Performance issue with IB_SQL

[gusedum]

Hello everyone!

I've been using Firebird 2.5 for many years. I use it with software I developed in Delphi. I also use the IB_SQL application to perform basic database administration tasks (querying tables, adding records, executing SQL, etc.).

Everything works correctly on all versions of Windows... but now I'm having a problem on a computer running Windows Server 2022 Standard. The problem is that IB_SQL works, but it's extremely slow. When I connect to a database, everything is fine. But when I click to open it and view the list of tables, it takes almost a minute to display them.

On all other computers, this is instantaneous. Even on many others with the same Windows Server 2022 and even on others with Windows Server 2025.

I know IB_SQL is old, but there might be a reason why it only runs slowly on that one computer and works perfectly on all the others, even with newer versions of Windows.

I've checked and tried many things, but I haven't found the reason.

Does anyone have any idea what the problem might be?

Thanks in advance.

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[Dimitry Sibiryakov]

gusedum wrote 09.05.2026 3:00:
>
> I've checked and tried many things, but I haven't found the reason.

Among these "many thing" was usage of debugger/profiler or inspecting call
stack in Process Explorer during this "minute" after the click?

--
WBR, SD.

[liviuslivius]

Hi

antivirus software probably or some windows update. I had the same from flamerobin and without anything done on my side it back to normal after 4 months ;-)

Regards,

Karol Bieniaszewski

-------- Oryginalna wiadomość --------

Od: gusedum <gus...@gmail.com>

Data: 9.05.2026 03:00 (GMT+01:00)

Do: firebird...@googlegroups.com

Temat: [firebird-support] Performance issue with IB_SQL

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[gusedum]

Dimitry, Karol, thanks for your suggestions

There is no antivirus. It is a new computer and it has only Windows. I also tried disabling the Firewall.

I tried Process Explorer, but I found nothing.
When I open IB_SQL, in the lower window, on the Threads tab, the following was observed:

• There is a row with the state "Waiting" and the Wait Reason "wrUserRequest" that is always present.
• When clicking to view the tables, the following occurs:
• The row's state changes to "Running".
• Two more rows appear with the state "Waiting" and the Wait Reason "WrQueue".
  This happened during the initial tests. It then stopped happening.

Regards

---

De: 'liviuslivius' via firebird-support [mailto:firebird...@googlegroups.com]

Enviado: sábado, 9 de mayo de 2026, 5:39

Para: firebird...@googlegroups.com

Asunto: [firebird-support] Performance issue with IB_SQL

To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/firebird-support/4gCKCX1Nm0zlgWpB%40smtp.poczta.onet.pl.

[Dimitry Sibiryakov]

gusedum wrote 09.05.2026 17:17:
> I tried Process Explorer, but I found nothing.

Button "Stack" can be found in process' properties window, page "Threads".

--
WBR, SD.

[gusedum]

Dimitry, I used the "Stack" button you mentioned and I will show some images.

I opened IB_SQL and connect to the database.



I click to see the tables.



I click button "Stack" on the process "Running".



I click button "Stack" on one of the processes "Waiting".



Do you see anything wrong on these images?

---

De: 'Dimitry Sibiryakov' via firebird-support [mailto:firebird...@googlegroups.com]

Enviado: sábado, 9 de mayo de 2026, 12:20

Para: firebird...@googlegroups.com

Asunto: [firebird-support] Performance issue with IB_SQL

gusedum wrote 09.05.2026 17:17:

I tried Process Explorer, but I found nothing.

  Button "Stack" can be found in process' properties window, page "Threads".

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[Dimitry Sibiryakov]

gusedum wrote 09.05.2026 18:17:
> I click button "Stack" on the process "Running".

It shows that IB_sql is really busy with something inside. Try several times
in row to get bigger picture (or at least catch the stack on a moment when it
has IB_sql.exe inside, not just system DLLs).

--
WBR, SD.

[gusedum]

Now after clicking button "Stack" on the process "Running", I click on "Refresh" button many times, and I obtained the following images.

---

De: 'Dimitry Sibiryakov' via firebird-support [mailto:firebird...@googlegroups.com]

Enviado: sábado, 9 de mayo de 2026, 13:33

Para: firebird...@googlegroups.com

Asunto: [firebird-support] Performance issue with IB_SQL

gusedum wrote 09.05.2026 18:17:

I click button "Stack" on the process "Running".

  It shows that IB_sql is really busy with something inside. Try several times in row to get bigger picture (or at least catch the stack on a moment when it has IB_sql.exe inside, not just system DLLs).

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[Dimitry Sibiryakov]

gusedum wrote 09.05.2026 19:18:
> Now after clicking button "Stack" on the process "Running", I click on "Refresh"
> button many times, and I obtained the following images.

From these images is obvious that the problem has nothing to do with Firebird.

--
WBR, SD.

[gusedum]

I think the problem is with "something" on the computer (let's call it computer A).

I can add something else.

On the same local network, there's another computer (let's call it computer B) that also has Firebird.

If I'm working on computer B, I open IB_SQL and connect to the database on computer A using IP:ALIAS (for example: 192.168.10.249:MYDATABASEALIAS), it works perfectly and is almost instantaneous.

If I'm working on computer A, I open IB_SQL and connect to a database on computer B using IP:ALIAS (for example: 192.168.10.3:MYDATABASEALIAS), it works slowly.

So I think there's "something" on computer A that's causing the problem. But I can't figure out what it is.

---

De: 'Dimitry Sibiryakov' via firebird-support [mailto:firebird...@googlegroups.com]

Enviado: sábado, 9 de mayo de 2026, 16:11

Para: firebird...@googlegroups.com

Asunto: [firebird-support] Performance issue with IB_SQL

gusedum wrote 09.05.2026 19:18:

Now after clicking button "Stack" on the process "Running", I click on "Refresh" button many times, and I obtained the following images.

  From these images is obvious that the problem has nothing to do with Firebird.

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[gusedum]

Does anyone have any other ideas about what might be causing this problem? :-(

---

De: gusedum [mailto:gus...@gmail.com]

Enviado: sábado, 9 de mayo de 2026, 17:05

Para: 'Dimitry Sibiryakov' via firebird-support <firebird...@googlegroups.com>

Asunto: [firebird-support] Performance issue with IB_SQL

[Bogdan Mugerli]

And how it works if you work on computer A and connect to the database on computer A ?

Regards

Bogdan

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Od: firebird...@googlegroups.com <firebird...@googlegroups.com> v imenu osebe gusedum <gus...@gmail.com>
Poslano: ponedeljek, maj 11, 2026 6:24:17 PM
Za: firebird...@googlegroups.com <firebird...@googlegroups.com>
Zadeva: Re: [firebird-support] Performance issue with IB_SQL

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[Benno Evers]

Try using a computer c to conect to db on your computer b.

With your current tests you can't conclude if it is a client problem on A or a serverproblem on B.

Op ma 11 mei 2026, 18:24 schreef gusedum <gus...@gmail.com>:

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[Dimitry Sibiryakov]

Benno Evers wrote 11.05.2026 19:12:
> With your current tests you can't conclude if it is a client problem on A or a
> serverproblem on B.

One core loaded for 100% insist that it is a sure problem with client on A.
He just unable to determine what exactly is this load.

--
WBR, SD.

[gusedum]

The problem is only working on computer A. I made many tests with three computers: A, B and C. Each one has a Firebird Server installed.

1. Working on computer A and accessing a database on computer A, B or C.
   It's very slow.
2. Working on computer B and accessing a database on computer A, B or C.
   It works correctly.
3. Working on computer C and accessing a database on computer A, B or C.
   It works correctly.

As Dimitry said, the problem is on computer A, but I can´t find the cause.

I can add something else.

Computer A is a virtual machine. There is another virtual machine (D) running Windows 10 on the same physical computer as computer A. And D has the same problem.

4. When working on computer D and accessing a database on computers A, B, or C,
   It's very slow.

So perhaps the problem is related to the physical computer.

Computers B and C are also virtual machines, each on a different physical computer. I have checked the VMware configuration, and it appears to be the same on all three physical computers.

---

De: 'Dimitry Sibiryakov' via firebird-support [mailto:firebird...@googlegroups.com]

Enviado: martes, 12 de mayo de 2026, 4:59

Para: firebird...@googlegroups.com

Asunto: [firebird-support] Performance issue with IB_SQL

Benno Evers wrote 11.05.2026 19:12:

With your current tests you can't conclude if it is a client problem on A or a serverproblem on B.

  One core loaded for 100% insist that it is a sure problem with client on A. He just unable to determine what exactly is this load.

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[Mark Rotteveel]

On 12-05-2026 14:44, gusedum wrote:
> The problem is only working on computer A. I made many tests with three
> computers: A, B and C. Each one has a Firebird Server installed.
>

> 1. Working on computer A and accessing a database on computer A, B or C.
> It's very slow.
> 2. Working on computer B and accessing a database on computer A, B or C.
> It works correctly.
> 3. Working on computer C and accessing a database on computer A, B or C.

> It works correctly.
>
> As Dimitry said, the problem is on computer A, but I can´t find the cause.

Do they all have the same fbclient.dll version?

Mark
--
Mark Rotteveel

[Geoff Worboys]

On 09/05/2026 11:00, gusedum wrote:
[...]

> Everything works correctly on all versions of Windows... but now I'm
> having a problem on a computer running Windows Server 2022 Standard. The
> problem is that IB_SQL works, but it's extremely slow. When I connect to
> a database, everything is fine. But when I click to open it and view the
> list of tables, it takes almost a minute to display them.
>
> On all other computers, this is instantaneous. Even on many others with
> the same Windows Server 2022 and even on others with Windows Server 2025.

Hi,

The closest I have had with this (on an IBO based application) hit me
just over 5 years ago when I upgraded some systems from Windows 10 1903
to Windows 10 20H2.

After doing that on _some_ systems my application started showing
performance peculiarities, running painfully slow on certain windows.
As it turns out...

* the problem was on any window using a grid (so TIB_Grid underneath,
although in my case a derivation of TIB_CustomGrid).

* and only only hit when VCL styles/themes were active (hence seeing it
only some machines even though all were on Windows 10 20H2)

* my application was, at that time, built with Delphi 10.2

I discovered that after the upgrade to Windows (at least some of) the
underlying calls to SetPixel had became very expensive. I "fixed" the
problem in my case by using hooks to divert from the offending code to
my own function.

If your copy of IB_SQL happens to have been built with VCL styles
enabled (seems unlikely), try turning them off (if you can).

Else ... probably something else I guess, but your problem seemed
similar enough to be worth posting the above.

--
Geoff Worboys

[Ashley Labuschagne]

Hi there 

When on A, connecting to db on A, try connect directly (single user mode, not via the network stack), just to test. 
So not using IP:ALIAS
This will eliminate if it is a network issue. 

Check network settings, especially dns 

When you say "no anti-virus", does that then mean "Defender"? 

Try using a different Admin tool to connect (eg: IB Expert). Does it have same issue? 
Is the problem limited to IB_SQL? 


All the Best 
 -ashley 

[Dimitry Sibiryakov]

Geoff Worboys wrote 12.05.2026 16:00:
> The closest I have had with this (on an IBO based application) hit me just over
> 5 years ago when I upgraded some systems from Windows 10 1903 to Windows 10 20H2.
>
> After doing that on _some_ systems my application started showing performance
> peculiarities, running painfully slow on certain windows. As it turns out...
>
> * the problem was on any window using a grid (so TIB_Grid underneath, although
> in my case a derivation of TIB_CustomGrid).
>
> * and only only hit when VCL styles/themes were active (hence seeing it only
> some machines even though all were on Windows 10 20H2)
>
> * my application was, at that time, built with Delphi 10.2
>
> I discovered that after the upgrade to Windows (at least some of) the underlying
> calls to SetPixel had became very expensive.  I "fixed" the problem in my case
> by using hooks to divert from the offending code to my own function.

Great investigation!

--
WBR, SD.

[gusedum]

I reply to all messages here.

----------

All the computers have the same version of Firebird.

----------

The problem is with IB_SQL, and I only have the IB_SQL.exe executable. Unfortunately, I can't modify it, and it doesn't have options to disable VCL styles.

I tried with a 2007 version of IB_SQL and with a 2015 version, which I believe is the most recent.

----------

Working on computer A, I tried connecting to the database with the following options:

• 192.168.10.249:MYDATABASEALIAS
• 127.0.0.1:MYDATABASEALIAS
• LOCALHOST:MYDATABASEALIAS
• MYDATABASEALIAS
• C:\MyDirectory\MYDATABASE.FDB

In all cases, the connection is very slow. :-(

I checked the network settings and, as far as I know, they're fine. I also compared them to computers B and C, and they're identical.

There is no antivirus software installed, but I there is Windows Defender. Anyway real-time protection isn't enabled, and I also added an exclusion to IB_SQL.exe and fbserver.exe.

The problem only occurs with IB_SQL. I tried FlameRobin, and it works fine.

---

De: Ashley Labuschagne [mailto:ash...@softwareshack.co.za]

Enviado: martes, 12 de mayo de 2026, 12:57

Para: firebird...@googlegroups.com

Asunto: [firebird-support] Performance issue with IB_SQL

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[Dimitry Sibiryakov]

gusedum wrote 12.05.2026 22:05:
> The problem is with IB_SQL, and I only have the IB_SQL.exe executable.
> Unfortunately, I can't modify it, and it doesn't have options to disable VCL styles.

May be you have:
https://docwiki.embarcadero.com/RADStudio/Athens/en/Enabling_and_Disabling_Windows_Themes_in_Your_Application
and https://docwiki.embarcadero.com/RADStudio/Athens/en/Manifest_File

--
WBR, SD.

[gusedum]

Dimitry:

I saw the links you sent me, but if I understand correctly, they explain how to enable and disable Windows themes in the application if you have the source code. But I don't have it. I only have the executable file IB_SQL.exe. I can't modify it.

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[Dimitry Sibiryakov]

gusedum wrote 13.05.2026 3:55:
> I saw the links you sent me, but if I understand correctly, they explain how to
> enable and disable Windows themes in the application if you have the source
> code. But I don't have it. I only have the executable file IB_SQL.exe. I can't
> modify it.

Manifests can be external:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/sbscs/application-manifests
And even if they are built-in, they still can be edited using resource editors.

--
WBR, SD.

[Pieter Bas Hofstede]

Are you talking about IB_SQL.exe as tool contained in IBObjects (of our former Firebird president Jason Wharton)?

This software is still downloadable, even with sources.

But I have been working with IBObjects but havent had the idea I missed something while not knowing about IB_SQL.exe.

But if you need this tool, try to get the sources I would say.

Op woensdag 13 mei 2026 om 09:46:20 UTC+2 schreef sd:

[gusedum]

The truth is, I don't know much about manifests. Anyway, I did some research and found the "Resource Hacker" application. I opened IB_SQL, but I couldn't find the manifest.

---

De: 'Dimitry Sibiryakov' via firebird-support [mailto:firebird...@googlegroups.com]

Enviado: miércoles, 13 de mayo de 2026, 4:46

Para: firebird...@googlegroups.com

Asunto: [firebird-support] Performance issue with IB_SQL

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[gusedum]

Yes! I mean the IB_SQL.exe file you're referring to!

I downloaded it from the following link:

http://www.ibobjects.com/ibo_ib_sql.html

I couldn't find the source code. Do you know where I can download it?

---

De: Pieter Bas Hofstede [mailto:pbhof...@gmail.com]

Enviado: miércoles, 13 de mayo de 2026, 7:02

Para: firebird-support <firebird...@googlegroups.com>

Asunto: [firebird-support] Performance issue with IB_SQL

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[Pieter Bas Hofstede]

I think this software is still licensed. Look on its website what kind of bundle fits your organization and needs. You can/will get the source code. Although software looks hardly maintained right now

Op za 16 mei 2026, 02:44 schreef gusedum <gus...@gmail.com>:

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[Geoff Worboys]

On 16/05/2026 10:43, gusedum wrote:
> Yes! I mean the IB_SQL.exe file you're referring to!
>
> I downloaded it from the following link:
>
> http://www.ibobjects.com/ibo_ib_sql.html
>
> I couldn't find the source code. Do you know where I can download it?

> [...]
I just downloaded and looked at those. They don't appear to have themes
enabled, although I see that they were linked with Vcl.Themes (hard to
avoid).

Since they do not have a manifest embedded you would be able to create
an external manifest file to define certain aspects. But as noted
above, I doubt if themes are enabled in that copy anyway.

According to the timestamps on those they were built back in 2013. So
there has been plenty of time for other issues to creep in, whether it's
in the IBO code or the underlying VCL.

I'd offer to build you a copy using new VCL libraries but my copy of the
component source is significantly modified from the original so I'm not
certain whether IB_SQL will build properly with my source or not.

--
Geoff Worboys

[Dimitry Sibiryakov]

Geoff Worboys wrote 16.05.2026 13:29:
> I just downloaded and looked at those.  They don't appear to have themes
> enabled, although I see that they were linked with Vcl.Themes (hard to avoid).
>
> Since they do not have a manifest embedded you would be able to create an
> external manifest file to define certain aspects.  But as noted above, I doubt
> if themes are enabled in that copy anyway.

In this case I would play with system's "Performance Options" in "Visual
Effects" part. Perhaps setting it to "Adjust for best performance" can make
difference.

--
WBR, SD.

[gusedum]

I opened the 2013 version of IB_SQL.exe and found the "Manifest" folder in the left-hand folder tree. However, I didn't find anything related to VCL styles.



For now, I think this issue will remain a mystery. :-(

Thanks to everyone who helped and offered suggestions!

---

De: 'Dimitry Sibiryakov' via firebird-support [mailto:firebird...@googlegroups.com]

Enviado: sábado, 16 de mayo de 2026, 8:33

Para: firebird...@googlegroups.com

Asunto: [firebird-support] Performance issue with IB_SQL

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