sick server - My computer an Remote Desktop gone west

Hi,

Apologies for the cross posting - I have a problem of unknown cause.
I have a Win2003sp2 server running sql2ksp3 that is exhibiting some strange
behaviour.

I had a complaint that Remote Desktop users could not gain access. On
investigation the TS services, permissions & licences all seemed OK. However
Remote Desktop does not work, even from the server's own console.

RAM & CPU do not seem over stretched. When I attempted to check disk size I
saw this oddity - attempting to view My Computer causes Windows Explorer to
go into an unresponsive state. You can right click on tehstart button &
explore All Users folder and from there the root of any connected drive. The
moment you try to go below the drive level My Computer freezes up and the
only way out is CTRL/ALT/DEL > logout. Oh - I did check free disk space from
the command prompt - is OK.

I also noticed I can't view Windows components in Add/Remove Programs.

Now my first reaction to all this is: It's screwed; if it hasn't been hacked
or infected or something at way too low a level is damaged - Try one O/S
repair-install and if that doesn't work first time wipe it & rebuild it.
However I'm short of time and I'm hoping one of you clever ladies/gentlemen
may have a better solution.

Thanks in advance,

Pete

You should be able to look at the event log remotely and see what is wrong.
Anthony,
http://www.airdesk.co.uk


"Pete Halasovski" <> wrote in message
news:gqisth$hv9$...
> Hi,
>
> Apologies for the cross posting - I have a problem of unknown cause.
> I have a Win2003sp2 server running sql2ksp3 that is exhibiting some
> strange behaviour.
>
> I had a complaint that Remote Desktop users could not gain access. On
> investigation the TS services, permissions & licences all seemed OK.
> However Remote Desktop does not work, even from the server's own console.
>
> RAM & CPU do not seem over stretched. When I attempted to check disk size
> I saw this oddity - attempting to view My Computer causes Windows Explorer
> to go into an unresponsive state. You can right click on tehstart button &
> explore All Users folder and from there the root of any connected drive.
> The moment you try to go below the drive level My Computer freezes up and
> the only way out is CTRL/ALT/DEL > logout. Oh - I did check free disk
> space from the command prompt - is OK.
>
> I also noticed I can't view Windows components in Add/Remove Programs.
>
> Now my first reaction to all this is: It's screwed; if it hasn't been
> hacked or infected or something at way too low a level is damaged - Try
> one O/S repair-install and if that doesn't work first time wipe it &
> rebuild it. However I'm short of time and I'm hoping one of you clever
> ladies/gentlemen may have a better solution.
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Pete
>

Try restarting the machine before doing anything, then check the event log.



--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect


"Pete Halasovski" wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Apologies for the cross posting - I have a problem of unknown cause.
> I have a Win2003sp2 server running sql2ksp3 that is exhibiting some
> strange behaviour.
>
> I had a complaint that Remote Desktop users could not gain access. On
> investigation the TS services, permissions & licences all seemed OK.
> However Remote Desktop does not work, even from the server's own console.
>
> RAM & CPU do not seem over stretched. When I attempted to check disk size
> I saw this oddity - attempting to view My Computer causes Windows Explorer
> to go into an unresponsive state. You can right click on tehstart button &
> explore All Users folder and from there the root of any connected drive.
> The moment you try to go below the drive level My Computer freezes up and
> the only way out is CTRL/ALT/DEL > logout. Oh - I did check free disk
> space from the command prompt - is OK.
>
> I also noticed I can't view Windows components in Add/Remove Programs.
>
> Now my first reaction to all this is: It's screwed; if it hasn't been
> hacked or infected or something at way too low a level is damaged - Try
> one O/S repair-install and if that doesn't work first time wipe it &
> rebuild it. However I'm short of time and I'm hoping one of you clever
> ladies/gentlemen may have a better solution.
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Pete
>

Thanks gents,

I have access to the console and so had both rebooted and checked events
logs previously. Nioether helped.

Looks like it's a rebuild...

regards,

Pete

"Pete Halasovski" <> wrote in message
news:gqisth$hv9$...
> Hi,
>
> Apologies for the cross posting - I have a problem of unknown cause.
> I have a Win2003sp2 server running sql2ksp3 that is exhibiting some
> strange behaviour.
>
> I had a complaint that Remote Desktop users could not gain access. On
> investigation the TS services, permissions & licences all seemed OK.
> However Remote Desktop does not work, even from the server's own console.
>
> RAM & CPU do not seem over stretched. When I attempted to check disk size
> I saw this oddity - attempting to view My Computer causes Windows Explorer
> to go into an unresponsive state. You can right click on tehstart button &
> explore All Users folder and from there the root of any connected drive.
> The moment you try to go below the drive level My Computer freezes up and
> the only way out is CTRL/ALT/DEL > logout. Oh - I did check free disk
> space from the command prompt - is OK.
>
> I also noticed I can't view Windows components in Add/Remove Programs.
>
> Now my first reaction to all this is: It's screwed; if it hasn't been
> hacked or infected or something at way too low a level is damaged - Try
> one O/S repair-install and if that doesn't work first time wipe it &
> rebuild it. However I'm short of time and I'm hoping one of you clever
> ladies/gentlemen may have a better solution.
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Pete
>