Accessing files on the file server from workstations (XP) are extreamly slow, saves take approx. 15-30 seconds. Particularly from Office apps but also explorer might take 10 s for initial listing of folder contents. I have found several suggestions to solving this problem but still no progress. Tried to turn file indexing off - no. Tried to disable SMB - no. Could ntp have anything to do with this (I would guess not, but the event manager in the server lists an ntp error/problem). Please, anybody....

I'm pretty sure that the ntp error/problem is saying that it hasn't synced the time in your domain. Do a search for net time /setsntp on google. Check your dns settings as well, if you do a search on google for Windows 2003 +slow file access there are quite a few hits for that check them out.

Did you ever think you might have a chattering ethernet device on your network? here where you use SNMP or a sniffer to see what types of packet traffic is being transmitted on the wire. are you have this problem with any others devices? I would reset the HUB or Switch to start.

Thanks for your help. It indeed seemd to be the dns settings that were incorrect. When I made the DC, the DNS-server for the domain workstations, which in turn then was set to refer to the IPS's DNS-servers, and that the local settings of the DC-machine referred to itself, then the problem seemd to disapear. Still, there are some strange error logs, with Netlogon: There is no domain controller available for my domain.." But this does not seem to create any major issues?? The net time was solved after a bit of a juggling with settings; had to use the ip-address of an ntp-server on the internet (on the dc). Local ws then was set to use the DC (here I could use the "host.domain" (without having to use ip-addresses)