We are currently running MS-SQL2000 on a MS Server 2003 OS with 8G of
memory (AWE enabled) with 4 HT processors (OS thinks that there are 8
because of the HT). We are experiencing 1 - 3 days of very slow activity
about the same time each month. Processes that usually take 20 minutes are
lasting 3 hours, this slowed processing only occurs on these days and then
everything goes back to normal. One more thing I should note is that when
this occurs the processors are still running at usual capacity (below 50%),
disk activity is not maxed out (Raid 5 configuration) and there is still
physical memory available. If anything it would appear that the processor
load goes down and well as disk activity when this problem occurs.

We have checked the following:

Blocking - Other programs running. We have stopped all other processes and
run just one as a test with the same results, very slow.

No Code changes to the affected processes.

Server logs - nothing going on no rebuilding of indexes or repairing of DB
etc.

Applied the latest MS updates.

We are at a loss and were wonder if anyone else had experienced any similar
issues. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

-p