Windows 7: Extremely slow networking with one specific PC

I have one Windows 7 machine that I use as a "server" in my home (it's Windows 7 ultimate, with a shared drive).

I'm not a novice, but I am having a strange problem with it. MOST of the time pulling data off that machine through the shared drive is VERY slow. This is a relatively new development.

For example, I connect to it from my work PC downstairs (they are on the same subnet). there is significant latency when I browse folders on it, and copying files off of it is not really possible. I also use RDesktop to control it once in a while, and screen redraws take 20-30 seconds.

On the other hand, if I go up there and RDesktop back in the other direction, everything appears fine. So it appears to only be Upload; also it looks like it's only a local problem, as when I run internet speedtests I get 7Mb upload from it.

I know what you are thinking: Check the router. So I went ahead and swapped in a known-good 1GB switch. Same problem. So it's on the PC side of things.



It's a new system with a new motherboard, so I am not sure if this is a software issue. I am ready to get a new network adapter, but I was hoping that wasn't necessary.

(I am about to go try a wireless adapter and see how that works).

Any ideas?

I have to ask if you have tried multiple cables here. It almost sounds like a bad cable.

Good idea. I just swapped it and I get the same problem. We're talking 16KB/sec.

But when I run a speed test to the internet, I am seeing 7Mb upload- implying the cable is OK (at least, 7Mb OK).

Last idea on this front is antivirus interfering with transfers (at least based on the information you've been able to provide.)

I am running Microsoft Security Essentials.

Which while functional does have one of the slowest scan times in the av side by sides.

That may be true, but I am not running it Live (scheduled scans only).

Is there nothing that can slow down SMB sharing yet leave other services running freely?

I've built 3 PCs in the last several years, and each/every one of them has had the on-board Gigabit ethernet port die! Most recently, I too was having peculiar network problems, first noticed because I keep my Firefox profile on a network NAS. Long story short: from the suspect PC I did a "ping <another Gigabit device> -t" and observed that I was getting failures around 5% of the time! I put-in a gigabit NIC and all is well again.

So you might check that your pinging is perfect; another very nice tool is Ixia's Qcheck (though you need its software on another machine to check thruput against).

I know you said it's a new mobo, but cable and NIC are always things to check.

I believe you, but the fact that I still have good internet upload makes me doubtful. I will boot a Linux LIVE CD and see if I have the problem.

Ok, but do you ping perfectly? Takes only a minute or two to check.