40 folders off the server which has a spare D drive. When this problem occurs. 95% of the files in those folders are missing. When i disconnected all the users the files were instantly back and available. This doesnt seem as its an offline shared folder issue either. But i have disabled that feature now.

[Betray]

it just happened again! And this time closing everyones open files did not work, i had to do a reboot

[jg007]

no ideas at the moment but for more information please cab you confirm -

what type of drive is this?

Is it in a raid configuration?

if you log on to the server are the files visible directly and if so what about if you use the loopback \\localhost\ and whatever is the share

[Betray]

no ideas at the moment but for more information please cab you confirm -

what type of drive is this?

Is it in a raid configuration?

if you log on to the server are the files visible directly and if so what about if you use the loopback \\localhost\ and whatever is the share

the drive is an external drive connected to the server(via usb, no raid). It has share permissions so that the AD users can access it. If i remote desktop on the server the files are visable. I have not tried localhost, because it wont work unless its from the server. All the share files are served off the USB harddrive. But when the problem occurs, i would say 90% or so of the files in the folders are just completely hidden. the rest can be accessed file. in the even log there is nothing strange.

This problem is very strange :(

[jg007]

do you have the option to connect the drive via SATA or internally so that you can rule out issues with usb?

also have you got another drive that you can swap to see if it is a faulty controller on the USB drive?

if you connect to the server and can see the files it might still be worth trying \\localhost just to see if the files are still visible.

[Betray]

do you have the option to connect the drive via SATA or internally so that you can rule out issues with usb?

also have you got another drive that you can swap to see if it is a faulty controller on the USB drive?

if you connect to the server and can see the files it might still be worth trying \\localhost just to see if the files are still visible.

its a built in external drive so i can only issue it via usb.

I kind have my doubts on it being a faulty USB, becasue some of the files are still visable in differant folders. I will have to try the localhost problem. I will also see if i can get a internal HDD to see if we can rule out that problem.

On a side note, is there a differance between AD folder publishing vs shared folders?

[jg007]

if I remember correctly all it means if you publish the share in AD the users can search for the share ( via AD? )