LAN Windows 11 24h2 Slow performance (3 Viewers)

[RL92]

There is a SQL server over LAN with about 10 PCs connecting to it with Access frontend.

At some point 3 new PCs with Windows 11 were acquired. At first they were all running smoothly and faster than older PCs (as claimed by users).
After several months one of those PCs started choking on the access frontend. About two months later 2 remaining new PCs started to lag as well. After that I pinpointed an issue to the 24h2 update (I am still 99% sure about that).

At this point rollbacks to 23h2 are impossible.
Frontend still works smoothly on Windows 7.
It seems even a bit faster on wifi connection (vs Windows 11 cable).
The only PC with Windows 10 is also slow (though it was always a "weaker" and "slower" piece of hardware).

What is more the same SQL server is also hosting a database for a different application (licensed, probably c++/c# based) and it works smoothly on new PC with Windows 11.

I tried some googling back then but I was unable to solve an issue.

I would like to give it an another try because Access frontend seems like an actually good option for a small office.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Gasman]

See what updates were applied to Access as well?

 

[Minty]

What Version of SQL server and what ODBC driver are you using to connect to it?

 

[The_Doc_Man]

I don't have any advice on what to do, but here is a list of issues from Microsoft Learn regarding the troublesome 24h2 update.

Windows 11, version 24H2 known issues and notifications

View announcements and review known issues and fixes for Windows 11, version 24H2

learn.microsoft.com

 

[GPGeorge]

I've been trying to recall an issue with Access back ends on network shares that was possibly associated with the 242H2 update.

The only thing I come up with is that it had something to do with needing to disable leasing. Maybe someone will know what I'm talking about and can address whether I'm actually thinking of a relevant issue or not.

 

[dalski]

Sorry to hear this:

• As @Gasman suggestion you can access Access update history via File > Account > below
• I know you said rolling back Windows is not an option but just in case; a previous version

Another update causing more problems than they fix . This is so, so, bad, no wonder they appear to have lost 400 million users since Win 11. I am absolutely terrified about this, please update if you manage to fix & what it was.

 

[The_Doc_Man]

The only thing I come up with is that it had something to do with needing to disable leasing.

I believe that relates to SMB protocols.

Solved: Disable SMB Leasing again | Experts Exchange

Find answers to Disable SMB Leasing again from the expert community at Experts Exchange

www.experts-exchange.com

In essence, when you are sharing files across a network, you use buffers. There is some trick that for non-SMB connections can optimize the speed of the network exchange regarding those buffers. This is a problem for ALL protocols that deal in disk "allocation units" (a.k.a. "storage clusters"). Allocation units are bigger than the standard network buffer size (either 4 or 8 Kby for allocation unit, about 1.5 Kby for network) so the buffers must be broken apart and transmitted piecemeal and then reassembled at the other end.

However, for SMB protocols, leasing has the side effect of delaying writeback to the network partner. When this delay happens, one of the possible effects is an otherwise inexplicable DB corruption. Other conditions have been detected including "hangs" and "non-visibility of shared files that SHOULD be visible remotely" and a few other nasty results, usually caused by having to wait for fragmented buffers to be reconstructed.

You might have to search a few articles to find the Registry Key entry to disable SMB leasing. By now, particularly if you are on Win11, you should be using SMBv3 protocol, which has several leasing options. You want to disable leasing entirely if I understand what I read.

 

[Albert D. Kallal]

First up:
>>there is a SQL server over LAN

Ok so file sharing, locking etc. not going to be the issue here, then right?


>>I pinpointed an issue to the 24h2 update

Really?

Well, if this was a wide spread issue due to that update, then would not the internet light up like a Christmas tree then?

Since everyone else is not seeing this issue?
Then we have to start narrowing down this issue.

Given that some machines can and do work just fine (performance wise)?
Then we can quite much rule out that SQL server is not the issue.

And since when the update occurred, not every machine "in an instant" started running slow, right?

But, a HUGE hint of "slowing down" over time? That's never much due to ONE windows update, right?

So, REALLY good guess would be the ODBC drivers have sql logs turned on.

This thus makes the ODBC driver slow, and run slower and slower over time as the log file grows.
(this log file is client side - not to be confused with SQL server log files - but as noted, if this was SQL server side, then all users would be slow, and you reported this is not the case!!!!).

So this "smell" hint of slowing down over time?
That's not a windows update issue - can't ever remember such a symptom with the "over time" slowing down issue, right!

If a windows update slows things down, then it slows things down right after the update - not "over time", right???

But, before we deal with the above? (but, you could quick check the ODBC driver settings on a machine that is slow)

We need the following information:

You note about 10 users -- good, ok!

Does each work station have its own copy of the front end (FE), or is this a shared FE?
(now above is MUST HAVE information before we continue)

And how are you linking? - SQL server passwords - DSN less?
Or domain users? (again, MUST HAVE information before we continue)
(and what version of ODBC driver are you using?)

So, we need the above info answered FIRST before we start going down too many rabbit holes....

R
Albert