You may experience poor performance when you use a program that transmits small data packets on a computer that is running Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 or Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 2

On a computer that is running Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 (SP1) or Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 2 (SP2), you may experience poor performance when you use certain programs that transmit data over TCP/IP connections.

You experience this problem if the following conditions are true:

• The program transmits small data packets. Generally, these are packets that are 50 bytes or less.
• The transmitted data packets experience a round-trip time of over 100 milliseconds (ms).
• Some of the transmitted TCP packets are dropped by a network device, such as a router or a switch.

In this situation, the Windows Server 2003 SP1 or SP2 TCP/IP driver (Tcpip.sys) may take longer than expected to recover from the packet loss.

Service pack information

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows Server 2003. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

Because of file dependencies, you must be running Windows Server 2003 with SP1 or Windows Server 2003 with SP2 to apply this hotfix. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Note x64-based versions of Windows Server 2003 include SP1.

Restart requirement

This hotfix contains a kernel mode driver. Therefore, you must restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace any other hotfixes.

File information

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time item in Control Panel.

Windows Server 2003, x86-based versions

Windows Server 2003 with SP1, x86-based versions

Windows Server 2003 with SP2, x86-based versions

Windows Server 2003, x64-based versions

Windows Server 2003 with SP1, x64-based versions

Windows Server 2003 with SP2, x64-based versions

Windows Server 2003, Itanium-based versions

Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Itanium-based versions

Windows Server 2003 with SP2, Itanium-based versions

To work around this problem, use one of the following methods:

• Locate the network device that is dropping the TCP packets. Then, perform troubleshooting steps to correct the packet loss problem.
• Configure the program to send larger TCP packets over the network.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: