A20m Win2k SP4 update slows IP traffic to a crawl

[Lee Stewart]

Hi... I finally had time to try and do some catchup maint on my A20m with h Win2k. I've had SP3 on for quite some time and running fine. SP4 went on with no errors or messages. But after rebooting only small, quick things work over the network. For example:
- Ping works fine, locally and across the internet
- FTP will connect fine, but not upload/download or list a large remote directory.
- Web browsers will only display short, simple pages with minimal small graphics
- Email (POP) will connect, but not download

This is on a cable modem, and another machine on my same router has no problem, so I know it's that machine.

I removed SP4 and everything ran as fast as it used to. Put it on again (this time using the Windows Update feature so I got it straight from the MS site -- same net problems after.

I tried updating the Intel mini-PCI card driver, but no change.

Anyone seen anything like it, or have any suggestions?

thanks,
Lee

[jdhurst]

It's not SP4 per se. I have that running on a couple of A22e's that I help people with, and cable speed is just fine. Speed (in some part) is also a function of rendering speed, so make sure your machine is properly de-fragged. Other than that, I don't know. ... JDHurst

[Lee Stewart]

It is defragged (or was clean before the SP4 install). Install SP4 -- network problems; remove SP4 -- no network problems. Been through the cycle twice now with the same results...

And when I say slow I mean:
- 2 minutes to load the Google home page
- 5 minutes to load a 1/2 page of text and one small graphic (50x50)
- 5 minutes to show the title of the CNN home page - but nothing but a blank screen ever appears...

Not a little slower -- almost non-existant...

Thanks,
Lee

[jdhurst]

Sometimes through Service Packs and patching, Internet Explorer reverts to using Automatic Configuration.

IE -> Tools -> Internet Options -> Connections -> LAN Settings and check that Automatic Configuration is unchecked. This catches me from time to time, and things can be very slow with that setting enabled.
... JDHurst

[Lee Stewart]

Nope... Normally I use Mozilla. Mozilla, IE, FTP everything (except what seem to be trivial transactions like ping) is measured in bytes / minute...
Thanks for the thought tho...
Lee