Question : Server 2003 slow file transfer and 100% cpu usage

Ok guys and gals, this one has me stumped.

Setup is fairly simple - one file server - fresh install of server 2003. Gigabit NIC with static IP etc.
Hardware is a P4 2.2ghz, 768mb RAM, 250gb HD

Latest drivers etc etc. all windows updates.

This is the interesting part - when you try to copy a file onto a shared folder on the server the server CPU usage rockets to 100%, system (server) grinds to a crawl and the file copy time goes through the roof. There doesnt seem to be a specific process that dominates this cpu usage though SYSTEM and the usual SVCHOST occasionally dominate.

Currently no Antivirus is running, though i have scanned and double checked the system is clean.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance

Alan

Answer : Server 2003 slow file transfer and 100% cpu usage

Ok it seems i've had some luck. There was not any firmware available that was of use. I was long suspicious of the IDE controller - turns out the intel controller driver kept resetting the harddrive to PIO mode. Whilst experimenting with that i managed to destroy windows anyway! Used this opportunity to reformat and did not reinstall the offending intel driver. I also reflashed the bios with the latest version and disabled as many none necessay peripherals as possible. Once windows was back up, updated the ethernet drivers and system drivers minus ATA controller. TCP/Ip chimney off loading was also disabled again.
  On that note - success! The harddrive remains in DMA 5 mode and the thing will actually transfer files and remain functional! CPU usage during transfer is still higher than i would like, and i cannot get more than 40 - 50% network utilization, but considering it is a socket 478 P4 with SD RAM and and IDE drive i suspect limitations of hardware. Would you guys concur?  Process explorer shows DCP's using about 50% cpu during file transfer.
 
Many thanks