Share via

Disk performance counters are high? Are you running into the /UsePMTimer (RTSC time drift issue)?

  • Article

Windows Server 2003 RTM
Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1
Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2
Windows Server 2003 RTM running as a Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 1 Hyper-V guest *
Windows Server 2003 RTM running as a Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 Hyper-V guest *
Windows Server 2003 RTM running as a Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V guest *
Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 running as a Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 1 Hyper-V guest *
Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 running as a Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 Hyper-V guest *
Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 running as a Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V guest *
Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 running as a Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 1 Hyper-V guest *
Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 running as a Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 Hyper-V guest *
Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 running as a Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V guest *
* With a minimum of two processors

Problem description:
--------------------
Disk Performance counter values might be really high.

Other symptoms:
If you ping, the time to the reply would show as 5000 ms or higher or have a negative (-) value.

Cause:
------
Please see KB 895980 for details.

Processors affected:
-------------------
AMD Dual Cores (Opteron)
Note:  The problem does not occur on Quad AMD processors
Intel Quad Cores (certain models)

How can I tell if mine are dual proc or quad procs?
Besides looking it up, run the MPSreport PFE version in KB 823393 and look into the CPU_PL.txt.

Resolution:
-----------
AMD’s:  See KB 895980.

Intel’s:  Check with Intel to see if they have a new driver/firmware that fixes the issue.

Work-around:

In the affected server
Open the boot.ini
Add the /UsePMTimer switch.

More information:
-----------------
895980 Programs that use the QueryPerformanceCounter function may perform poorly in Windows Server 2000, in Windows Server 2003, and in Windows XP
https://support.microsoft.com/?id=895980

Related blogs:

Negative ping times in Windows VM's - whats up?
https://blogs.msdn.com/tvoellm/archive/2008/06/05/negative-ping-times-in-windows-vm-s-whats-up.aspx

SQL Server 2005 - RDTSC Truths and Myths Discussed
https://blogs.msdn.com/psssql/archive/2007/08/19/sql-server-2005-rdtsc-truths-and-myths-discussed.aspx

Related KB articles:

931279 SQL Server timing values may be incorrect when you use utilities or technologies that change CPU frequencies

https://support.microsoft.com/?id=931279

945600 FIX: You receive an exception error message when you try to display a Reporting Services report on a server that uses the AMD Cool'n'Quiet technology

https://support.microsoft.com/?id=945600

946082 FIX: Error message when you display a SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services report on a computer that has multiple processors: "An internal error occurred on the report server"

https://support.microsoft.com/?id=946082

Performance counters affected:
Logical Disk and Physical Disk
------------------------------
% Disk Read Time
% Disk Time
% Disk Write Time
% Idle Time
Avg. Disk Bytes/Read
Avg. Disk Bytes/Transfer
Avg. Disk Bytes/Write
Avg. Disk Queue Length
Avg. Disk Read Queue Length
Avg. Disk sec/Read
Avg. Disk sec/Transfer
Avg. Disk Write Queue Length
Current Disk Queue Length
Disk Bytes/sec
Disk Read Bytes/sec
Disk Reads/sec
Disk Transfers/sec
Disk Write Bytes/sec
Disk Writes/sec
Split IO Sec

Keywords:  Time Drift