For anyone with browser issues, I always recommend this article:
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windowsnt/4/server/reskit/en-us/net/chptr3.mspx?mfr=trueNOTE: This is an NT4 article. 2003 server hasn't changed, with one exception. For NT4, the registry key to define the domain master browser is "isdomainmasterbrowser" For 2003 server, the registry key is shortened to "isdomainmaster"
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Disabling the master browser will not hurt you. Nor do these browser elections. As tigermatt said, the only thing it will effect is the ability to use my network places and network neighborhood effectively.
I am very confident the browser election conflicts are NOT causing your problems. Instead, it sounds like you are having intermittant communications on your NIC. That could freeze your NIC. Run netdiag to see if you have problems that are detectable.
So, you have two problems. I think they are related, but the browser service is NOT the cause since it is not a critical service to the domain. It sounds to me like you are having intermittent communications on your Server's NIC.
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REDIRECTING YOUR TROUBLESHOOTING:
What I am about to ask you, some of it may sound weird, but it's all a part of the discover process:
What service pack are you running on this server?
What are the make and model of the switches you have?
Can you elaborate on what you mean by the server "freezes"?
How many NICs do you have on this server?
When the server "freezes" can you communicate with other nodes that are on the same switch as that server?
When the server "freezes" can you ping (IPaddress) and ping -a (IPaddress)?
In my opinion, we will not be able to totally fix your browser election problems until we fix what is freezing communications on that server. By default, every 12 minutes a browser broadcast is sent out. So, if your DC goes off line during that broadcast, then next higher election criteria box takes over as the domain master. XPboxes have a lower election criteria than a 2003 server, especially a PDCe. Vista/Linux/Unix have a higher election criteria than a 2003 server.
I think this is example is right up your alley:
http://www.experts-exchange.com/OS/Microsoft_Operating_Systems/Server/2003_Server/Q_22959186.htmlThe 8032 adn 8021 events were caused by network connectivity issues, not by who had the highest election criteria.