Hi all. I just bought a new server for my small lan (10 clients). I installed windows server 2003. I bought 6 new clients too and installed on them Windows XP pro. All is working good but i have some problem with office XP (installed on all the new 6 pc). The server is a file server too and on it there is a big shared directory with a lot of files used by clients (xls and doc). On each clients, I browse with windows explorer to the shared folder on the server. I open a document (for example an excel file): the file open good, very quick and work all ok. But then, when I want to save it I click save and I have to wait more or less 10 seconds to complete the operation!!! Then file is saved and i can close excel. If I open the same file from the excel open dialog and I work on it and then I save it, saving operation takes less then one second!!! If I open the same file using windows browser, then I close the windows explorer windows and save it, It takes less the one second too!!! I think there is some problem with the windows explorer. Office documents takes too long time to save in the shared dir on the server if Windows explorer is open (open and pointed to the same folder where the file I'mu sing is; cause if i change directory in Windows explorer, saving operation is quick). All clients and server have clean and perfect installation, everything on the lan is working really good, and all computers have all the windows update that microsoft had published. I used some patch too and i tried to change some registry enter, but anyting was good. Any suggestion? Thanks a lot.

Are they on a domain? Or in workgroups with a server to store the files? You might take a look at the Event Viewer log files on both the server and the workstations and make sure to look at the Security logs (might have to turn this on in the local Group Policy - gpedit.msc). Are you using mapped network drives, or having them browse the network to get to this space? Maybe start a new post with some more info and what else you've tried...

They are on a domain. The 2003 server is the domain controller too. In the security log there aren't security alert and any other type of alert. I tried using mapped drive and "browse to network". Both have the same problem, but "browsing to the network" is a little faster. I tried all the microsoft patches about SMB (MS 02070), any protection and so on, but nothing work. The strange think is that if I open the file from the excel open file dialog it works good and it works good also if i open from mapped drive or "browse network" and then I close Windows explorer window. I red somethiing about there was a similar problem between XP and 2000 server and it could be solved avoiding viewing Windows Explore with detailed information about files. But I don't have detailed view in Windows Explorer, I have the simple windows and normal list. Really don't know how to solve it. I'm thinking about getting down the whole SMB signature service in windows 2003 server. Could it work in this way? Thanks for the quick answer :)