[dba-SQLServer] HELP, server completely unresponsive

Well I thought that assigning three processors to the SQL Server software was the answer, and it in 
fact did make a difference in some cases, but there is still something happening that "locks up" the 
server.  IO started a long running update query going this morning and immediately afterwards I was 
able to move around, look at other stuff.  Then I went away to do other things.  When I came back it 
was "locked up" - with the Management studio application full screen, and the cursor immovable.  Of 
course I thought it was locked up, and I have always believed that it was literally never going to 
come back.

I just happened to to an Alt-Tab, then went off to my lap top to do other stuff.  When I came back I 
was at Windows Explorer, not Management Studio.  So the machine is in fact responding, but 
glacially.  The mouse cursor is locked up, cannot be moved.  I use a KVM switch, and when I move to 
another machine the cursor is moving just fine, when I move back to this machine it is locked up. 
However the cursor changed from the insertion pointer icon to the arrow icon when i switched from 
Management Studio to Windows Explorer, so again the machine is definitely not unresponsive, it is 
just responding glacially.

This time I have SQL Server assigned three processors, and I was observing that SQL Server pegged 
three of the processors when it began processing the query so I am comfortable that it in fact is 
correctly using just three processors.

So what is happening that would so completely freeze up the server that the cursor won't even move?

Weird.

Has anyone else out there ever experienced this?  Found a solution?

John W. Colby
www.ColbyConsulting.com