LAG! When using 2008 as desktop. Please Help!

[soulhunter]

Hi all,

I don't know if this is the right place to post this query but i thought id give it a go.

I have Server 2008 enterprise installed on my home computer. Everything seemed to be going great (and still mostly is) but after configuring it with all the roles i wanted and other server apps i began experiencing noticeable and annoying lag when using it as a desktop!

I know i'm probably going to get the expected comments like "what do you expect if you use a server OS as a desktop" and "of course it will lag with all the services you've installed" but i'm using it in this way because a friend recommended it and his system runs perfectly! There is no lag what so ever on his system! I've used it and it's faster than vista was for him. He also has a lower spec system (Amd64 socket 939, ddr1 etc..)

Ok, now for the details. Here is what i have installed:

- Windows Server 2008 Enterprise 64 bit

Roles:

- Active Directory (Domain Services)
- DNS
- File Services

Features:

- BitLocker Drive encryption
- Desktop experience (Vista aero enabled with full features.. no lag when i ran vista on this system)
- Group Policy Management
- Remote server Adminitration Tools
- UNIX subsystem
- Telnet client/server
- TFTP client
- Powershell
- Server backup features


Other things:

- Cygwin most recent full installation (running cygwin open ssh service)
- WAMP (windows, apache, mysql, php.. as i'm sure you all know)
- hMailServer

I've registered a domain name and my PC is registered as the primary name server with 2 mirrored/slave servers provided by ZoneEdit. So DNS is being moderately utilized. Before you flame me for using my home pc as a domain, it is only for testing purposes atm and is barely in use; only accessed by me and a couple of friends.

My specs:

- Core 2 Quad Q6600 (quad 2.4 ghz.. no o-clock)
- 2 gig Corsair Dominator 1066mhz ddr2
- nVidia 8800 gt (I was thinking it could be 64bit/2008 nvidia driver issues?!?!)
- 2 x WD Raptor 150gb in RAID 0
- A couple of other sata drives.
- Gigabyte EP45-DS4P mobo (temp replacement for my X38-DQ6 sent away for warranty)

Just to get things straight, almost everything runs perfectly smoothly! For example, i have Call of Duty 4 installed running with all settings maxed out with absolutely no lag! Its just using the desktop that lags! The aero fading effects are choppy, i get lag when i type, lag when i scroll on web pages, lag when opening or switching between windows and just a general feeling of lag when using windows!

I have googled the problem to no avail, with everyone seeming content with server 2008 as a desktop. I have set the performance option "Adjust for best performance of:" to "Programs" (was set to "Background Services"). I've tried reducing aero's eye-candy with no luck. There are no processes with excessive cpu-times or peak/instantaneous memory usage. I'm out of ideas!

If anyone has any ideas at all about what could be causing this i would be extremly appreciative!!!

Thanks!

 

[RSchwarz]

Have you tried looking at task manager to see which processes are using up the resources?

Take a look there. You'll probably be able to stop the resource hog.

One question. Why would you spend so much money for a desktop OS and why run apache instead of IIS?

Any time you run non standard software, apahe for instance, on a server OS you run into problems.

 

[soulhunter]

There are no process hogs in task manager.. Thats the first thing i checked as i said above.

I'm running an MSDNAA (MSDN Academic Alliance) license of server 2008 that i acquired from the IT school at my university. So i have't spent any money on it And i'm not using it for anything more than testing and educating myself at the moment, so i'm still well within the rights of that license.


As for apache.. i just greatly prefer it over IIS. I manage 3 web servers at work that run IIS 6 (on 1 of them) and IIS 7 (on the other 2). I find that i run into endless amounts of trouble with IIS and rarely run into any trouble with apache. Also, php and IIS 7 really don't like each other. The amount of hassle i've had with that combination is ridiculous. WAMP on the other hand just works!

I began experiencing the lag before i installed WAMP so i dont think its that.

Thanks though for your reply!

 

[RSchwarz]

I forgot the joys of being in school. It's been a few years for me.

I'm at a loss as to what is causing the lag.

 

[boen_robot]

I think your first hunch may have been right. The video card drivers use different settings for 2D and 3D graphics, so it's very likely the nVidia drivers for 2D are buggy, while your 3D ones are OK.

Do you experience any lags with movies? They also use the 2D settings. I have an nVidia video card myself, only its an on board one, and I had a lot of hassles with it at first. In particular, it was never able to detect my screen's maximum resolution. I ignored the issue at the end, as I'm now controlling it remotely anyway.

Whatever the case, there's only one good solution: ask nVidia for Windows 2008 drivers. Alternatively, forget about this altogether and get Vista, this time without the eye candy (this alone will cut Vista's memory and CPU footprint in half or more). After all, a server system doesn't need a great video card, and nVidia's drivers are perfected for Vista.