Strange ADT 2006 Behavior

[rpfelton]

I had originally posted this to the ADT group, but it was suggested I post it to this group.

AutoCAD Architectural Desktop 2006 SP1

1. Administrative install on a Windows 2000 Server (Srvr A), which was also the network domain controller. A common ADT 2006 support folder was created on the server during the administrative install procedure. Network License Manager was not installed.

2. All clients installed locally from the administrative install.
All ADT 2006 clients working properly.

3. A new server (Srvr B) was installed running Windows Server 2003 R2 SP2. All functions (data file sharing, network printers, domain controller functions) of the existing server (Srvr A) were slowly migrated to the new server (Srvr B) over a period of several weeks.

4. With the migration of the data file sharing function (including
the common ADT 2006 support folder) of Srvr A to Srvr B, the shared root data folder on Srvr A was unshared making it no longer accessible by client computers. Also, pathings to the old server (Srvr A) found in ADT 2006 Tools, Options, Files (and elsewhere in Options where pathings were found) were changed to point the path to the new server (Srvr B). ADT 2006 clients continued to work properly.

5. Yesterday, the final item (a UPS management console) to be transferred from Srvr A to Srvr B was done. Upon completion of that transfer, Srvr A was shut down. As it happened, a user was present, working overtime. A short time after I had shut down Srvr A, the user reported very slow file open from inside ADT 2006. File open took many minutes to open the selection window. He restarted ADT on his computer, and had the same result. He restarted his computer and had the same result. He tried a different client computer and had the same result. He then advised me of the problem. As a test, I tried using Windows Explorer on the user's computer and could navigate the new server's shared folder structure without issue. As a further test, I restarted the old server, Srvr A. The user then experienced normal ADT 2006 operation. This is strange behavior seeing as how
there are no files accessible to client computers on the old server (no shared folders).

Please advise what the problem is and how to correct as I want to remove the old server from the network. As I mentioned, I had already revised all the pathings I could find in ADT 2006 Tools, Options that were pointing to the old server (Srvr A).

Thank you.
--
System Administrator
[Sprotte + Watson Architecture and Planning]
[Vista, CA]

[TravisNave]

It's a cached link issue. I have a .reg file that you can install on your client machines that ignore broken links. You also need to turn off Digital Signatures by right-clicking the program icon and choosing Enable/Disable Digital Signature Icons. Uncheck the box and click OK.

Remove any mapped drives and/or printers that would have been attached to your Sever A. Then clean out your %temp% folders.

Add the following reg file to your computer by unzipping and double-clicking the attached file. Reboot.

Thanks.

[rpfelton]

Thank you. I will try your suggestions as soon as work conditions allow - probably not until the weekend.

[rpfelton]

I did two things to correct the issue. First, I found at least one shortcut in the File, Open dialog window pointing to the old server. All such shortcuts were corrected to point to the new server. That change alone allowed File, Open to work normally with the old server turned off.

I did, though, also revise both the HKCU and HKLM "R16.2" registry entries pointing to the old server to point to the new server. I don't know what, if any, these changes had but it seemed the proper thing to do.

[TravisNave]

Correct. Fixing broken links resolves the slowness issue. The registry key I provided helps because it lets Windows ignore the broken links. It's a good band-aid to have in situations like this.

[rpfelton]

Thanks, I will keep that "band-aid" in mind for any similar future problems.