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XP to XP slow opening folder over the network

Posted: 08-28-2003, 06:54 AM
Dan Balter
Guest
Posts: n/a
 
I have a client with simply 2 brand new Compaq Presario
desktop PC's -- both identical -- running Windows XP Pro
(upgraded from XP Home) with 512 MB RAM, Pentium 4 - 2.4
Ghz, and 120 GB hard drives. They also have Realtek NICs
and I've updated the NIC drivers already. I also installed
new NetGear NICs and disabled the onboard RealTeks.

The client has a brand new NetGear 10/100 Mbps switch, all
cabling is CAT 5. Whenever they go to access a folder
over the network that contains 1,000 or 2,000 files, it
takes between ten and twenty seconds for those objects to
appear using My Computer or Windows Explorer. It seems to
take even longer when accessing those folders over the
network from MS Word, using File, Open. Does not matter
what VIEW we use either. This happens even if we connect
both PCs via a crossover cable.

However, if we hook up a Windows 2000 PC, a Windows Server
2003 PC, or even an OLD Windows 98 PC, it opens those
folders over the network instantly! And, on the local
machine, access is super fast. Also, we installed a
different hard drive with Windows XP on it (just for
kicks) that is fast on another computer, and still
performance over the network is slow. It seems that
either the NIC or the motherboard is part of the problem,
but we don't know for sure. A new Dell notebook running
XP is also slow opening those same folders over the
network!

Nothing that we've tried has worked. Here's what we've
tried:

1) The first thing I would check is if netbios over
tcp/ip is enabled on both machines. Many will argue that
it is no longer needed but that is not what my testing has
revealed.

2) Turn off simple file sharing, to allow classic file
sharing based on username other than Guest and password,
go to Start, Control Panel, Folder Options, View, and
uncheck "Use Simple File Sharing (Recommended)". Click on
OK. Then reboot.


3) What Virus scanning software is installed on the
systems? Has it been reinstalled since the "upgrade" to XP
pro? I would recommend uninstalling it and reinstalling it
with a reboot in between. Please be sure it is then
updated with all the recommended virus definitions and
engine upgrade the vendor recommends (there are a few
particularly bad bugs going around right now)


4) On the XP operating system a unique "feature" I have
seen cause problems it the c:\windows\prefetch folder I
would delete all the items in that folder. They will
dynamically recreate any required files and I have seen
this "clean up" resolve several explorer performance
issues.


5) Make sure you install the latest service pack for
Windows XP and for Office XP.

6) You had mentioned that performance is worse on the
network. The following command will reset the TCP/IP stack
to the original configuration as far as all performance
settings (in Windows 2000 the equivalent would be
reinstalling TCP/IP, which cannot be done in XP). type the
following from a command prompt
netsh int ip reset c:\resetlog.txt


8) As a last resort you could try disabling the indexing
service, ironically on very large file structures it slows
down performance. The downside is you will not be able to
perform searches of the file system on the machine it is
disabled on.

9) Run adaware, it can e obtained from
http://www.lavasoft.de/software/adaware/ The standard
version is a free download, you never know what it might
find.






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Responses to "XP to XP slow opening folder over the network"

Bob Troll
Guest
Posts: n/a
 
Re: XP to XP slow opening folder over the network
Posted: 08-28-2003, 07:22 AM
Hey Dan,

If they were my machines, the very first thing I would look at is the
properties of the nic card on each machine. I would check for the media type
(usually in the advanced tab settings) or whatever they call it on your
particular nic card and set each machine to use 100BaseTX full duplex and
not let the machine use the "autosense" feature it commonly sets for itself.

After doing that on each machine, check out if they act faster and let us
know your results.........

Regards, Bob "hopelessly insane machine warrior" Troll

Dan Balter wrote:
> I have a client with simply 2 brand new Compaq Presario
> desktop PC's -- both identical -- running Windows XP Pro
> (upgraded from XP Home) with 512 MB RAM, Pentium 4 - 2.4
> Ghz, and 120 GB hard drives. They also have Realtek NICs
> and I've updated the NIC drivers already. I also installed
> new NetGear NICs and disabled the onboard RealTeks.
>
> The client has a brand new NetGear 10/100 Mbps switch, all
> cabling is CAT 5. Whenever they go to access a folder
> over the network that contains 1,000 or 2,000 files, it
> takes between ten and twenty seconds for those objects to
> appear using My Computer or Windows Explorer. It seems to
> take even longer when accessing those folders over the
> network from MS Word, using File, Open. Does not matter
> what VIEW we use either. This happens even if we connect
> both PCs via a crossover cable.
>
> However, if we hook up a Windows 2000 PC, a Windows Server
> 2003 PC, or even an OLD Windows 98 PC, it opens those
> folders over the network instantly! And, on the local
> machine, access is super fast. Also, we installed a
> different hard drive with Windows XP on it (just for
> kicks) that is fast on another computer, and still
> performance over the network is slow. It seems that
> either the NIC or the motherboard is part of the problem,
> but we don't know for sure. A new Dell notebook running
> XP is also slow opening those same folders over the
> network!
>
> Nothing that we've tried has worked. Here's what we've
> tried:
>
> 1) The first thing I would check is if netbios over
> tcp/ip is enabled on both machines. Many will argue that
> it is no longer needed but that is not what my testing has
> revealed.
>
> 2) Turn off simple file sharing, to allow classic file
> sharing based on username other than Guest and password,
> go to Start, Control Panel, Folder Options, View, and
> uncheck "Use Simple File Sharing (Recommended)". Click on
> OK. Then reboot.
>
>
> 3) What Virus scanning software is installed on the
> systems? Has it been reinstalled since the "upgrade" to XP
> pro? I would recommend uninstalling it and reinstalling it
> with a reboot in between. Please be sure it is then
> updated with all the recommended virus definitions and
> engine upgrade the vendor recommends (there are a few
> particularly bad bugs going around right now)
>
>
> 4) On the XP operating system a unique "feature" I have
> seen cause problems it the c:\windows\prefetch folder I
> would delete all the items in that folder. They will
> dynamically recreate any required files and I have seen
> this "clean up" resolve several explorer performance
> issues.
>
>
> 5) Make sure you install the latest service pack for
> Windows XP and for Office XP.
>
> 6) You had mentioned that performance is worse on the
> network. The following command will reset the TCP/IP stack
> to the original configuration as far as all performance
> settings (in Windows 2000 the equivalent would be
> reinstalling TCP/IP, which cannot be done in XP). type the
> following from a command prompt
> netsh int ip reset c:\resetlog.txt
>
>
> 8) As a last resort you could try disabling the indexing
> service, ironically on very large file structures it slows
> down performance. The downside is you will not be able to
> perform searches of the file system on the machine it is
> disabled on.
>
> 9) Run adaware, it can e obtained from
> http://www.lavasoft.de/software/adaware/ The standard
> version is a free download, you never know what it might
> find.

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Dan Balter
Guest
Posts: n/a
 
Re: XP to XP slow opening folder over the network
Posted: 08-29-2003, 05:06 AM
Thank you for your suggestion. Unfortunately, I had tried
that and the results were the same.... I tried it first
with the Realtek NICs and then later with the NetGear NICs.

-Dan
>-----Original Message-----
>Hey Dan,
>
>If they were my machines, the very first thing I would
look at is the
>properties of the nic card on each machine. I would check
for the media type
>(usually in the advanced tab settings) or whatever they
call it on your
>particular nic card and set each machine to use 100BaseTX
full duplex and
>not let the machine use the "autosense" feature it
commonly sets for itself.
>
>After doing that on each machine, check out if they act
faster and let us
>know your results.........
>
>Regards, Bob "hopelessly insane machine warrior" Troll
>
>Dan Balter wrote:
>> I have a client with simply 2 brand new Compaq Presario
>> desktop PC's -- both identical -- running Windows XP Pro
>> (upgraded from XP Home) with 512 MB RAM, Pentium 4 - 2.4
>> Ghz, and 120 GB hard drives. They also have Realtek
NICs
>> and I've updated the NIC drivers already. I also
installed
>> new NetGear NICs and disabled the onboard RealTeks.
>>
>> The client has a brand new NetGear 10/100 Mbps switch,
all
>> cabling is CAT 5. Whenever they go to access a folder
>> over the network that contains 1,000 or 2,000 files, it
>> takes between ten and twenty seconds for those objects
to
>> appear using My Computer or Windows Explorer. It seems
to
>> take even longer when accessing those folders over the
>> network from MS Word, using File, Open. Does not matter
>> what VIEW we use either. This happens even if we connect
>> both PCs via a crossover cable.
>>
>> However, if we hook up a Windows 2000 PC, a Windows
Server
>> 2003 PC, or even an OLD Windows 98 PC, it opens those
>> folders over the network instantly! And, on the local
>> machine, access is super fast. Also, we installed a
>> different hard drive with Windows XP on it (just for
>> kicks) that is fast on another computer, and still
>> performance over the network is slow. It seems that
>> either the NIC or the motherboard is part of the
problem,
>> but we don't know for sure. A new Dell notebook running
>> XP is also slow opening those same folders over the
>> network!
>>
>> Nothing that we've tried has worked. Here's what we've
>> tried:
>>
>> 1) The first thing I would check is if netbios over
>> tcp/ip is enabled on both machines. Many will argue that
>> it is no longer needed but that is not what my testing
has
>> revealed.
>>
>> 2) Turn off simple file sharing, to allow classic file
>> sharing based on username other than Guest and password,
>> go to Start, Control Panel, Folder Options, View, and
>> uncheck "Use Simple File Sharing (Recommended)". Click
on
>> OK. Then reboot.
>>
>>
>> 3) What Virus scanning software is installed on the
>> systems? Has it been reinstalled since the "upgrade" to
XP
>> pro? I would recommend uninstalling it and reinstalling
it
>> with a reboot in between. Please be sure it is then
>> updated with all the recommended virus definitions and
>> engine upgrade the vendor recommends (there are a few
>> particularly bad bugs going around right now)
>>
>>
>> 4) On the XP operating system a unique "feature" I have
>> seen cause problems it the c:\windows\prefetch folder I
>> would delete all the items in that folder. They will
>> dynamically recreate any required files and I have seen
>> this "clean up" resolve several explorer performance
>> issues.
>>
>>
>> 5) Make sure you install the latest service pack for
>> Windows XP and for Office XP.
>>
>> 6) You had mentioned that performance is worse on the
>> network. The following command will reset the TCP/IP
stack
>> to the original configuration as far as all performance
>> settings (in Windows 2000 the equivalent would be
>> reinstalling TCP/IP, which cannot be done in XP). type
the
>> following from a command prompt
>> netsh int ip reset c:\resetlog.txt
>>
>>
>> 8) As a last resort you could try disabling the
indexing
>> service, ironically on very large file structures it
slows
>> down performance. The downside is you will not be able
to
>> perform searches of the file system on the machine it is
>> disabled on.
>>
>> 9) Run adaware, it can e obtained from
>> http://www.lavasoft.de/software/adaware/ The standard
>> version is a free download, you never know what it might
>> find.
>
>
>.
>
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john
Guest
Posts: n/a
 
Re: XP to XP slow opening folder over the network
Posted: 08-30-2003, 01:11 AM
I have the exact same problem using XP Home, Service Pak 1
when accessing folders on Win98SE machines. It seems to
occur the first time I access the folder, once that is
over I can go back and I get normal speed.
>-----Original Message-----
>Thank you for your suggestion. Unfortunately, I had
tried
>that and the results were the same.... I tried it first
>with the Realtek NICs and then later with the NetGear
NICs.
>
>-Dan
>>-----Original Message-----
>>Hey Dan,
>>
>>If they were my machines, the very first thing I would
>look at is the
>>properties of the nic card on each machine. I would
check
>for the media type
>>(usually in the advanced tab settings) or whatever they
>call it on your
>>particular nic card and set each machine to use
100BaseTX
>full duplex and
>>not let the machine use the "autosense" feature it
>commonly sets for itself.
>>
>>After doing that on each machine, check out if they act
>faster and let us
>>know your results.........
>>
>>Regards, Bob "hopelessly insane machine warrior" Troll
>>
>>Dan Balter wrote:
>>> I have a client with simply 2 brand new Compaq Presario
>>> desktop PC's -- both identical -- running Windows XP
Pro
>>> (upgraded from XP Home) with 512 MB RAM, Pentium 4 -
2.4
>>> Ghz, and 120 GB hard drives. They also have Realtek
>NICs
>>> and I've updated the NIC drivers already. I also
>installed
>>> new NetGear NICs and disabled the onboard RealTeks.
>>>
>>> The client has a brand new NetGear 10/100 Mbps switch,
>all
>>> cabling is CAT 5. Whenever they go to access a folder
>>> over the network that contains 1,000 or 2,000 files, it
>>> takes between ten and twenty seconds for those objects
>to
>>> appear using My Computer or Windows Explorer. It
seems
>to
>>> take even longer when accessing those folders over the
>>> network from MS Word, using File, Open. Does not matter
>>> what VIEW we use either. This happens even if we
connect
>>> both PCs via a crossover cable.
>>>
>>> However, if we hook up a Windows 2000 PC, a Windows
>Server
>>> 2003 PC, or even an OLD Windows 98 PC, it opens those
>>> folders over the network instantly! And, on the local
>>> machine, access is super fast. Also, we installed a
>>> different hard drive with Windows XP on it (just for
>>> kicks) that is fast on another computer, and still
>>> performance over the network is slow. It seems that
>>> either the NIC or the motherboard is part of the
>problem,
>>> but we don't know for sure. A new Dell notebook
running
>>> XP is also slow opening those same folders over the
>>> network!
>>>
>>> Nothing that we've tried has worked. Here's what we've
>>> tried:
>>>
>>> 1) The first thing I would check is if netbios over
>>> tcp/ip is enabled on both machines. Many will argue
that
>>> it is no longer needed but that is not what my testing
>has
>>> revealed.
>>>
>>> 2) Turn off simple file sharing, to allow classic
file
>>> sharing based on username other than Guest and
password,
>>> go to Start, Control Panel, Folder Options, View, and
>>> uncheck "Use Simple File Sharing (Recommended)". Click
>on
>>> OK. Then reboot.
>>>
>>>
>>> 3) What Virus scanning software is installed on the
>>> systems? Has it been reinstalled since the "upgrade"
to
>XP
>>> pro? I would recommend uninstalling it and
reinstalling
>it
>>> with a reboot in between. Please be sure it is then
>>> updated with all the recommended virus definitions and
>>> engine upgrade the vendor recommends (there are a few
>>> particularly bad bugs going around right now)
>>>
>>>
>>> 4) On the XP operating system a unique "feature" I
have
>>> seen cause problems it the c:\windows\prefetch folder I
>>> would delete all the items in that folder. They will
>>> dynamically recreate any required files and I have seen
>>> this "clean up" resolve several explorer performance
>>> issues.
>>>
>>>
>>> 5) Make sure you install the latest service pack for
>>> Windows XP and for Office XP.
>>>
>>> 6) You had mentioned that performance is worse on the
>>> network. The following command will reset the TCP/IP
>stack
>>> to the original configuration as far as all performance
>>> settings (in Windows 2000 the equivalent would be
>>> reinstalling TCP/IP, which cannot be done in XP). type
>the
>>> following from a command prompt
>>> netsh int ip reset c:\resetlog.txt
>>>
>>>
>>> 8) As a last resort you could try disabling the
>indexing
>>> service, ironically on very large file structures it
>slows
>>> down performance. The downside is you will not be able
>to
>>> perform searches of the file system on the machine it
is
>>> disabled on.
>>>
>>> 9) Run adaware, it can e obtained from
>>> http://www.lavasoft.de/software/adaware/ The standard
>>> version is a free download, you never know what it
might
>>> find.
>>
>>
>>.
>>
>.
>
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